Oxford

Roberta1

Hello All,

I am planning a day trip to Oxford to cover Pitt Rivers (cool museum, remember it from childhood!).

I will be coming up the A34 from the Abingdon side. I would prefer to park in a Park and Ride. Can anyone recommend one?

Also, once we have "done" Pitt Rivers I would like to go punting. Is there a punting station (or whatever you call it - dock?!!) within walking distance of the town centre?

Finally, any recommendations for a funky, off the beaten track and not too expensive cafe for lunch? As a child I remember the Nosebag cafe down one of the side streets but probably not there now.

Many thanks,
R. x

DCFC79

Heres details of the P&R's for oxford

Roberta1

Thanks for that. Do kids go free on the Park and Ride?

Even if just I pay it is £1.50 to park and £2.70 return on the bus = £4.20. Eek!

Would it be cheaper just to park in the city centre?

Somerset

Roberta1 wrote: »

Would it be cheaper just to park in the city centre?

Can't help with most, but we went to Oxford a few weeks back for a long weekend and city centre parking was horrendously expensive and difficult to get ie going round & round waiting for someone to leave.

Mrs_Arcanum

Parking is £1.50 a day and a return fare is £2.70 before 9am, £2.40 after. Children go free. City centre parking is quite possibly the dearest in the country.

I would suggest the Redbridge Park & Ride as this goes to Pear Tree so you could get off by The Old Radcliffe/St Giles as possibly the nearest stop for the Pitt Rivers.

Eating places you are spoilt for choice. DD does like the Original Cornish Pasty place though.

interstellaflyer

The best bet is to use the Park and Ride, if you are using the A34 then come off at the Botley Interchange and use the Seacourt Park and Ride, don't even think about driving into Oxford, a day parking in one of the Multi storey car parks is very expensive. To be honest, Oxford is very over rated as a tourist city, there are far better places to visit, I have to work in the dump and I can assure you there's no way I'd bother visiting it for pleasure.

Bo_Peep

Hi Roberta1,

I really would not recommend parking (or trying to park!) in Oxford - you are much better off travelling in on one of the Park and Rides, probably Redbridge. It won't be any cheaper parking in the town centre and you will probably struggle to find a space.

The Nosebag is still here - 6-8 St. Michael's Street. I love that place. There are some cafes in the Covered Market in the main street so you might find something there that you like.

With regards to punting, the station/dock/whatever is under Magdalen College Tower and well within walking distance of the town centre. Look at www.oxfordpunting.co.uk for more info.

Pitt Rivers is a cool museum. You might also like Oxford Castle Unlocked, the Ashmolean Museum, an open-top bus tour and tours of the colleges? Plenty to see and do here but bring plenty of money as it's not cheap!

cazwasere

Ashmolean is a great place to spend a few hours and it's free entry (donations welcome)

Idiophreak

Bo_Peep wrote: »

Hi Roberta1,

I really would not recommend parking (or trying to park!) in Oxford - you are much better off travelling in on one of the Park and Rides, probably Redbridge. It won't be any cheaper parking in the town centre and you will probably struggle to find a space.

The Nosebag is still here - 6-8 St. Michael's Street. I love that place. There are some cafes in the Covered Market in the main street so you might find something there that you like.

With regards to punting, the station/dock/whatever is under Magdalen College Tower and well within walking distance of the town centre. Look at www.oxfordpunting.co.uk for more info.

Pitt Rivers is a cool museum. You might also like Oxford Castle Unlocked, the Ashmolean Museum, an open-top bus tour and tours of the colleges? Plenty to see and do here but bring plenty of money as it's not cheap!

This is excellent advice.

As others have said, parking in the city centre is a fairly miserable affair and can cost you best part of £20 for the day on the weekend. Redbridge park and ride is your best bet as it's furthest south on the A34.

The nosebag's really nice, as is Georgina's in the covered market.

I'd third the Ashmolean as a great couple of hours spent - it's really nice following the refit a couple of years ago.

Finally, would work out rather more expensive, but just food for thought...You can get steam boats back and forth from Abingdon to Oxford along the river..if you're visiting in the summer, it's a lovely way to avoid parking in Oxford and you get to see some of the countryside along the way...and it drops off pretty close to the punting station, too. More info here:
http://www.salterssteamers.co.uk

BenL

You can walk from Redbridge P&R along the river to the centre in about 30mins.

We were at the campsite last week nr the park and ride and just walked in.

Ben

ukjoel

I used to live in a road off marston road down there in my student days. Parking was free (and I dont think its changed or hadnt a couple of years back.)

You can then walk in the back way through the parks and along the river. It probably takes 20 minutes but is a nice walk.