Oxford Walking Tour

We have been to Oxford so many times, but none as a tourist. There was so much of the city we had never seen, so we waited for a sunny day (and boy, has this week been sunny - it reminded me of the days I spent in New York last year) to start our exploration.

Alison wanted to look at the University Museum of Natural History to see if her sister's family might be interested when they next visit. So the bus from the park and ride dropped us at the end of Banbury Road, so it was not far to walk. I'm not a big fan of natural history, but the Victorian building is superb. Built in 1860, the detail of the cast iron columns and the roof of steel and glass complement the brickwork and ornate windows.

It was so nice to walk down a quiet Parks Road and at the end to see the Bodleian Library. But before we spent too much time there, it was off to the Information Centre to pick up a map to take to Costa Coffee and refine our itinerary. Then it was back to the Bodleian and Radcliffe Camera.

Passing St Mary the Virgin, I noticed it was possible to go up the church tower. It was not that high at the top, but there were some good views over Oxford.

Then past All Souls and Hertford Colleges and under the Bridge of Sighs and into New College Lane. This part of the walk was my favourite. It was so quiet past New College and into Queen's Lane.

The corner of Queen's College brought us out to the High Street where we decided to head for Magdalen College and Bridge. Then down Rose Lane, with good views of the Botanic Garden, and onto The Broad Walk. Past the back of Christ Church and onto St Aldates, it was hard to resist a walk up Pembroke Street.

The kind porter even let me through the gate to take the following photograph of the lawn inside Pembroke College.

Then down Blue Boar Street, past Oriol College where one of my uncles studied, to Merton College. This was open and there was not a charge to go in, so we spent some time wandering around the grounds. By this time it was mid afternoon, and time for more refreshment before heading home at the end of a fabulous day.