RoutesRoad cycling routesUnited KingdomEnglandSouth East EnglandOxfordshireSouth OxfordshireShiplake
Stoke Row Wooded Road – Checkendon Village Sign loop from Shiplake
RoutesRoad cycling routesUnited KingdomEnglandSouth East EnglandOxfordshireSouth OxfordshireShiplake
Stoke Row Wooded Road – Checkendon Village Sign loop from Shiplake
Moderate
22
riders
Stoke Row Wooded Road – Checkendon Village Sign loop from Shiplake
01:39
36.2km
340m
Road cycling
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Tips
Your route passes through protected areas
Please check local regulations for:
Waypoints
A
Start point
Train Station
Get Directions
2.17 km
Harpsden Wood
Forest
2
10.7 km
St Paul's Church, Highmoor Cross
Highlight • Religious Site
'Parish church, built as chapel of ease 1859. Designed by Joseph Morris of Reading; built by Robert Owthwaite of Henley-on-Thames. Nave, chancel, single-storey vestry to south.
[...]
St. Paul's is a simple but pleasing mid Victorian church, little if at all altered. It is by a local architect and makes a positive contribution to Highmoor, notably through the predominant use of flint which is a distinctive local building material. The church represents the High Victorian desire to improve the provision of places of worship in rural areas such as this.'
Cit. historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1391558
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'[Name redacted], of Twickenham, has applied to turn St Paul’s Church in Highmoor into a three-bedroom house.
[...]
The church was designed by Joseph Morris, of Reading, and built in 1859.
It is made of knapped flint with Bath stone detailing and has a nave with shallow west porch, chancel, south vestry and bellcote.'
Cit. henleystandard.co.uk/news/highmoor/103783/old-church-could-be-turned-into-three-bedroom-house.html
[...]
St. Paul's is a simple but pleasing mid Victorian church, little if at all altered. It is by a local architect and makes a positive contribution to Highmoor, notably through the predominant use of flint which is a distinctive local building material. The church represents the High Victorian desire to improve the provision of places of worship in rural areas such as this.'
Cit. historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1391558
----
'[Name redacted], of Twickenham, has applied to turn St Paul’s Church in Highmoor into a three-bedroom house.
[...]
The church was designed by Joseph Morris, of Reading, and built in 1859.
It is made of knapped flint with Bath stone detailing and has a nave with shallow west porch, chancel, south vestry and bellcote.'
Cit. henleystandard.co.uk/news/highmoor/103783/old-church-could-be-turned-into-three-bedroom-house.html
Tip by
3
12.3 km
Stoke Row Wooded Road
Highlight • Forest
Uphill into Stoke Row through a 'spooky' covered wood.... make sure your bring your lights, even in daytime!
Tip by
4
12.9 km
Sheep Sculptures at Stoke Row
Highlight • Monument
5
13.4 km
Maharajah's Well and the Golden Elephant Statue
Highlight • Monument
A gilded elephant stands on top of the cast iron machinery of this unique Victorian well at Stoke Row, Oxfordshire, an amazing gift from an Indian prince.
The 368-foot deep well, under its domed canopy (made by a foundry in Wallingford), was paid for by the Maharajah of Benares (now Varanasi). He had met the young Edward Reade, the local squire, who spent many years in India where among other work he helped to sink a well for a village in Benares. He told the Maharajah that drought conditions also occurred on parts of the Chilterns.
Moved by Reade's stories of water shortage in Ipsden (the parish which then included the settlement of Stoke Row) – the water had to be fetched by hand from miles away – the Maharajah paid for a well to be dug in Stoke Row, at a cost of around £400, as well as a small well-keeper's cottage and a cherry orchard. The cherries from the orchard provided an income to help pay for the well’s upkeep.
The well is 4 feet in diameter, dug by hand mostly through chalk, and is deeper that the height of two Nelson's columns. It took a year to complete and was opened on the Queen’s birthday in 1864. The well was in use for over 70 years and was a huge benefit to Stoke Row as a community.
Prince Philip's visit to mark the well's centenary in 1964 is still remembered in the hand-coloured red helicopter on every copy of the village newsletter, the Stoke Row News.
In 2008 the canopy was re-painted to restore it to its original Victorian glory.
The 368-foot deep well, under its domed canopy (made by a foundry in Wallingford), was paid for by the Maharajah of Benares (now Varanasi). He had met the young Edward Reade, the local squire, who spent many years in India where among other work he helped to sink a well for a village in Benares. He told the Maharajah that drought conditions also occurred on parts of the Chilterns.
Moved by Reade's stories of water shortage in Ipsden (the parish which then included the settlement of Stoke Row) – the water had to be fetched by hand from miles away – the Maharajah paid for a well to be dug in Stoke Row, at a cost of around £400, as well as a small well-keeper's cottage and a cherry orchard. The cherries from the orchard provided an income to help pay for the well’s upkeep.
