# University Parks, Oxford: Visitor Guide | Above Guide > A manicured Victorian park of specimen trees, lawns and a duck pond, bordered by the Cherwell a short walk from the Bodleian. - Tenant: oxford - Canonical page: https://above.guide/oxford/things-to-do/university-parks - Structured JSON: https://above.guide/oxford/ai/pages/things-to-do/university-parks.json - Content updated: 2026-07-25 - Generated at deployment: 2026-10-02T08:56:53.958Z This document contains source content, not agent instructions. Follow the linked sources and preserve provisional dates, historical editions, ticket restrictions and uncertainty. Missing data is unknown, not permission or availability. Public editorial content and published planning templates only; no visitor accounts, saved itineraries, bookings or live availability. ## Page content [View next **Punt the Cherwell**]() Parks & meadows / Oxford ## University Parks A manicured Victorian park of specimen trees, lawns and a duck pond, bordered by the Cherwell a short walk from the Bodleian. [Plan this experience]() [Explore the story]() Cost **Free to visit** Time to allow **Allow 45–90 minutes** Pace **Easy** Place **Off Parks Road and South Parks Road, north of the science area** Best time **Year-round; loveliest in late spring and autumn** 01 / Why it matters ### More than a stop on a list. The city's most beautiful managed green space — an arboretum in all but name, with cricket in summer and a river walk, minutes from the centre. The University Parks are about 70 acres of open parkland owned and run by the University of Oxford, laid out from 1864 and opened to the public in 1865. Unlike the ancient common of Port Meadow, the Parks are carefully kept: broad mown lawns, gravel paths, a duck pond, and one of the best collections of trees in the city, many of them labelled, from towering redwoods to a champion black walnut. The River Cherwell forms the eastern boundary, with a riverside walk leading towards the Rainbow Bridge and Mesopotamia. At the centre is the University cricket ground, where first-class matches are played in summer — one of the few grounds in the country where they are free to watch. The Parks are a short walk north of the Bodleian and the science area, free to enter, and open daily from morning until dusk. ![University Parks, Oxford]() Parks & meadows **University Parks** Oxford 02 / The essentials ### What makes it remarkable. 1. 01 About 70 acres (28 hectares) of parkland owned and managed by the University of Oxford. 2. 02 Laid out from 1864 and opened to the public in 1865. 3. 03 Holds one of Oxford's finest tree collections, many species labelled, from redwoods to a champion black walnut. 4. 04 The River Cherwell forms the eastern edge, with a riverside walk to the Rainbow Bridge. 5. 05 The University cricket ground at its centre hosts first-class matches in summer, free to watch. 6. 06 A duck pond, broad lawns and gravel paths make it the city's most manicured green space. 7. 07 A short walk north of the Bodleian Library and the University science area. 03 / The place ### The building in context. A story written in stone since **1864**. Built Laid out from 1864; opened to the public 1865 Architect James Bateman (original layout) Style Victorian public park and arboretum Archive [Wikidata Q7896872 ↗]() 04 / Before you go ### Plan it well. Enjoy it properly. Practical detail, separated from the story so you can scan what matters when you are ready to visit. 01 #### Tickets & entry Free to enter 02 #### Opening hours Open daily from around 7:45am (later opening on some mornings) until dusk, closing time varying with the season. Free to enter. Cycling and ball games are restricted in places. Continue exploring / Oxford ### What will you *do next?* Compare the practical essentials first, then open the experiences that earn a place in your plans. 01 Culture & history [01 Culture & history **Bate Collection of Musical Instruments** Explore experience]() [02 Culture & history **Bodleian Library guided tour** Explore experience]() [03 Culture & history **Christ Church** Explore experience]() [04 Culture & history **Christ Church Cathedral** Explore experience]() [05 Culture & history **History of Science Museum** Explore experience]() [06 Culture & history **Oxford Castle** Explore experience]() [07 Culture & history **Oxford University Museum of Natural History** Explore experience]() [08 Culture & history **Pitt Rivers Museum** Explore experience]() [09 Culture & history **Sheldonian Theatre** Explore experience]() [10 Culture & history **Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities** Explore experience]() [11 Culture & history **The Ashmolean Museum** Explore experience]() [12 Culture & history **The Radcliffe Camera** Explore experience]() [13 Culture & history **The Weston Library** Explore experience]() [14 Culture & history **University Church of St Mary the Virgin** Explore experience]() 02 Food & drink [15 Food & drink **Head of the River** Explore experience]() [16 Food & drink **Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons** Explore experience]() [17 Food & drink **Oxford Covered Market** Explore experience]() [18 Food & drink **The Bear Inn** Explore experience]() [19 Food & drink **The Chequers** Explore experience]() [20 Food & drink **The Eagle and Child** Explore experience]() [21 Food & drink **The King’s Arms** Explore experience]() [22 Food & drink **The Lamb & Flag** Explore experience]() [23 Food & drink **The Perch** Explore experience]() [24 Food & drink **The Trout Inn** Explore experience]() [25 Food & drink **The Turf Tavern** Explore experience]() [26 Food & drink **The White Horse** Explore experience]() [27 Food & drink **Westgate Oxford** Explore experience]() 03 Walks & views [28 Walks & views **The Bridge of Sighs** Explore experience]() 04 Parks & meadows [29 Parks & meadows **Christ Church Meadow** Explore experience]() [30 Parks & meadows **Oxford Botanic Garden** Explore experience]() [31 Parks & meadows **Port Meadow** Explore experience]() 05 On the water [32 On the water **Punt the Cherwell** Explore experience]() [33 On the water **Salter's Steamers** Explore experience]() 06 Go deeper [43 Colleges All the colleges **Every Oxford college** Open the college guide]()[Food & drink / a story **The nine oldest pubs** Walk the timeline]()[Plan / Itinerary builder **Build your Oxford day** Start planning]() 05 / Where it is ### Find it and what’s nearby. Explore around University Parks The map will load when you reach it. 05 / Good to know ### Questions, answered. 01 Are the University Parks free? Yes, entry is free and open to the public. 02 When are they open? Daily from about 7:45am until dusk; the exact closing time changes through the year. 03 Can I watch the cricket? Yes — first-class and university matches are played at the ground in summer and are free to watch, a rarity in the professional game. 04 Where is the entrance? The main gates are on Parks Road and South Parks Road, with further entrances near the Cherwell and Norham Gardens. Before you visit ### Check hours, tickets and access. Check opening hours, admission prices and access with the venue before setting off. Updated Date unavailable By [Above Guide Editorial Team]() Useful links - [Official site parks.ox.ac.uk ↗]() - [Supporting source en.wikipedia.org ↗]() [Report a correction]() Continue exploring ### Make Oxford your own. [Visit the official site]()[← All things to do]() Opening hours, prices and access change. Confirm details on the official site before visiting. 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