On the Trail of Oxfordshire's finest food and drink
Get out and about on Oxfordshire’s Food and Drink Trails this summer to explore the glorious countryside and discover the county’s finest food and drink – straight from the field to you.
Tamara Schiopu, director of the BBO Food Group CIC, which publishes the Food Trails explains: “There are dozens of farms and food producers located in the valleys and hills of north Oxfordshire and east Gloucestershire.
“Whether people go home with farmhouse cheeses, rare-breed pork, grass-fed beef, home-made cakes, or farmers’ market produce, they will have the satisfaction of being able to see where their food comes from before it reaches their plate.”
Among the food attractions to be visited are pubs, restaurants, guesthouses and B&Bs, where local produce is often on the menu. The routes also include notable places of historic interest such as Broughton Castle and The Rollright Stones.
The Cherwell Food and Drink Trail covers 32 miles of picturesque north Oxfordshire villages from the valley of the River Cherwell to the edge of the Cotswolds, and links with the established Ironstone Villages Ride.
The Cotswolds Food and Drink Trail has two routes totalling 52 miles and follows the beautiful valleys of the Evenlode and Windrush rivers in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, meeting the Cherwell Food and Drink Trail at The Rollright Stones.
The Food and Drink Trails are free and available from tourist information centres, pubs, farm shops on the routes and can be downloaded from the BBO Food Group website http://www.local-food.net/content/food_trails.asp
The Midcounties Co-operative supports the work of BBO Food Group CIC. Patrice Garrigues, Ethical Trading Manager at The Midcounties Co-operative, says: “As a member-owned, community retailer we believe in local sourcing and supporting local suppliers. Our Local Harvest scheme enables us to offer quality local products sourced from a 40 miles radius in our food stores from various suppliers. By supporting smaller suppliers it strengthens our relationships with the communities in which they operate. And reducing food miles – the distance that food travels from field to fork – is also better for the environment.”
Further information and copies of the Food & Drink Trails from:
Tamara Schiopu, BBO Food Group CIC: info@local-food.net 07795 334474