The well is 4 feet in diameter, dug by hand mostly through chalk, and is deeper that the height of two Nelson's columns. It took a year to complete and was opened on the Queen’s birthday in 1864. The well was in use for over 70 years and was a huge benefit to Stoke Row as a community.
Prince Philip's visit to mark the well's centenary in 1964 is still remembered in the hand-coloured red helicopter on every copy of the village newsletter, the Stoke Row News.
In 2008 the canopy was re-painted to restore it to its original Victorian glory.
Tip by
6
13.6 km
St John the Evangelist Church, Stoke Row
Highlight • Historical Site
The Church of St John the Evangelist, Stoke Row, was consecrated on the 19th October 1848.
The building is a beautiful example of simple Victorian architecture. The rectangular floor space accommodates a nave seating about 90 people and a spacious chancel area.
There is a tower at the north-east corner which houses the vestry, clock and bell.
The exterior of the building is a fine example of flintwork in a variety of styles and the roof is slate, with cedar shingles on the bell tower.
A delightful rose window was designed and made by Barbara Batt. The clock is a rare example from the 1920’s which is still in working order. It has recently been restored.
Cit. langtreechurches.org/locations/st-john-the-evangelist-church-stoke-row
The building is a beautiful example of simple Victorian architecture. The rectangular floor space accommodates a nave seating about 90 people and a spacious chancel area.
There is a tower at the north-east corner which houses the vestry, clock and bell.
The exterior of the building is a fine example of flintwork in a variety of styles and the roof is slate, with cedar shingles on the bell tower.
A delightful rose window was designed and made by Barbara Batt. The clock is a rare example from the 1920’s which is still in working order. It has recently been restored.
Cit. langtreechurches.org/locations/st-john-the-evangelist-church-stoke-row
Tip by
7
15.7 km
Checkendon Village Sign
Highlight • Monument
Standing on a small green near the church of St Peter and St Paul, the double-sided sign depicts a delightful scene of the church and a path through the bluebell woods for which the village is noted.
Like a painting in appearance it reflects its surroundings admirably. The format is a tribute to two local artists, one, Peggy Beeton, a distant relative of Mrs Beeton of cookery book fame, and Robert Lobley.
The tiny dated golden crown that tops the sign marks the Golden Jubilee.
Cit. oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3742783.rural-pride-display
Like a painting in appearance it reflects its surroundings admirably. The format is a tribute to two local artists, one, Peggy Beeton, a distant relative of Mrs Beeton of cookery book fame, and Robert Lobley.
The tiny dated golden crown that tops the sign marks the Golden Jubilee.
Cit. oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3742783.rural-pride-display
Tip by
8
16.7 km
The Nuba Survival Sculpture
Highlight • Monument
Created in 2001 by English sculptor John Buckley after he visited the Nuba peoples in Sudan, this piece featuring two giant skeletons embracing each other is called 'The Nuba Survival'.
Adapted from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Buckley_(sculptor)
Also see: atlasobscura.com/places/nuba-survival-sculpture
----
If you are cycling along you'll have to make an effort and consciously look for this sculpture, which sits a few hundred yards from the road and is not immediately noticeable from afar.
Adapted from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Buckley_(sculptor)
Also see: atlasobscura.com/places/nuba-survival-sculpture
----
If you are cycling along you'll have to make an effort and consciously look for this sculpture, which sits a few hundred yards from the road and is not immediately noticeable from afar.
Tip by
9
18.2 km
Woodcote Village Sign
Highlight • Monument
If you're riding through Woodcote you won't be able to miss the village sign by the Villgae Green and Cricket Club.
A thatched cottage on a green field takes centre stage in the sign between 2 different types of trees, a clear blue sky behind it.
The name 'WOODCOTE' is carved in golden letters in an arc above the cottage on the blue background, while at the bottom the sentence 'A CHILTERN VILLAGE 2002' is carved in the same golden letters on the green field.
Incidentally, Woodcote won the Oxfordshire Village of the Year title for 2008.
A thatched cottage on a green field takes centre stage in the sign between 2 different types of trees, a clear blue sky behind it.
The name 'WOODCOTE' is carved in golden letters in an arc above the cottage on the blue background, while at the bottom the sentence 'A CHILTERN VILLAGE 2002' is carved in the same golden letters on the green field.
Incidentally, Woodcote won the Oxfordshire Village of the Year title for 2008.
Tip by
B
36.2 km
End point
Train Station
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
30.3 km
3.22 km
2.51 km
< 100 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
32.2 km
3.88 km
< 100 m
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Elevation
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Weather
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Sunday 12 July
28°C
14°C
0 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 26.0 km/h
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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.
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