Oxford

[Dan_5040593]

We are coming over to Woodstock near Oxford next near for the 100 years celabration of the caravan club.It will be our first time around Oxford.Could you advise us about places to go and see.We love old country pubs.

 

[Guest]

Take the A415 north from A420 Kinston Bagpiuze towards Standlake, there are 2 pubs by the single lane bridge on that road over the Thames. The Mayfly did great food for years and I guess it still does.

 

[Ogre]

We've just returned from a trip to Oxford.

Our advice, if you go into Oxford is to use the Park and Ride.

Parking in Oxford City centre costs a horrendous

 

[hymerman1]

Keith,

Unless it has changed, I found the Park & Ride a rip off in Oxford as you had to pay for parking then again for the bus. Now in Cambridge the parking is free.

 

[Ogre]

Thanks for that Hymerman.

The full story of this is as follows. On this trip we were not in the caravan.

Last week was my 60th birthday, and on the 25th of this month, it is our Wedding Anniversary. TWe had decided to go to Oxford to see Status Quo in concert at the New Oxford Theatre, and do a bit of shopping and sightseeing.

Arrived Thursday 16th Nov. parked the car in Worcester Street Car Park. Our Hotel was just round the corner, and so we put a full overnight ticket on it.

The Hotel had told us that in the morning we could go and put another couple of hours on it before 8am, to enable us to have breakfast and check out......NOT THE CASE!!

When i left the hotel at 7.40 to do this, I found that you could not renew the ticket, and that 3 hours had to elapse before using the park again. Accordingly, I drove out of the car park in search of another Car Park.

Traffic was horrendous, and to be fair, I got completely lost, and found myself on an Industrial estate where I decided to leave the car. I didn't have a clue where I was, but I made a note that I was outside the SERS building of Oxford University library Services, so that I could get a taxi back. My mobile phone was. of course, at the Hotel.

This is where the fun started. I asked a guy on his way to work if there was a shortcut back to town. Yes, he said.....down that footpath, and then turn right, and keep going.

I walked about a mile along a canal path, my shoes by then covered in mud. Past a 'tent village' under the canal towpath, and over a bridge. then over several more bridges, finally arriving back in the centre of Oxford some 35 minutes later, just in time to catch the Mother of all Hailstorms.

Back at the hotel, I was quite literally, completely stressed out, absolutely soaked to the skin. Breakfast was great, but i was so wet that I didn't have the appetite for it.

So, to Oxford City Council...........you can stick your Parking arrangements, because if you aren't going to give visitors to your City the opportunity to stay in hotels and actually get to eat breakfast before departing, then you most certainly will not be seeing us again, and believe me, we will pass the word.

I'm not the fittest of guys having had three operations in the past year, and my wife, at one stage, honestly thought that I was about to have a heart attack. She said I looked dreadful.

Morale of the story is this.

If you are going to stay in a Hotel in the Centre of Oxford, then be prepared to leave your bed at 7.45AM and leave town...........you're not welcome anymore!!

NEVERGAIN!!

 

[Bernie_5110919]

Thanks for that Hymerman.

The full story of this is as follows. On this trip we were not in the caravan.

Last week was my 60th birthday, and on the 25th of this month, it is our Wedding Anniversary. TWe had decided to go to Oxford to see Status Quo in concert at the New Oxford Theatre, and do a bit of shopping and sightseeing.

Arrived Thursday 16th Nov. parked the car in Worcester Street Car Park. Our Hotel was just round the corner, and so we put a full overnight ticket on it.

The Hotel had told us that in the morning we could go and put another couple of hours on it before 8am, to enable us to have breakfast and check out......NOT THE CASE!!

When i left the hotel at 7.40 to do this, I found that you could not renew the ticket, and that 3 hours had to elapse before using the park again. Accordingly, I drove out of the car park in search of another Car Park.

Traffic was horrendous, and to be fair, I got completely lost, and found myself on an Industrial estate where I decided to leave the car. I didn't have a clue where I was, but I made a note that I was outside the SERS building of Oxford University library Services, so that I could get a taxi back. My mobile phone was. of course, at the Hotel.

This is where the fun started. I asked a guy on his way to work if there was a shortcut back to town. Yes, he said.....down that footpath, and then turn right, and keep going.

I walked about a mile along a canal path, my shoes by then covered in mud. Past a 'tent village' under the canal towpath, and over a bridge. then over several more bridges, finally arriving back in the centre of Oxford some 35 minutes later, just in time to catch the Mother of all Hailstorms.

Back at the hotel, I was quite literally, completely stressed out, absolutely soaked to the skin. Breakfast was great, but i was so wet that I didn't have the appetite for it.

So, to Oxford City Council...........you can stick your Parking arrangements, because if you aren't going to give visitors to your City the opportunity to stay in hotels and actually get to eat breakfast before departing, then you most certainly will not be seeing us again, and believe me, we will pass the word.

I'm not the fittest of guys having had three operations in the past year, and my wife, at one stage, honestly thought that I was about to have a heart attack. She said I looked dreadful.

Morale of the story is this.

