Is there a more beautiful city in these isles than Oxford? Well, I cannot claim to have been to all of the them but of those cities that I have visited Oxford is my favourite by far.
Many years ago I lived in Oxford and have very fond memories of it. Of course, when you live in a place you tend to take it a bit for granted and you do not tend to visit it's tourist attractions.
However, recently I decided to take my wife and 2 sons (aged 9 and 4) to Oxford for a few days to show them the city that I had loved so much and also to remind myself and look at it from the point of view of a vistor, of which Oxford has many.
So what I hope to achieve here is to give some flavour of Oxford from the point of view of a visitor who may go for a day or a few days. I would suggest that you need more than one day to make your trip worthwhile. I will not delve into Oxford's history too much or the details of it's historic attractions as that you can discover when you visit to the level that interests you personally. Any prices I quote are correct at time of writing as well as I can remember and I generally quote prices for family (2 adults and 2 children) tickets which can be cheaper than individual ones.
The City Centre --------------- The first thing to do in Oxford is head for the centre and just walk around and take in the beautiful buildings and the historic character of the city. Much of the city centre is dominated by the many colleges of Oxford University and these plus other historic churches and other buildings give Oxford it's unique flavour.
You should walk the length of the High Street from Carfax Tower at one end to Magdelen College (pronounced 'Maudlin') at the other. Magdalen college stands on the banks of the Cherwell river and beside Magdalen bridge under which you can hire punts and other boats.
Return back up the High Street to about half way along and make your way into Radcliffe Square where you will find the beautiful Radcliffe Camera standing in the centre of one of the most attractive parts of the city.
Walk through Radcliffe square to the right past the Bridge of Sighs and into Broad Street. Broad Street is wide street which narrows at each end and was once used as a horse fair. In my opinion Broad Street is the most attractive of Oxford's thoroughfares. On it stands several colleges as well as the Sheldonian theatre and the famous Blackwells book shop.
Walk the length of Broad Street and at the end take a right into St Giles. This is another wide and very attractive street on which there are other colleges and the Oxford University Press. Here also is the Eagle and Child (Baby and Bird) pub which was once frequented by J.R.R Tolkein and C.S. Lewis. Here also you will find the Martyrs memorial commemorating the 3 martyrs (including Cardinal Wolsey) who were burnt at the stake for heresy in Broad Street.
From St Giles, take a peep into Beaumont street once the site of Beaumont palace, birthplace of Richard the Lionheart and now an architecturally pleasing street which has the Ashmolean museum in it.
From here, head back towards Broad Street and down Cornmarket, the main shopping street, which
takes you back to Carfax. From here you can head down St Aldates where you will find Christ Church college and at the end the river Thames (or the Isis as it is known in Oxford) and the Head of the River pub where you can now stop for a well earned rest.
You should also take some time to wander through the narrow and charming back streets that branch off these main throughfares.
The Colleges ------------ Oxford University is made up of 39 colleges which dominate the City Centre. Most of these are very beautiful and many are open to vistors. Some may be closed during term time so out of term is obviously the best time to visit. What strikes you is that the colleges are not just dead historic buildings on display but are very much alive and in use even though many have stood there for hundreds of years.
I would strongly recommend that you visit Christ Church College. This is a large and beautiful college which has the cathedral of Oxford within it's grounds. It is fronted on St Aldates by Tom Tower designed by Christopher Wren but you enter from Christ Church common side. Oxford was made a city by Henry VIII who turned the chapel of the college into a cathedral. Much of the building dates back to the 12th century. Inside you can see the great dining hall which was used in the filming of Harry Potter. It is also here where Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) was professor of mathematics and was inspired to write Alice in Wonderland for the daughter of the Dean of the college, Alice Lidell. Entry is £8 for a family ticket, discounted to £6 if you have been on the open top bus tour (see below).
Another college I would recommend visiting is Magdalen. This has beautiful buildings and extensive grounds where you can walk. It even includes it's own deer park. Like many colleges it provides a beautiful peaceful haven and it is hard to believe that you are so close to the city centre. There was no family ticket available here so entry cost us £10.
There are many more colleges you can visit. For full details of the colleges and opening times see the university web site at http://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors/.
The River(s) ------------ The two main rivers in Oxford are the Thames (known as the Isis) and the Cherwell. No trip to Oxford is complete without venturing onto the water in some way and for a true taste of Oxford you must go punting.
A punt is a long flat bottomed boat which is propelled using a pole in much the same way as a Gondola. It is a favourite with Oxford students (it is also done in Cambridge but Oxford students look on their punting style with disdain) and is a truly pleasant way to spend some time.
