Cycling from Cambridge to Oxford Part 3: Milton Keynes (Bletchley) to Oxford (in reverse)

Part 1 Cambridge to Bedford is here
Part 2 Bedford to Milton Keynes/Bletchley is here

Part 1 and Part 2 of this journey brought me to Bletchley station, chosen because it lies on the East-West railway to Bedford. I decided to do the final part of the journey heading East, starting from Oxford in order to use the strong westerly tail wind. I finished the journey at Milton Keynes station, because it has a better service than Bletchley on Sundays. A further advantage was that on Sunday there is a single direct train from Guildford to Oxford at about midday, making it convenient to start at Oxford.

So it was that I caught this Cross Country service from Guildford to Oxford at 1215, rather a late start, but not too much of an issue given the long midsummer daylight hours.

The rather bizarre bike space on the Cross Country train. It is supposed to take two bikes!

The GPS track of my route from Oxford to Milton Keynes is here (added to the map for parts 1 and 2, so that the whole Cambridge to Oxford journey is on one map). I have added the short routes linking to the route for Part 2 (Bedford to Bletchley): I haven't cycled them, but they should be reasonably easy to follow.

I have based my Cambridge-Oxford ride on Route 51 of the National Cycle Network (NCN51). However, this appears to follow a rather urban route through the suburbs of Oxford. So, from Oxford station I followed instead the tow path of the Oxford Canal North to Kidlington.

The Oxford Canal towpath is a pleasant route out of town

The towpath starts as a good wide track...

...then narrows (but still a good surface)

From Kidlington I followed the NCN51, through Bicester.

St Mary the Virgin, Kidlington

Off road track on the way to Bicester

Urban sculpture, outskirts of Bicester

Bicester Sheep Street (cycling not permitted, so you have to walk)

Bicester has good rail connections to London (Marylebone) and Oxford (via Bicester Village), and so could provide another break point on the route. After Bicester, the route moves into more open countryside.

Impressive (excessive?) step free bridge over the railway nr Bicester Village station

The mothballed Bicester-Bletchley railway: a candidate to be reopened as part of the proposed East-West railway linking Oxford and Cambridge. Might be bumpy to cycle along.

Claydon House (NT) is on the route: I arrived at the tea room at 1702, 2 minutes after it had closed.

Winslow

Much of the route between Winslow and the outskirts of Milton Keynes is on a good off-road track

Old station (Swanbourne?)

Off road part of the route (plus one of the few other cyclists I saw)

A short stretch of the Bicester-Bletchley railway has been lifted (or allowed to become very overgrown)

There are good, well-signed cycle routes in MK

Cricket in MK

Approaching MK station

From MK station, I caught the 1907 train to Euston, having ridden some 45 miles. It was very crowded, but I managed to stow my bike next to the sliding doors.

Thus I completed my route from Cambridge to Oxford. NCN51 is a good route to follow, although it is quite circuitous (especially the Cambridge to St Neots section, which takes a considerable diversion via Huntingdon). If you are in a hurry, I am sure a more direct cross-country route is possible, but NCN51 makes for a pleasant enough amble through some interesting towns, following mainly quiet backways.