Walking paths in the area
Grandpont Nature Reserve
Grandpont Nature Park is best accessed by foot or cycle along the Thames Path from Whitehouse Road or from Oxpens Meadow.
The open meadow areas provide a place to sit and relax, enjoy the river views and wildlife.
The woodland areas provide shade and homes for many mammals and birds.
Extend your walk into the city centre via Oxpens Meadow, continue along the Thames Path to Port Meadow or towards Donnington, or go ice skating at Oxford Ice Rink.
Backing onto Grandpont Nature Reserve, Grandpont Park also offers sports pitches, a pavilion and play area.
Christchurch Meadow Walk
Christchurch meadow is a rare open space at the heart of Oxford, open to the public all year round. Though seemingly tranquil, the meadow is highly variable, with seasonal flooding and a variety of wildlife that comes and goes. During the Civil War it proved invaluable as a defence against the Parliamentarian forces, but visitors are nowadays more likely to encounter a rare English Longhorn cow than a soldier besieging the city.
The meadow has long been used as a site for sport, entertainment and recreation. It was the location for some of the earliest balloon flights in England: in 1784 James Sadler, ‘the first English aeronaut’ rose from Christ Church meadow, landing six miles away after a half-hour flight. In May 1785 Sadler again ascended from the meadow, this time with the statesman William Windham as a passenger.
The meadow is enclosed by the rivers Cherwell and Thames - the Thames is known as the Isis whilst flowing through the city. The Isis is home to the college boathouses where rowing teams gather to train and compete. Every summer the major intercollegiate regatta takes place (better known as Summer VIIIs) as it has done since the competition’s inauguration in 1815. Crews from across the university descend annually on the Cherwell to compete in a four-day competition. Fittingly, Christ Church has been the most successful men’s crew, with 32 victories. Sommerville (the former college of Margaret Thatcher) is the most successful women’s crew, with 8 victories since the women’s competition began in 1976.
Thames Path
Website
Check out this 7.4-mile loop trail near Oxford, Oxfordshire. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 3 h 9 min to complete.
This trail is great for hiking and walking, taking in a variety of green spaces and parks in Oxford passing through University Parks, New Marston Meadows, the farmlands beside the River Cherwell, and around Christ Church Meadow.
The trail also passes a number of historic sites and places for refreshments. There are some rougher sections along this trail where care is needed especially in wetter conditions when the paths become muddy. Appropriate footwear is advised.
South Oxford Adventure Playground
Website, gallery
The South Oxford Adventure Playground is a charity run by volunteers and play workers. It is free and open to everyone.
SOAP is a place where children can play freely, meet new friends and have fun in a natural and physically challenging environment. It offers an indoor and outdoor space where children can express themselves creatively and test themselves physically. There isn’t a screen in sight!
The outside space has a wooden fort, tower to climb, zip wire, football pitch, wobbly bridge, tyre and rope swings, slides, den making area, fire pit, and trees to climb. Come along and discover the fun of SOAP!
SOAP aims to provide inclusive, exciting and adventurous play for children aged 7 and over, within a supervised playground. All children are welcome. Those under 7 must be accompanied by an adult. Playworkers are onsite after school and through the holidays to support and encourage children in their play.
Oxpens Meadow
One of the parks and green spaces protected by Fields in Trust in perpetuity. Because once they are gone, they are gone forever.
The site lies south of the central area of Oxford, and is directly accessed from Oxpens Road. The meadow is adjacent to Castle Mill Stream and the River Thames to its eastern and southern boundaries respectively.
Access onto the site is via an unmade footpath leading from the Oxpens Road entrance across the meadow towards the river, whilst the site can be accessed from two points to the south of the site via a made up footpath which runs parallel to the river.
There are no specific disabled accessways to the site, however its flat low lying topography provides little impediment for access from a wide range of users.
The meadow comprises of publicly accessible green open space which is primarily used for sports, pastimes, or informal recreational or reflective space. It is popular with local residents and tourists given the extensive river views, and has in the past been used as a area for organised public events such as fun fairs or the circus etc.