#Oxford

If you visit the UK on vacation you of course go to London and probably Bath and very likely Oxford (as our most famous university city). For all my life I have lived less than 3 hours from Oxford - and I have never visited - how mad is that?

Recently I discovered that during the summer holidays many of the Oxford colleges that collectively make up the University of Oxford make student accommodation available for hire. I booked to stay at Jesus College for a very reasonable rate and travelled to Oxford by train from Southampton. It turned out to be a really lovely, gentle and worthwhile couple of days.

Oxford Central Station is indeed very central - it is only a 10 minute walk to the centre of Oxford where all the old colleges are located. I have to remember being mid August that the city is largely undergraduate free as they are on vacation - and therefore lacking the bustle that I am sure would be normal if the masses of bikes chained up were actually in use - but I have to say Oxford created a lovely impression right from exiting the relatively small scale station. The impression never changed.

The first thing apparent is old Oxford is built mainly of Cotswold stone - that warm cosy yellowish limestone. The colleges themselves are typically contained within large outer walls facing the street and entered via massive and old timber or wrought iron gates. (individual colleges are easy to find with a tourist map - but be warned - colleges do not seem to carry much in the way of exterior signage.) I am no expert on the Oxford colleges but their names are so familiar - I guess from watching University Challenge - right back from the Bamber Gascoigne days - "Magdalen - pronounced Maudlin - Keeble, Jesus, Balliol and Trinity etc and they are as well known and reassuring to us English as the sea areas from the Shipping Forecast (Wight, Portland, Plymouth - Dogger, Fisher, German Bight!)

Central Oxford is not a large geographical area. It is easy and best to see on foot I would say - traffic is not an issue. There are plenty of tourists snapping away - but it is all gentle and predominantly quiet. Oxford as you would expect exudes history - buildings are of outstanding quality and you feel you are visiting somewhere special as indeed you are.

There is of course masses that I could be write to describe Oxford - but I won't - just an unqualified recommendation - visit yourself - you are bound to enjoy it.

Here are one or two personal observations :-

I stayed at Jesus College - not one of the very oldest - it was founded in the 15th century I think - rather than the 12th century like some! Once you enter off the street through the massive wooden gates - you enter another world. It does actually and immediately feel learned. It is so quiet and peaceful - as you enter the lawned quadrangle - quad. The buildings are in wonderful order but obviously very old. It was a special place to be based for a couple of days. I really enjoyed breakfast. The porters and staff were no nonsense but very polite. The refectory started to fill with visiting students and members of staff. It was all very grown up.

Oxford is a great place for pubs. Each one has a story. They are superbly kept. They have retained their tradition. I liked the courtyard of The Chequers, you have to find The Turf Tavern (claims to have the highest IQ clientele in the world) and the most strange Three Goats Heads. I also searched out The Lamb and Flag - not because it was often used for the filming of Inspector Morse but because it was where my favourite author Thomas Hardy apparently wrote large parts of Jude the Obscure.

One of the lovely things about Oxford centre is it is bordered by the River Cherwell on one side, The Thames (Isis) on another and The Oxford Canal. There are some lovely walks and lovely gentle boating scenes. (however the boat hire company charges £30 for a 30 minute hire of a classic punt - not good).

My final observation is you could spend a lifetime visiting the world class museums and libraries. I visited The Ashmolean and The Pitt Rivers Museum but with time constraints did neither of them justice. That will have to be on another day. I shall definitely visit Oxford again - one day on a narrow boat may be.