There are three main points in Oxford where punts and other boats can be obtained. There is the Cherwell Boat House off Linton road which is just outside the city. This is a quiet spot and is the one that I always favoured when I lived in Oxford but is not so convenient for the centre. The second is on the Isis beside the Head of the River pub, reached from St Aldates. I have never tried here as the Isis is much wider (and probably deeper) than the Cherwell so I cannot comment. The third and probably the best location is from Magdelen bridge which is where we went from.
A punt can be hired from Magdelen bridge for £10 an hour (charged pro-rata after the first hour). You will need a £30 deposit and some form of identification as security. Four people are allowed in a punt. If you have never punted before do not be put off as gently poling up the river is a charming and romatic experience and so I have included a beginners guide to punting below. However, if you cannot muster up the courage or do not have anyone suitable to do the poling then you can hire a punt with a punter for £20 for half an hour which includes a bottle of wine.
A Beginners Guide To Punting ---------------------------- If you are not going to punt yourself then you can skip this section.
There is a technique to punting but once mastered then this is a remarkably easy and efficient way to propel a boat.
With the punt you will be given a long pole made of metal or wood and also a paddle. I will come to the paddle later but generally you should not use it.
To propel the punt you should stand at the rear of the boat opposite the end with the flat platform (in Cambridge they punt off the platform end but I would not recommend this as you are too high). Your passengers must be sat down in the punt before you start as any standing in the punt can throw the punter off balance.
One of the most difficult parts is maneuvering the punt away from all of the others at the boat house and to do this you just have to very gently push at whatever you can until you get out into centre the river pointing the front of the punt in the direction you want to go.
Once pointing the right way you can push off with the pole. The pole should be dropped vertically down the left side of the punt (if you are right handed). It should then be pushed gently down and back to propel the punt forwards. It is important to keep the pole flush along the side of the punt. Do not allow it to go under the punt otherwise the top of the pole will pull you outwards. Equally do not allow it to drift away from the side otherwise you will start to propel yourself sideways. Having fully pushed down the length of the pole you then pull it back up sliding it through your hands until it is held high and vertical and then drop it down alongside the punt again and push again. Steering is all done with the pole. Having pushed forward you can allow the pole to drag behind in the water. Dragging the pole gently around to the left in the water will cause the front of the punt to turn to the left. With some practice accurate steering is quite easy. All of these should be done in a gentle and leisurely fasion with no sudden movements. Speed is achieved using long and strong pushes with the pole and not by poling quickly.
The paddle is provided for when you get into trouble. For example, if you lose your pole or if you get a bit stuck. Do not allow your passengers to use the paddle whilst you are punting as it severely affects your steering.
There are just a few things to watch out for when punting:-
Generally the river bottom is quite solid and you will be able to feel this when you drop the pole down. If you feel a nice solid thud then the bottom is solid and you have no worries. If, however you feel the pole hitting a soft muddy bottom then take care as the pole can get stuck. If you feel mud at the botton then when you push do not push down so hard as it could bury it further. Also, when you get to the end of the push then pull the pole with a sort sharp tug to free it of the mud before pulling it back up to the vertical. If the pole does remain stuck the important thing to remember is not to hold on in the hope the punt will stop - it will not - the pole will pull you into the water. So if the pole is firmly stuck then let go if it - it will float so don't worry. You can then use the paddle to go back and retrieve it.
The second thing to watch out for is overhanging trees. Keep an eye on the trees ahead of you and always ensure you have enough room to pull the pole up and push back before reaching a tree. If you pole is upright when passing under a low tree you could be pulled off.
If you see a collision coming up, either with the bank or with another boat then brace youself. Crouch down and hold onto the edges of the punt as the impact can throw you badly off balance. If you are punting gently and accurately, keeping an eye on what is ahead then you should not bump into anything. You can try to stop the punt by putting the pole forwards but this should be done with great care as the momentum of the punt can cause unexpected movements.
Finally, other than the punter nobody else should stand in the punt and if anybody wants to moves seats or position then they should warn the punter so he can be prepared and steady himself.
Generally punting is quite safe. The boats are stable and the river Cherwell is calm and quite shallow in the unfortunate event that you do fall in. Usually people only fall in if they are messing about. Due to the weight and size of the pole and the need to stand and pole gently it is not recommended that children are allowed to punt - they should stay seated at all times. Note that as the punter you may get a little wet as water comes off the pole as you slide it through your hands.
So if you do go punting then take this guide and go for it. Once you have mastered the technique it is very easy and a lovely way to pass a few hours.
Bus Tours --------- There are open top double deckerbuses in Oxford for tourist trips.
