Oxford

Nicky, Jake and I had a day out in Oxford today - it was Jake's first visit to the city.

We arrived from the west, a new experience, and so parked at the Seacourt park and ride and got the bus in from there, past the station and the new Said Business School before a detour to the south and alighting opposite Christ Church on St Aldates.

We walked through gates and along the path that runs to the north of the meadows, and the place looked beautiful in the sunshine.



We would have walked up the path between Corpus and Merton, but the gate (made to allow one person at a time though a winding entrance) had a queue of tour parties on both sides, so we carried on along the south side of Merton and headed up Rose Lane onto the High.

Given that the plan was to make our way to Corpus, we turned onto Merton Street, and made our way along, with a quick detour to show Jake Kybald Twychen (where my first year room was) along the way.

Corpus was closed to visitors, but after a quick word with the porter, explaining that I was a former student (he looked me up to check!) we were allowed in for a look around. Here's Jake and I in the front quad.

We walked out to the back of the college, and wandered around the gardens for a while, taking a look at the new (new) music room area, and pointing out another one of my rooms - this time from my third year (nearest corner of the building - very top floor).

Corpus tour complete, the next stop was across the High and in the covered market, where we introduced Jake to the wonders of Ben's Cookies - no doubt his highlight of the day!

Having shown Jake my old college, we went to find Poppa's, stopping for a picture of the Radcliffe Camera on the way.

Then Broad Street and Blackwell's - the best bookshop in the world. Jake was suitably impressed by the Norrington Room. (I snuck back to Blackwell's later in the day as I couldn't resist getting something - came out with a Marcus du Sautoy book - seemed appropriate).

By now lunch was calling, and so we made our way up St Giles, staying left as it forked into the Woodstock Road, and went into Browns.

After lunch it we had a tour in the sunshine on the open top bus, before a bit of shopping and home.