Touring the Banburyshire pubs on a bike: The Falcon, Warmington

In support of village pubs around the area after the pandemic Miles Doughty is touring them by bike. Here is his latest column.
Miles at the Falcon in Warmington.Miles at the Falcon in Warmington.
Miles at the Falcon in Warmington.

Pub pedals 20 – by Miles Doughty

They just get better

The weather must have put some of my fellow cyclists off this week, and as only happens rarely, I headed out on my own to visit another pub to find out how they are surviving. Although the roads were wet the skies were sunny as I set off through Chacombe and Wardington to Chipping Warden. Passing the Griffin pub and not having been this way I was fortunate I could get round the closed road to Aston-le-Walls. The road, although partly flooded, was so quiet that a fox joined me on the road carrying a bird in its jaws and I wondered if it had stolen from the Turkey Farm I had seen advertised.

A map of the route.A map of the route.
A map of the route.

On through Lower Boddington and my favourite village of Wormleighton I soon got to Fenny Compton and the steady climb to Avon Dassett. After putting all the effort into getting up the hill, I ignored the “cyclists dismount” sign on the 12% hill down into the village although took it easy. The Yew Tree pub is another one trying to carry on, although the weather wasn’t quite up to the ice creams advertised. Out of the village there was another hill past Warmington and the National Herb Centre to the Falcon pub. My Click and Collect order was quickly brought out by Dale the landlord who told me that they were doing well especially after Eat Out to Help Out. He had closed in the spring and been kept busy with the gardens but was glad to being takeaway this time to keep occupied.

Cycling back to Warmington church, I found a sunny bench to try the food that turned out to be excellent. The halloumi fries were crunchy and squeaky with a simple tomato relish and the whole baby squid were fabulous with a herby, sweet chilli sauce. The added bonus was some Purity, Longhorn IPA made from rye with a nice hoppy tropical taste. Feeling very satisfied I headed home down through the beautiful village and pond where the ducks were also enjoying the sun. In Mollington I was surprised to see the door of the Green Man Inn open and learnt from landlady Janet they were still closed waiting to hear more. On the now familiar route home through Cropredy I also wondered what would happen next but in the meantime I can just hope for another cycle and possibly more pubs doing takeaway.