Travel Route

Nuffield Place to T Block

There is plenty of time to enjoy a look around the house and chat to other owners before you need to make your way over to Oxford, so please don't rush. We encourage you to travel in modest sized groups, but you are of course welcome to go singly and on your own route. However, there are no marshals along the route. If you do decide to travel in convoy, please make sure you read the section below and travel safely. The scenic route below is just under 30 miles and will take around one hour to complete, not allowing for any stops you might wish to make along the way.

The Route

Leaving Nuffield Place you'll turn left on Bradley Road (turning right takes you into the prison!) and then left at the end of the road onto the A4130, before taking the first right into Timbers Lane with the Huntercombe Golf Course that Lord Nuffield purchased on your right. Turn right onto Nuffield Hill and you'll find Nuffield Holy Trinity Church on your left, William Morris's last resting place. Follow the road as it rejoins the A4130 and shortly you'll come to Crowmarsh roundabout, where you'll take the first exit, Port Way, and then right at the next roundabout into Nosworthy Way. The river you cross is the mighty Thames but here in more modest size.

Straight on at a couple of roundabouts and right at the third takes you into the 9th Century Saxon enclave of Wallingford, one of the most important upper Thames crossings for centuries. Parts of the Saxon defences are still here, along with a castle and museum, and much of the Saxon street layout. Well worth a stop, if you've enough time left.

Retrace your route to the roundabout and turn right back on the A4130 and follow it left off the next roundabout. After one mile, turn right on to Sires Hill. Through the hedging you'll see great views of the Thames Valley and Dorchester Abbey back the other side of the river. Wittenham Clumps, the two hill peaks on your right, are the oldest known planted beeches in England at over 300 years old. There are Roman, Bronze Age, and Iron Age artifacts found at this site, so Rosie Hamilton will probably remember it.

Continue through Long Wittenham and you'll catch glimpses of the Thames again on your left, before passing the glorious Barley Mow pub, 650 years old and immortalised in the works of Dickens Jnr and Jerome K. Jerome. It's another place you really must stop if you have time, if for nothing else then to take photos of your friends Minors traversing the incredibly pretty single lane brick bridge back over the Thames. Again, please be considerate of other motorists if you're tempted to get some photos. Bear right and you'll be on the A415 into Abingdon.

Crossing the Thames for the last time in your trip, stay on the A415 as it changes from High Street to Ock Street to Marcham Road, and then turn right at the roundabout in front of the Premier Inn onto Colwell Drive. The residential development on your right and the large Police Station are built on the land that once housed 'A block' of the MG car plant, the main assembly plant. For those of you with Midget powered Minors, this is holy ground, and hidden several rows of homes back is Kember House, home to the MG Car Club. The large row of buildings on your left are the sole surviving buildings of MG days, and used to be called 'B block', containing the 'rectification shop' (no sniggering at the back please). As you cross the roundabout with Anna Pavlova Way on your right (a nod to the Pavlova Leather Co. that used to supply upholstery to MG), the area to your immediate left was once 'C block', the Special Tuning and export departments. Hallowed ground indeed.

Join the A34 for just one junction and then turn off on the Eastern Bypass for Cowley and the MINI Visitor Centre. If you miss the entrance, you can get access by turning right at the lights into Horspath Road. See you there!

A little convoy etiquette

Remember that a convoy of similar cars attracts attention, particularly from the Police who may be monitoring your progress along your route. It is essential therefore that all the convoy members drive properly, courteously and safely. Do not 'jump' a set of traffic lights in order to keep up, or push your way out of a Give Way line. In the most part you will find the vehicles in front will notice you not there and slow down to allow you to catch up legally. Remember that you are not exempt from any rules or laws simply because you're in convoy with others.

The convoy will probably be travelling much slower than other traffic on the route and other traffic may wish to overtake. If other vehicles do wish to overtake they must be allowed to do so safely. Do not follow the car in front too closely, and allow an overtaking vehicle into the convoy if he needs a space.

Whilst you are convoying, you are representing the Club, please bear this in mind and continue the good image that the Club enjoys.