There are two operators, one in red buses and one in blue and cream buses. The red ones use headphones for the guided tour and though this is good if you need a language other than English I favour the personal approach of a human guide which is what the blue and cream buses do. Our guide was a university student with an excellent knowledge of the city.
The trip cost £16 (£19 in the red buses) for a family ticket and takes about one hour. But you can use the ticket all days and hop on and off the buses wherever you want. The guide was very good and knowledgeable and this is a good way to see parts of the city that are not so easy to walk to. Also the kids loved the bus trip. Another thing to note is that the ticket allows you discount into other Oxford attractions (one being Christ Church College).
The Botanic Gardens ------------------- If you like gardens and plants then a vist to the botanic gardens opposite Magdalen college is recommended. These are the oldest botanic gardens in the country and are very pleasant.
The Oxford Story ---------------- This is a tourist attraction situated near the Cornmarket end of Broad Street. It claims to be the longest 'dark' ride in Europe. Basically you get in and sit in a desk which then moves slowly up and down slopes alongside which you see displays of pictures and waxworks. It is accompanied by a headphone commentary by Magnus Magnusson (or Timmy Mallet for the children - yeeuch!). Before the ride starts there is a short film which quite nicely captures the spirit of Oxford but the ride itself is quite dull. The commentary which gives a history of Oxford is fairly interesting but given the extortionate entry price of £22 for a family ticket I suggest you save your money, buy a good guide book and read it in the comfort of one of the splendid pubs in Oxford - a much better idea.
Pubs ---- Oxford has many splendid pubs with excellent beers. My favourite is the Turf Tavern for which I have already written a separate review. Others I remember from when I lived there are:- The Bear (Blue Boar Lane) - The oldest pub in Oxford which claims to have ghosts. Very small with a collection of ties on the walls. The Lamb and Flag (St Giles) - Good beer, nice pub, Thomas Hardy connections. The White Horse (Broad St) - Small and old with Inspector Morse connections. The Head of the River (Folly Bridge) - great riverside location with large garden. The Kings Arms (Holywell St) - Popular student pub. If you like pubs there is much to enjoy. Try the more unusual beers like Old Speckled Hen from Oxford's own Morland brewery.
Restaurants ----------- There are many good restaurants in Oxford and good food to be found in the pubs. We visted the PaddyField (Chinese) and the Bangkok House (Thai) both in Hythe Bridge Street and both serving excellent food. A full guide to restaurants can be found at http://www.oxfordrestaurantguide.co.uk/.
Other Attractions ----------------- Oxford has many shops but I hate shopping so I'll miss that. However I would strongly recommend a visit to the victorian covered market which can be reached from High Street or Cornmarket.
There are two main Theatres and many small ones which if you are there for a longer stay are worth a visit.
Go up one of the towers like St Mary the Virgin on High Street to get splendid panoramic views of the city.
There are probably many other things I have missed and if anybody can think of anything I should have included then please let me know and I can update this review.
Where To Stay ------------- There are many hotels in Oxford but those in the centre can be quite pricy. An alternative is to stay on the outskirts and use the park and ride facilities to get in as parking in Oxford is expensive and difficult to find. If you do want to park head for the West Gate multi storey which is near Carfax. We stayed in the Express by Holiday Inn near the football stadium which was £59 per night for a family room. It is not a great location but just for sleeping it is quite good. I am afraid that I cannot offer much more advice here so try using the internet to find a hotel or B&B.
Summary ------- For those visiting the UK Oxford is a must which should be on your itinerary. I would recommend two or three days to see most of the worthwhile sights. For those in the UK if you have not been to Oxford then I highly recommend that you visit this beautiful city which oozes history and charm. It is quieter out of term time but if you go in term time there may be more atmosphere and you will see students wandering around in their gowns and get more of a feel of what Oxford is really famous for.
The official tourist site is http://www.visitoxford.org and the university site is http://www.ox.ac.uk/ where you can find details about the colleges.
This will be very helpful when I have visitors and want to send them to Oxford for the day!
a-true-ben 06.01.2005 23:01
Your walking guide was better I'm sure than most of the tours on offer (without the ridiculous charge, or making stuff up about the colleges) and the guide to punting equally wonderful (though readers should note this is only really a summer activity...)
Wearsidelass 10.03.2004 15:19
I'm looking at your older ops!!!! Love Oxford. We have a friend who has a cottage in Shenington (nr Banbury) and we sometimes borrow it for the odd weekend. Love this area. Julia
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Advantages: Redevelopment, pedestrianisation, improved nightlife, cleaner, no traffic Disadvantages: still souless, no greenary, wildlife, do the local benefit?
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