University parks

I wish I would have studied here. But who knows, there is always something new to learn :)

I love Uni Parks because it has a different character in every corner, from gorgeous planted garden around the lake in the north-​east, to a functioning first-​class cricket field in the middle, to scrubby fields in the south-​east, to neatly-​mown town park in the north-​west. The French guy with his crêpe van is a fixture, but it’s a beautiful place to bring your own food for a picnic in the summer. It’s also a nice spot for jogging, though the surface on the path can be a bit gravelly and uneven if you’re going at it seriously.

Refresh the senses with a short circuit around University Parks which can be undertaken in 20 minutes. View the beautifully manicured lawns, occupied by students, townspeople or (in the summer) cricketers. Towards the eastern reaches there is a bridge over the River Cherwell where herds of cattle graze. Our Oxford team include University Parks in their top 5 places to walk, picnic, relax… beautiful.

A really lovely place to spend a sunny lunchtime, whatever the season. I regularly go for a ‘stomp’ around the park in my lunch hour and it is a great way to releave stress. The grounds are expertly cared for, and there is always something going on be it sport, ducks on the pond or just people watching! It’s also a great place to go for a picnic, but beware that the gates to get locked and the park wardens are extremely tough on the no bikes rule!

Lovely large green space in the middle of town. Great for a walk or a sit. Playing games allowed (but only in the posted areas). You may be luck enough to see a match or Rugby or Cricket sometimes. Pity it isn’t open in the evenings, gates open and close with they daylight.

The University Parks are a wonderful haven of peace and quiet in the centre of Oxford. They cover a huge amount of ground goodness knows what it would be worth to property developers and have pathways, flowerbeds, trees, and more rolling grassland than you could shake a stick at. Lots of college sports teams practice here and the University Cricket Team have their ground here, so you can catch some amateur sport if you time it right. Having a picnic in Parks is one of the pleasures of visiting Oxford and a wonderful way of spending an afternoon. And to top it off, the Kings Arms is just down the road

I cut through here on several occasions, it is a gorgeous park with wonderful views and it is so peaceful — take a book and put yourself along the river and you can easily lose a few hours taking your mind off things. Lovely to take the children down here for a stroll or a picnic.

this park is amazing the location and the views aswell a great place to see nature and oxfords natural beauty.
i use to go hear to get piece and quiet in my younger years
also a great place to go for a nice long walk and relax along the river side.

This wide expanse of open space is a well kept secret from many tourists, though unfortunately the same can’t be said of the students! Nevertheless, the University parks are well kept with some beautiful lawns and plants. In the summer, you can walk through to the river and watch people punting past. The duck pond is a welcome attraction, you may even see the University croquet team practicing!

Bezaubernd und die richtige Mischung aus Liebesgrün und Rastholz sowie Flora und Fauna. Dieser Park ist ein gepflegter Ort der Ruhe und perfekt um einen Spatziergang zu machen bei dem man einfach einen Fuß vor den anderen setzen kann um sich unter großen Bäumen mit seinem Mitspatzierer zu unterhalten. Die Menschen sind gemischt, ob Student ins Lesen vertieft, turtelndes Pärchen, Familie mit Hund und Kind ein sonntäglichen Besuch wert.

I really want to say how awfull it is so that you all stay away and leave this little piece of Eden to me and my dog.
The grounds are kept really well with lots to see including students playing footie with their tops of on hot days.

I have visited several municipal parks, but never seen one as beautiful as this in the heart of a city. Despite its name it is not only frequented by students. You are sure to encounter joggers, tourists and (on weekends especially) families. Take your time exploring the park-​visit the duck pond and the French crêpe van, and watch the sports teams practise! A lovely respite from the bustle of the city centre.

The University Parks are open to everyone and have something for everyone. There’s no cycling allowed, so no risk of being run down by hurried students, and it’s surprisingly free from tourists, so the parks are a great place to get away from it all. There are park wardens to make sure people follow the rules, which makes it seem a little less liberating, but they are generally unobtrusive and friendly. They also shut at night, which is probably best safety wise, but is slightly alarming if you are there at closing time and feel you may get locked in!
The parks hold rare and tropical flowers and well-​cultivated trees and flowerbeds which are home to all sorts of furry and feathered creatures if you just look hard enough. There are well-​kept paths for joggers and pushchairs and lots of benches for the more romantic, people who want to eat or read, or just those who feel like watching the world go by. There’s a duck pond near the river, where you can watch punters floating by, and sports fields where local cricketers, footballers and ultimate frisbee players train.
At some weekends there’s an ice cream van near the entrance and during the week there’s a great little crêpe stand near the Keble Road entrance. The perfect place to escape the city without leaving behind the culture and beauty of Oxford.