Summertown

A big day out!
As we are staying in a local village (North Hinksey) bordering on Oxford we decided to walk into town instead of trying to find parking. It was 30 minutes to where we had to be to meet our booked tour. This morning we had booked a 3 hour tour which was a combined 2 hour walk and 1 hour bike. There were only three of us for the tour, which makes it very personal and easy to interact.
Our guide was a recent physics uni student with Balloil College which was founded in 1263 and he was able to take us thru his College where others couldn't go. We visited the quad, the chapel and dining room, whilst talking about how great it was living there and how the process of all 38 Colleges works under the umbrella of Oxford University.
Then we went to the Sheldonian Library which holds graduations for every College, the Divinity School next door where graduates prepare for graduation ceremony and the filming sight for Harry Potters Duke Humfrey's Library, the Bodliean Library, Weston Library were we went into the Treasury Room which showcases 20 chosen pieces per year from the 12 million held by the library. We actually saw a copy of the Magna Carta amongst other amazing written pieces of history, the Radcliffe Camera (another library), Hertford College where the Bridge of Sighs links two of its buildings.
We then walked back to the bike racks and picked up what were possibly antique student bikes and went riding around Oxford with several other Colleges being pointed out to us along with various faculty buildings and then out to Port Meadows and over river Thames.
From here it was to be a ride back to the city centre but we left our guide and one other tour member as we had arranged to borrow our bikes for the rest of the day. We kept riding out along the river alongside the meadow until we reached Binsey village stopping at an Inn for lunch but it was booked out so kept riding along the Thames and thru fields to Godstow and Wolvercote where we stopped at an Inn for a light lunch out the back with the locals. After lunch we continued and moved across to the Oxford Canal and rode back to Oxford along the Heritage Trail.
We loved our afternoon cycling along and the beautiful views.
The weather fairy was watching over us today. The weather forecast was mostly rain, but it didn't eventuate.
After we returned the bikes we walked to The Turf Tavern which our guide had pointed out to us where it resides down an alley which is a very popular student haunt. This tavern is also the tavern that Bob Hawke, Rhodes Scholar, downed a yard of ale in 11 seconds in 1963 whilst he studied in Oxford. The record has not yet been broken. It is also the same tavern that Bill Clinton, another Rhodes Scholar, allegedly smoked marijuana, but assures all he did not inhale!
After a relax over a drink in the coutyard we walked the 40 mins back to our loft and have put our feet up while savouring a whiskey liquer.
Today is done and I think we will sleep!

Phil -Big day. Oxford is not what I expected, but after touring and hearing about it, I can see how it all comes together. Not as big as I thought it was going to be, as all the buildings are near each other. Each college has its own garden and lawn area inside its walls.
Good to go to Bobs pub, as it has come up over the years and now I can say I have been there, done that. (Well, I had half a pint).Read more