Parks

Oxford has a lovely collection of parks and green spaces. University Parks (“Uni Parks”) and Christ Church Meadows are the two most central options (but be aware that both are shut overnight, closing at dusk in winter). Next to Christ Church Meadows, you can also find the Botanical Gardens, which you can enter for free as an Oxford student!

From Uni Parks, you can take a nice walk to Marston and back: head over the steep footbridge in Uni Parks known as Rainbow Bridge, and follow the path until you reach the Marston Road Sports Ground. Turn right along Edgeway Road, and then right again on Ferry Road. Then, pick up the Marston Cycle Path which will lead you back to Uni Parks (near the Linacre College entrance). This takes a little under an hour, and there are many other paths to explore if you wish to extend it. Although a little further from the centre, South Park, in east Oxford, is also a draw since it offers wonderful views of Oxford’s famous skyline of dreaming spires, as is Hinksey Park, a beautiful park with a pond, a lake, and lots of activities on offer, which you can read more about here.

Port Meadow, to the north of the centre, is also well worth a visit (in fact, several). In the summer, it’s a great place for picnics, although do make sure to take your rubbish home as it is also still used as grazing land for cattle and horses, and is an important wildlife habitat. It’s worth including the Burgess Field Nature Park (which is often considered part of Port Meadow) in your visit. You can enter Port Meadow from Walton Well Rd (south entrance, handy from Castle Mill), or Aristotle Ln (north entrance), or even via the lovely tow path along the River Thames (which you can join from Osney Bridge or Rewley Road). From Port Meadow, you may wish to walk to The Perch (a popular pub with lovely outdoor seating and a magical pathway leading up to it), the ruins of Godstow Abbey, or even Wolvercote. If you go all the way to Wolvercote, you can come back along the Oxford Canal.

If you want to go somewhere further afield, you may wish to go to Boars Hill or Wytham Woods (pronounced “whiteham woods”!). Be aware that for the latter you need to apply for a free permit to visit (permit holders can bring guests). You can apply for one here. You may also want to read this article which describes a lovely route to and from Shotover Country Park.