Cotswold and Oxford Tours

19/02/2024

Hidcote in the early spring.
Hidcote is managed by the National Trust and one if a number of stunning Cotswold gardens.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

11/02/2024

Tolkien bench in Oxford University Parks. You can see the flooding.
Did the rainbow end there?

I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided walking tours of Oxford

30/01/2024

On this day in 1965 Sir Winston Churchill was buried at St Martin's Church Bladon.

The church can be seen from the grounds of Blenheim Palace where Churchill was born 150 years ago this November.

I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

01/01/2024

Happy New Year!

19/12/2023

A glimpse of the Christmas Tree in The Bodleian Libraries' Old Schools Quadrangle.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

12/12/2023

Hook Norton in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds has a living Advent Calendar. A different window is lit every day. A great way to explore this pretty village.I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

12/12/2023

Hook Norton in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds has a living Advent Calendar. A different window is lit every day.I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

02/12/2023

The King's Men stone circle dating from about 2,500 BC. Part of the Rollright Stones in the Cotswolds.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

30/11/2023

If you are going to see the new"Wonka" film starting Timothée Chalamet. Look out for Oxford filming 🎥 locations!
Can you spot the Radcliffe Camera or Oxford's Bridge of Sighs?
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford including exploring film locations.

29/11/2023

Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre designed by Christopher Wren in 17th century with 21st century Christmas lights ✨️ 🎄

I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided walking tours of Oxford

26/11/2023

07/11/2023

Autumn 🍂 colour in the Cotswolds.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

06/11/2023

A-muse-ing to see the Muses on top of the Clarendon Building being taken down for restoration.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford.
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25/10/2023

Radcliffe Square, Oxford in the early evening light.
Left to right.
● All Souls
● University Church of St Mary the Virgin
● Radcliffe Camera
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

19/10/2023

Today is St Frideswide day. Oxford City and University's patron saint.
Oxford cathedral is home to her shrine
Find out about her incredible story on a tour!.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

07/10/2023

Apple Day and Morris dancing at the Pear Tree Inn Hook Norton.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

24/09/2023

Blenhiem Palace: look out for these sculptures by Grinling Gibbons. Smiling English Lions with their claws grabbing the Cockerels of France.
A reminder that Blenheim Palace was built to commerate the English victory over the French at Blindheim in 1704.

18/09/2023

Chavenage House in the Cotswolds. Poldark fans may recognise this as the film location for Trenwith House.
The bedroom slept in by Oliver Cromwell has C17 tapestries on the walls.
Chavenage is open for private tours only. A wonderful place to visit.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

02/09/2023

JRR Tolkien died on this day 50 years ago.
a) His grave is on the outskirts of the city. Tolkien is buried with his wife Edith.
b) Tolkien's last home in Oxford (part of Merton College) where he moved to after Edith died.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford.

30/08/2023

View from Workmans Wood, part of the Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods National Nature Reserve. The wood is managed by the National Trust.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

28/08/2023

Annual Football ⚽️ in the Water!
At Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds.
Raising funds for local football club.

26/08/2023

There are about 4,000 miles of dry stone walls in the Cotswolds!
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

24/08/2023

Merton St Oxford with Merton College to the right. The college was founded in 1264 by Walter de Merton.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

20/08/2023

In Oxford - don't miss "Gifts and Books" at the Weston Library (part of the Bodliean Library) on until 29th October.
a) repilica alethiometer made for Oxford author Philp Pullman, by goldsmith Tony Thompson.
b) a gift from Henry VIII's 11 year old daughter Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I) to Henry's 6th wife Katherine Parr. The book is handwritten by Elizabeth - her translation of a book in French.
c) a beautiful Geneva Bible given to Elizabeth I in 1584. Spot the Tudor roses on the cover.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

18/08/2023

Broadway Tower a beautiful "folly" on the top of the Cotswold escarpment.
Designed by James Wyatt in the 1790s for the 6th Earl of Coventry.

I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

14/08/2023

Kelmscott Manor in the Cotswolds.

Cotswold retreat of William Morris father of the Arts and Crafts movement.

He called it his "heaven on earth" - could it be yours too?

Now owned and managed by the Society of Antiquaries of London.
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

10/08/2023

Rodmarton Manor garden on BBC Gardeners' World!
A beautiful example of an Arts and Crafts house and garden.
Looking forward to visiting next week.

I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

10/08/2023

Cirencester - "Capital of the Cotswolds'
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of Oxford and the Cotswolds.

02/08/2023

Cirencester is called the "Capital of the Cotswolds"
Inside The Parish Church of St., John the Baptist in Cirencester you will find Lego model of the old Abbey and a pulpit with an hour glass next to it.
The hour glass was used to make sure the preacher kept their sermon to under 1 hour!
I'm a local Blue Badge Tourist Guide offering guided tours of the Cotswolds.