University Parks

University Parks

Date of Adventure: 25 Jul, 2023

To have such a green expanse of 70 acres right in the middle of the city feels really special – it’s like Oxford’s version of Central Park!

Immerse yourself in nature and let the children run wild climbing trees or tearing across the lawns. The ponds are worth a visit too: lots of swans swimming with their cygnets as well as ducks and geese. The Swift Tower is fascinating, a beautiful sculpture providing nesting space for swifts – many of which return to the same nesting site every year. Keep your eyes peeled in May when they return from their winter migration in Africa.

Walkers, joggers, parents with buggies, children, students and international visitors – you will hear a plethora of languages and accents as you walk around; a tribute to our diverse city.

Visit any time of the year for and enjoy some peace far from the madding crowd.

 

AT A GLANCE

Free
Open 7.45am - 30 minutes before dusk
No booking required
Crepe café at the Parks Rd entrance
Accessible for all
10 minutes from Headington roundabout
Any bus to town then a short walk
Paid for parking in surrounding streets but this is expensive. Park in Marston and take the mile long Mesopotamia walk to University Parks from the end of Ferry Road or follow the Marston Cyclepath.
The details

Website

South Parks Road, OX1 3RF.

View on Google Maps

SEARCH ADVENTURES

Did you

Know?

Oxford Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in the UK, and home to over 5,000 different plant species.

Fancy buying me a ko-fi?

Want to support my work?

Feel free to buy me a (strong!) coffee, it will help fuel my adventures near and far. Support can come in many form though: sharing my website in your school WhatsApp group or liking a Facebook post is equally appreciated. 

FEATURED

ADVENTURES

Stonesfield Dinosaur Walk
Stonesfield Dinosaur Walk

Did you know there’s a walk in Oxfordshire where dinosaur history began? It’s not every day you stroll past the site of the first ... Read more

The Medley, Port Meadow
The Medley, Port Meadow

Watch the world go by on a table overlooking the river, grab a table or bring a blanket. Anything goes as long as the pizza oven is ... Read more

Millennium Hall, Horton-cum-Studley
Millennium Hall, Horton-cum-Studley

2026 seems to be the year for a park glow-up! This playground at Millennium Hall has been begging for a refurb for quite some time ... Read more

Loading...