If you are going to stay in a Hotel in the Centre of Oxford, then be prepared to leave your bed at 7.45AM and leave town...........you're not welcome anymore!!

NEVERGAIN!!

Hi Keith

I agree Oxford council are the pits

a number of years ago we went to oxford and saw a balloon festival advertised , we found the park where it was being held but there was no parking on the site, we joined about 500 other cars and parked on grass verges nearby. The festival was exelent BUT not worth the

 

[Dan_5040593]

Thanks for that Hymerman.

The full story of this is as follows. On this trip we were not in the caravan.

Last week was my 60th birthday, and on the 25th of this month, it is our Wedding Anniversary. TWe had decided to go to Oxford to see Status Quo in concert at the New Oxford Theatre, and do a bit of shopping and sightseeing.

Arrived Thursday 16th Nov. parked the car in Worcester Street Car Park. Our Hotel was just round the corner, and so we put a full overnight ticket on it.

The Hotel had told us that in the morning we could go and put another couple of hours on it before 8am, to enable us to have breakfast and check out......NOT THE CASE!!

When i left the hotel at 7.40 to do this, I found that you could not renew the ticket, and that 3 hours had to elapse before using the park again. Accordingly, I drove out of the car park in search of another Car Park.

Traffic was horrendous, and to be fair, I got completely lost, and found myself on an Industrial estate where I decided to leave the car. I didn't have a clue where I was, but I made a note that I was outside the SERS building of Oxford University library Services, so that I could get a taxi back. My mobile phone was. of course, at the Hotel.

This is where the fun started. I asked a guy on his way to work if there was a shortcut back to town. Yes, he said.....down that footpath, and then turn right, and keep going.

I walked about a mile along a canal path, my shoes by then covered in mud. Past a 'tent village' under the canal towpath, and over a bridge. then over several more bridges, finally arriving back in the centre of Oxford some 35 minutes later, just in time to catch the Mother of all Hailstorms.

Back at the hotel, I was quite literally, completely stressed out, absolutely soaked to the skin. Breakfast was great, but i was so wet that I didn't have the appetite for it.

So, to Oxford City Council...........you can stick your Parking arrangements, because if you aren't going to give visitors to your City the opportunity to stay in hotels and actually get to eat breakfast before departing, then you most certainly will not be seeing us again, and believe me, we will pass the word.

I'm not the fittest of guys having had three operations in the past year, and my wife, at one stage, honestly thought that I was about to have a heart attack. She said I looked dreadful.

Morale of the story is this.

If you are going to stay in a Hotel in the Centre of Oxford, then be prepared to leave your bed at 7.45AM and leave town...........you're not welcome anymore!!

NEVERGAIN!!

Thanks guys for that informantion.I will avoid Oxford at all costs.We will be on holidays and would like to see the country side around Oxford and Woodstock.

 

[Dan_5040593]

Thanks lads,we will avoid Oxford at all costs.We would like to see the country side around Oxford and Woodstock.Any nice places for us to visit,and see.

 

[Guest]

Bleinheim Palace would be the obvious choice, Churchills birth place! And it is at Woodstock! Has to be one of the best houses to visit in the UK.

Guess they have a web site. Check as I think they only a few day a week in winter.

 

[Ogre]

Keith,

Unless it has changed, I found the Park & Ride a rip off in Oxford as you had to pay for parking then again for the bus. Now in Cambridge the parking is free.

Yes, that sounds about right.

I don't think they really WANT spending visitors to their City.

That's fine by us, as we have already taken the decision never to go there again.

There are far more welcoming places to go.

 

[NorfolkMike]

For what its worth.

We stay at the C.C. site in Blenham and then catch the County Bus in. That way one can make the appropreate jesture to the parking authorities. With that in mind we also found Oxford very nice. I am not sure that I would have done if I had been ripped off for parking.

ttfn

 

[dragon32a]

Sorry to say this but Oxford itself is a complete rip off. If your coming to Oxford then I suggest you find a site like the one at Broadway or Morton in Marsh or even Bow Peep farm near where I live in Banbury then commute by train to the center of Oxford. You will end up much less stressed.

Don

 

[butler1]

Hi everyone, Sorry to hear of some of the experiences regarding Oxford. The truth is that Oxford is not a very friendly place to drive around. Parking areas are few and generally are very expensive. Traffic wardens go about their work with such fanatical zeal that they make Matthew Hopkin look like Val Doonican on tranquillisers. The message is simple. Use one of the Park & Rides or arrive by train. The P & R is fairly reasonable, children go free with adults so a return ticket and parking all day should not be more than a fiver. Oxford itself is worth a visit. The museums and libraries are justifiably world famous as are the colleges. The easiest way to see the city with commentary is from one of the many open-topped bus tours. The Oxford Story is also a decent attraction. Shopping is not great but the indoor market is good especially at Christmas. Plenty of cameras flashing at the game hanging up and all that. As for sites to stay I would recommend the C.C. site at Blaydon Chains (Blenheim Palace) or a private very well run site called Diamond Farm at Bletchingdon. Spring or Autumn would be my choice time to visit as the summer sees the centre crowded with young foreign language students. Best Wishes, George T.