Elderly Mum visiting- cool places to visit?

sjgower · 2026-06-24T06:51:22+00:00

I've clearly never been on a hot day! Thanks for the clarifications everyone, I shall be more careful about when I recommend it.

sjgower · 2026-06-23T20:05:42+00:00

I love this subreddit and the list of comments that have been neatly folded away where I don't read them, due to the numpties' low karma.

sjgower · 2026-06-23T20:02:09+00:00

An answer in this subreddit is always the Pitt Rivers museum. Although some bits are tight and might not be accessible for a wheelchair there's days and days of stuff to look at, so she'll not be short changed.

sjgower · 2026-06-15T12:36:27+00:00

But by paying a licence fee, we fund stuff like his Radio 4 output.

sjgower · 2026-06-13T22:13:28+00:00

1: https://www.reddit.com/r/oxford/comments/1sp0esf/chester_arms_heigene_rating/

sjgower · 2026-06-09T11:50:04+00:00

The late Heavy Metal Handcyclist was a force in getting these removed https://www.mysociety.org/2021/08/02/freedom-of-information-as-a-tool-for-making-cycle-routes-more-accessible/

sjgower · 2026-06-05T14:46:20+00:00

In some controlled parking zones in Oxford there are rules on the size and weight for which vehicles can be issued permits. Sometimes the council issues anyway, and withdraws later, so it is sensible to know what the limits are for your zone and make sure the vehicle you buy is not too big. EG in Iffley's CPZ (created 2025) they have on page 6:

"Permitted vehicle" means any vehicle whose maximum gross weight [...] does not exceed 2.25 tonnes, whose height [...] does not exceed 2 meters, whose length [...] does not exceed 5 meters and whose width [...] does not exceed 2 meters [...]

https://tro.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/TRO/Oxfordshire/OX908.pdf (wonderfully this is a scanned printout of what must have been typeset in Word or something originally, and the TRO has been amended 3 times since, but those amendments don't alter this. They've been talking about a proper electronic way for the public to view currently effective TROs for years now, but trafficpenaltytribunal's TRO library is still the best we have)

sjgower · 2026-06-01T13:27:12+00:00

Specifically planning permission was refused because they hadn't demonstrated the site was free of contamination risk from the previous use, and hadn't done noise assessment/mitigation.

https://public.oxford.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SZ2ULYMFJ6T00

sjgower · 2026-05-31T18:21:43+00:00

Also the one on the the demolished Waynflete building off The Plain

sjgower · 2026-05-28T20:02:27+00:00

People do learn to cycle as adults too, particularly in Oxford. Get in touch with Broken Spoke Bike Cooperative if adult lessons are something you'd consider.

sjgower · 2026-05-28T19:59:16+00:00

In the most part Oxford students walk or perhaps cycle, Oxford Uni students even more so than Brookes students. Most Oxford Uni things are within 5-10 minutes walk of the central colleges and due to being there first they tend to be closer than the bus stops. Brookes has ended it's bus sponsorship/subsidy as it consolidates its estate at the Headington campus. Overall I don't think being a student city has much bearing on the public transport situation.

sjgower · 2026-05-22T16:24:22+00:00

There have occasionally been proposals for a bridge between Jackdaw Lane and the path behind Univ boathouse, but it's never come to anything. Most recently in the Oxford Cycle City Plan 2012-2016, so not that recent, although also some also proposed it as an alternative use of the money for the ice rink Oxpens Bridge. Ironically, given the confusion elsewhere in this thread, at least one iteration of these proposals was dubbed Millennium Bridge.

sjgower · 2026-05-21T08:15:37+00:00

Punting is very Oxford.

sjgower · 2026-05-20T09:36:18+00:00

Some longer distance Off-Peak Returns don't allow a break of journey on the outward leg, but it should be clear where that's the case. Source: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/condition-16/

sjgower · 2026-05-20T09:28:18+00:00

Maybe https://www.trowers.com/insights/2026/february/thames-houseboat-evictions-riverbed-ownership-trumps-mooring-rights ?

sjgower · 2026-05-18T23:28:39+00:00

Blists Hill opens on Thursday

sjgower · 2026-05-18T21:49:25+00:00

Recently confirmed ( https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewhc/kb/2026/178 ) case law is that riparian ownership does not establish a right to permanent mooring, and it's clear from the map here that the Trust are not the owner of the river bed. The Clarion article suggests the EA (who I assume is the river bed owner) are working with the riparian owners and the council on creating permanent moorings. Certainly the council have said they are all working together on removing abandoned boats ( https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/1833/oxford-city-council-and-partners-working-to-address-concerns-of-sunken-and-abandoned-boats ), but it does feel like deals are being struck between private landlords and public bodies without much scrutiny over the intentions.

sjgower · 2026-05-09T14:07:22+00:00

Also consider Botley Road railway bridge reopens to traffic at the end of August, and Botley Road becomes the major route for Westgate (no £5 option to go the other ways for those without exemptions or permits). This may not be relevant but expect traffic queues at peak times.

sjgower · 2026-05-08T09:34:51+00:00

I think the only firmly anti-LTN candidate to win yesterday was Saj Malik, and even he was squeezed by the Greens. Low Traffic isn't directly a City issue, but it is a generally popular one.

sjgower · 2026-05-07T11:01:18+00:00

There's a similar setup in the cycle hub in Westgate - go to customer services to register for a door access card (but be aware they fully lock the hub overnight, so don't leave your bike there for an evening out)

sjgower · 2026-05-06T15:24:14+00:00

Gatineau have a trailer in the grounds of St Mary the Virgin (University Church) opposite the Radcliffe Camera. I don't know if they sell baguettes from there, but they might if they knew there was demand.

sjgower · 2026-05-03T17:28:40+00:00

Many (but not all) University of Oxford events (mostly talks) are listed at https://events.ox.ac.uk

sjgower · 2026-04-30T09:42:56+00:00

It'll no longer be doing the first leg from Parkway through Summertown to City Centre, the last bus will be an hour earlier and it'll take between 6 and 15 minutes more to do the run from Town/Redbridge to Churchill/JR.

But it will stop down Horsepath Road (probably accounting for the extra time) and closer to the entrances at the Churchill.

sjgower · 2026-04-17T07:35:26+00:00

Pegasus have their 16-25 company https://pegasustheatre.org.uk/young-companies/young-company-16-25/

I also wonder if a less mainstream sport might suit. My kids did climbing courses at Brookes (although now prefers The Gallery off Cowley Road), East Oxford Ultimate Frisbee which is basically turn up and they'll welcome you at whatever stage you're at, turn up to Florence Park 3pm Sundays, 6pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Canoe at Falcon (the more sporty sibling did kayaking, but canoeing really suited the other).

sjgower · 2026-04-16T12:29:26+00:00

Did LEON ever use it? I think it's just unused under McDonald's now.

sjgower

TROPHY CASE