If you're interested in polo, Kirtlington Park Polo Club to the north east of Oxford is certainly worth knowing about. Tournaments are played from Easter until mid-September. The admission price is very reasonable and full bar facilities are available for spectators.
The Christ Church Meadow is set in the heart of Oxford and provides a wonderful contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. Surrounded on two sides by the rivers Cherwell and Isis, on the third by Christ Church, Merton College and part of the old city wall and on the fourth by Poplar Walk, it is quite common to see cattle grazing here. Christ Church College now regards ownership of the meadow as a trust and fights hard to defend it against proposed encroachments.
Founded in 1621, the garden originally provided medicinal herbs. Today, the Oxford Botanic Garden has evolved into a vast collection of over 8,000 plants in a compact, beautifully laid-out setting accurately reflecting the appearance of a Tudor or Stuart college garden. Tucked away close to the edge of the central district, it is a breeding ground of research, conservation, and intensive studies centered around biology, botany, horticulture and gardening. Dissected into two major parts, together, the garden is like a breathing canvas that is home to an array of theme-based collections which include the 'Plants that Changed the World' exhibit. The troupe of glasshouses that are adorned with bursts of colors and scents lent by rarefied and exotic blooming species is particularly a subject of interest and intrigue to the visitors. Occupying a place of pride in the prestigious University of Oxford, the Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum is hence, a legendary amalgam of nature and education.
Tilsley Park is a popular venue for sporting events. The race-track here was opened in the year 1995. Tilsley Park also houses a bar that serves refreshments. One popular event that is held here is the Abingdon Marathon. The marathon starts and ends here. For further information please check the website.
Spread across 74 hectares lies a beautiful nature reserve - Stanton Country Park. The park is a perfect spot for a family picnic or to hang out with your friends while surrounded by the luscious greens and fresh air. The park is home to a beautiful lake where one can just sit and enjoy the calm or wander around on a variety of footpaths.
Coate Water Country Park is a charming park surrounding the huge Coate Water Lake. The 28.33 hectares (70 acres) reservoir is the main attraction of the park and was built in 1822 by diverting the River Cole. Coate is quite famous with the locals as well as the tourists for great outdoor day trips. IT has almost turned into a pleasure park with wooden diving boards, changing rooms etc. The park is a favorite among bird watchers as it is home to various notable species of birds such as Little Auk, Eurasian Spoonbill, Rock Pipit etc.
Glympton Park is a lavish deer park that includes the Glympton house, the village of Gympton, a parish Church of St. Mary, 21 stone cottages and a parkland. The estate is huge and covers an area of 810 hectares (2000 acres) and dates back to the 16th Century. The estate is currently owned by Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia, who later completely restored the house. Today, the structure stands in all its modern glory while still keeping its ancient charm.
About 20 acres (8.93 hectares) of large, open grassland close to the Warneford Hospital; Warneford Meadow is a picturesque wild space which is used by the locals for recreation purposes. Consisting of fields that were purchased by Warneford Hospital in 1918 with an intention to provide open green space for the patients, the meadows have been. The meadows are the ideal grazing site for the unique butterfly species and are also home to the ground nesting birds such as Skylark. The meadow can be accessed through Hill Top Road.
Located near the Magdalen College, the Addison's Walk is a nature-bound footpath. This long walkway spans across an island in River Cherwell. Named after Joseph Addison, a student from the Magdalen College and a staunch supporter of landscape gardening, the walk gives scenic vistas of Magdalen Tower and Magdalen Bridge. It was also the favorite place for the very renowned author C.S. Lewis and alumni of Magdalen College to go for long walks.
Bagley Wood is an idyllic ancient wood located in the picturesque village of Kennington. Its resplendent beauty has inspired many, including the popular Victorian poet, Lionel Johnson, who has written a poem on this lovely green space. This oasis of tranquil has also been used as a shooting location for a popular TV show named 'Endeavour'.
Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake is one of the most prominent lakes located in the South Oxfordshire. It precisely rests in Eye & Dunsden parish. The lake has been named after renowned Olympic rowers Sir Matthew Pinsent and Sir Steve Redgrave. The lake was officially inaugurated in the April of 2006. It was magnificently constructed with a budget of GBP13 million. The lake and the boathouse have training, scientific and medical facilities.
Covering an extremely picturesque are of 27 hectares (67 acres), Lardon Chase, the Holies and Lough Down are three adjacent sites located next to the Goring and Streatley Golf Club. Together they incorporate chalk grassland and a grassy combe with stunning views over the Goring Gap and the river Thames. It is known to be much sought after walking and sightseeing destination. A wide variety of plants and animals have made the grasslands their home. Various flowering plants like autumn gentian, clustered bellflower, blue fleabane, vervain, common rock-rose, horseshoe vetch and a good population of orchids can be sighted. Mining bees, wasps, wolf spiders and a wide range of butterflies such as chalk hill blue and grizzled and dingy skipper butterflies are also common here.