3rd December 2025
A new countryside footpath linking Thame to Lopemede Farm is set to open this month, with a community walk and festive market planned to mark the occasion.
Residents are invited to gather at 10:30am on Sunday, 14 December, meeting outside St Mary’s Church, Thame, on the Priest End side. From there, participants will walk together along the historic Thame–Long Crendon road toward Lopemede Farm.
Mayor Andy Gilbert will officially open the footpath with a ribbon-cutting ceremony before visitors continue up to the farm, where an artisan Christmas market and refreshments from Fallow & Fields Kitchen will be available.
Farmer Eddie Rixon says the new footpath was created to strengthen Lopemede Farm’s connection with Thame and surrounding villages, offering a safe and sustainable walking route for visitors.
“Sadly, the UK is the least nature-connected country in Europe,” Rixon said. “We hope the footpath will encourage more people to spend time outdoors. Contact with nature is proven to support both mental and physical health.”
In addition to establishing the route, the farm has planted new hedgerows and woodland areas to boost local biodiversity and help sequester carbon—part of what Rixon describes as the footpath’s “dual objective to improve planetary and human health.”
Dogs on leads are welcome, and attendees are advised to wear sturdy footwear such as wellingtons or walking boots.
For more information, Eddie Rixon can be contacted at [email protected].
