Oxford Parks

There are so many lovely parks in and around Oxford. Each with their own personality and each is well worth a visit, especially in the spring.  I was away for a month and on my first day back I walked through three of Oxford's finest parks -- all are quite near each other:  South Park, Headington Hill Park, and University Park. They are in their glory at this time of year.  It was a great way to celebrate a renewed visa that will allow us to stay another 3 years.    

Headington Hill Park

South Park on Headington Hill. It is the largest park within Oxford city limits with a good view of the city centre with its historic "dreaming" spires.

 
Oxford University Parks, commonly referred to locally as the University Parks, the Uni Parks or just The Parks.  

Let me know where your favorite park is.  After 3 years, years I'm still discovering new ones.  I'd love to hear about and add your favorites to this blog.

For more information about Oxford parks:  

http://www.oxford.gov.uk/PageRender/decLP/Parks_occw.htm
http://www.oxfordcityguide.com/ee2/index.php?/SeeDo/ParksMeadows/
http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/oxford/guide/parks

Where to go for great views of the Oxford Skyline or "The Dreaming Spires"

The view from the top of South Park (photo credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:South_Park_Oxford.jpg)

 From Boars Hill, west of the city...

...there is a lovely view from the Old Berkeley Golf Course or from Berkeley road just off Foxcombe Road.  (These pictures were taken from the same spot --  the top one was with a telephoto lens)

There is still a bit of a view from Port Meadow. I hear the view from the balcony of Headington Hill Hall is excellent but you need permission from Oxford Brooks University. I haven't been there yet. I've had a glimpse of the Dreaming Spires from Barrack Road, off Hollow Lane in Cowley but I was driving and couldn't stop to take a photo. 

Do you have a favorite view of the Oxford skyline?  I'd love to know about it.

Here is what folks on Tripadvisor have said: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g186361-i440-k6739839-Dreaming_spires_view-Oxford_Oxfordshire_England.html

Views from the Tower

I discovered another treasure in Oxford a few weeks ago -- The Tower of the University Church of St. Mary. The tower commands some of the finest views of Oxford's famous skyline. It is worth the climb of 127 steps to make it to the top to enjoy fine uninterrupted views in all directions across Oxford and the surrounding countryside.  It is now on my list of "must see" for visitors. 

One of the thousands of gargoyles that look out over Oxford

The Radcliffe Camera

Looking east down High Street

All Souls College

The Chapel at Merton College

Christ Church and the Old Tom Tower

Brasenose College

Brasenose College with Exeter College Chapel in the background

The hills of West Oxford and the Old Tom Tower

All Souls College with New College in the background

Dreaming Spires

On a lovely summer day in July I went to the top of the Sheldonian theatre, a prominent  building in Oxford built by Christopher Wren. From the top, there are excellent views of the city.  Oxford is known as the "city of dreaming spires", a term coined by poet Matthew Arnold in reference to the harmonious architecture of Oxford's university buildings. When you get a birds-eye view of Oxford, you can see why Arnold referred to the "dreaming spires" -- there are spires everywhere.

The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library.  I've been told that the Bodeleian Library has at least on copy of every book ever published in Great Britain. 

The Radcliffe Camera is one of the iconic buildings of Oxford. It was designed by James Gibbs in the English Palladian style and built in 1737–1749 to house the Radcliffe Science Library.  Today is it used as a reading room for students and faculty.  It is not open to the public.

This is the Tower of the Five Orders. The Tower is so named because it is ornamented, in ascending order, with the columns of each of the five orders of classical architecture. 

This is looking down Broad Street toward Balliol College which was founded in 1263. 

The top of the Clarendon Building, which used to house the Oxford University Press, and now is office space for the Bodleian library. The statues on top are the Muses (I think).

Hertford Bridge, popularly known as the Bridge of Sighs, is a skyway joining two parts of Hertford College over New College Lane.  It was copied after the style of the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge in Venice.  It is another popular city landmark.