Access
Access to the western end of Barton
Fields is from the bridge over the mill stream at the
eastern end of Abbey Meadow. There is also access from Crabtree Place. There is no
parking in Crabtree place but there is an infrequent No.41 bus service
that stops near there. There is a short walk from the Abbey
Meadow car park to bridge to Barton Fields. If you want to park as
close as possible to the area, you can follow Barton Lane past the large Sophos
building and find somewhere to park on the right where you will find access
to a path which links Barton Fields to Radley lakes. You turn right to Barton
Field (turning left takes you to Radley Lakes).
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| Bridge from
Abbey Meadow |
Gate from
Crabtree Place |
Access from
Barton Lane |
Connectivity
National
Cycle Route 5 passes through the area. Barton Fields
provides a pleasant walking route from Abbey Meadow to Radley
Lakes. Healthy Abingdon Walk 6
circles the area. The cycle route can also take you to the
White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre.
The Area
This is a narrow strip of land
approximately 570m by 120m. It is sandwiched between the River
Thames to the south and Abingdon Science Park to the north.
It is a fairly open area but with mature trees to the north and
south. The national cycle path skirting the north of area is
of course well paved but the other footpaths are unpaved and
can get muddy in in wet weather. Don't be surprised if
these paths are blocked by a fallen tree. Also, large areas of the
Barton Fields can flood when the Thames is high. The cycle
path is straight and with great views across the
wild area. The unpaved path along the south of the area is
more interesting. It runs alongside Radley Brook. On the other
side of the brook is a thin strip of land between the brook and the
River Thames. You can catch glimpses of the Thames and also
spot a few house boats on Thames which are accessed from Barton
Fields by home-made bridges over the brook. There
are a number of useful placards around the site giving information
on what to look out for including wildlife. There are two
benches in the NE corner of the area where you can rest and admire
the views.
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