A SERIES of new family-friendly walks across Oxfordshire, ideal for pushchair and wheelchair users, are now being highlighted online.

There are 40 routes for walkers of all ages, which take in a range of landscapes including meadows, woodlands, rivers, nature reserves and lakes.

They include 11 routes suitable for families, which have been devised in time for the schools’ summer holidays.

Information and maps showing how to access green space in urban areas of the county is also available on the county council’s website – oxfordshire.gov.uk – by clicking on the heading “Get out and about this summer”.

Families can also take advantage of suggested countryside activities aimed at children aged between three and 11.

Dan Weeks, the county’s rights of way field officer for West Oxfordshire, said the new walks were being highlighted to coincide with the start of school summer holidays.

The 33-year-old father-of-one, who lives in Hook Norton, said his favourite walk with daughter Olivia, three, was around Witney Lakes.

He added: “We have highlighted lots of easy walks for families, which are under a mile-and-a-half long.

“The countryside on our doorstep is such an asset and people should make the most of it, now that the school holidays are starting.

“There are educational benefits for children; they get to learn about the countryside and, before they know it, they are taking healthy exercise as well.

“Some people have a perception that the countryside is just for members of the Ramblers’ Association, but that’s not the case.

“Pubs and other points of interest are marked on some of the longer routes and, when the weather is fine, it’s a great opportunity to take a picnic.”

Locations suggested for family activities include Daeda’s Wood in Deddington, Stoke Wood in Bicester, Brasenose Wood in Oxford, and Badbury Hill in Faringdon.

Activities range from learning about camouflage to listening to a countryside concert.

People wanting longer treks can explore information about circular walks which take in some of the county's most beautiful areas, including the Windrush Valley and the Chiltern Hills.

The in-depth guide to the historic 65-mile Oxfordshire Way walking route – which runs from the Cotswold town of Bourton-on-the-Water to the banks of the River Thames at Henley – includes up-to-date and large-scale maps and details of locations of geological and historical interest.

The information has been compiled by officers from the county council’s Countryside Service.

Rodney Rose, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We are extremely lucky in Oxfordshire to have such wonderful countryside right on our doorstep.

“Our revamped website offers a huge amount of information about various walking routes that people can take advantage of.

“The school summer holidays are an ideal opportunity for families to get out and about and to enjoy the county’s countryside.”

To request a leaflet on the countryside walks routes, call the Countryside Service on 01865 810226.