Pat_in_Mich

Hello all,
I'm posting this question on behalf of my 24 year old son who is planning a trip to Oxford during the 2nd half of March. He will be visiting a friend who is studying there. After looking through a guide book, he's come up with the following list of things to see/do:

official University and City walking tour
Bodleian Library
Oxford Museum of Natural History
Ashmolean Museum
Pitt Rivers museum
University Church of St. Mary the Virgin

<b>Colleges </b>
Christchurch College
Magdalen College
Merton College
All Souls College
Exeter College

<b>other sights to see</b>
Radcliffe Camera (covered by library or city tour?)
Bridge of Sighs (covered by city tour?)
Sheldonian Theatre (covered by city tour?)

Is he missing any essentials? Are any of those colleges and/or sights covered by the official city tour? There's not a lot of information as to what the tour actually covers, just that it's two hours and shows you the basics, so any additional information from somebody who has done the tour would be nice. Would it be reasonable and/or worthwhile to trek out to the Uffington White Horse? Finally, should three days be enough to do this?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

flanneruk

I've no idea about organised tours: can't he ask the organisers - or is that beyond the capacity of today's 24 year olds?

Access to a lot of Oxford is restricted, and often costly, for visitors. Access to people studying at the university much less so, and your son should start off discussing this with his friend: rules barring tourists generally don't apply to young people accompanying another young person who walks as if he belongs there. This doesn't apply to the libraries, which are electronically protected.

Few people would bother particularly with Exeter, and once most visitors have seen Christ Church (which is what the college is called) Magdalen and All Souls, they'll really start running out of interest in colleges. Worcester, though, has a wonderful garden (Mid-March in central England is mid-spring)

Merton is interesting mainly for its library, which is closed to visitors most of the year, and for its choir. If either are interesting, he should check with the college.

The Bridge of Sighs takes 0.001 nanoseconds to appreciate from outside, and requires no further attention (the footbridge across Pembroke St is actually more striking). The Radcliffe Camera takes a tad longer from outside, but internal access is mainly closed to visitors - though there may be some access as part of a Bodleian tour (cunningly hidden at http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whats-o...idual/extended).

He's missing Oxford. Walking round, and popping into the odd under-rated college, is a lot more fun than ticking off something on a list

The White Horse is difficult to see properly, except from a helicopter (not easily hired) or from the bottom of the vale. Once up at a level with it, there's an interesting walk along the Ridgeway west to Wayland's Smithy (or east for a hundred miles or so to Canterbury)

Like Stonehenge, it's underwhelming to look at close up. But it's invigorating to get to, the view across the Vale once you're up here is worth the puff and researching it, even online, churns up a huge amount about English prehistory (and the history of historical misunderstandings) that's well worth disinterring

Pat_in_Mich

Thanks for responding, although the rudeness of your first paragraph was uncalled for and not appreciated.

ira

Hi Pat,

> although the rudeness of your first paragraph was ... not appreciated.

That's just Flan.

However, I agree with his assessment.

If your son is visiting a friend who is living there, wouldn't said friend be the best source of what he would find interesting?

MmePerdu

There's a good tourist information office in the middle of town on Broad St. with very helpful ladies and lots of printed material.

http://www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire...d/default.aspx
http://www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire...&venue=2912041

flanneruk

"although the rudeness of your first paragraph was ... not appreciated."

Nor is your infantilising an adult child, or your thin-skinned reaction to having this pointed out to you.

MissPrism

You received some excellent suggestions from Flanner.
The top of the pie can be crusty, but the filling is always worth digging for.

mjdh1957

All forums have their 'characters' and as a public space you must be prepared for the same level of banter as you might find in a slightly down-at-heel local pub.

Usually behind the alleged 'rudeness' you will find genuine information. But it's up to you whether you accept it or not.

Pat_in_Mich

I'm not infantilising anyone. My son has guidebooks and has planned a number of trips on his own including a 2 week solo trip to New Zealand a few years ago. He merely asked if I would post a few questions on here to supplement his own research knowing that folks here are pretty knowledgeable. He also knows that I always enjoy talking travel, even when I'm not taking the trip.

I don't know why anyone would go out of their way to be rude to a total stranger, but based upon the other comments apparently it's considered as part of the package.

In any case, thanks to all for the answers to my questions.

janisj

I do hope your son has just a bit thicker skin - or the undergrads in Oxford will chew him up and spit him out.

Pat_in_Mich

Actually I'm not sure how many undergrads he'll be mingling with since his friend is in graduate school and he'll be there between terms, but I suspect he'll be able to hold his own

mjdh1957

The vitriol on here is nothing compared to the old Fodor's Lounge.... For the most part it was unbelievably nasty stuff, which is probably why it's closed now.

flanner wasn't really rude, he just expresses his opinions forcefully.