Oxford: A Day Trip That Delivered
Oxford has always held an interest for me. Cambridge too, as it happens. Perhaps it's the historic university buildings, the picturesque riverside walks, the quirky shops and the traditional pubs.
We'd already visited Cambridge earlier in October, so it seemed only fair to give Oxford a go.
The day itself was good. An easy drive, decent weather (if a little cold, no surprise as it is nearly November) and a few things we wanted to tick off the list.
Why Oxford?
There were three reasons for our visit.
The city itself. Historic university buildings, a bit of people-watching and some speciality shopping.
The Ivy. We had around £70 worth of loyalty points to use, along with an email informing us that the points club was closing. It was very much a case of use them or lose them, with our visit on 27 October and the points due to expire on the 29th.
Date day. Our regular Tuesday/Wedneday outing, and Oxford ticked the nice lunch and good walking boxes.
An Easy Start
Getting to Oxford from Northampton was straightforward, with a relatively quick and comfortable drive.
We parked at Peartree Park and Ride where parking for up to 16 hours cost just £3, including the return bus journey into central Oxford for up to five people. There was only the two of us.
Honestly, that's ridiculously good value. I struggle to think of many better parking deals I've come across this year.
The peasant wagon was clean, efficient and got us into the centre without any fuss. If this is what public transport has to offer, I'm happy to leave the car where it is.
A thoroughly civilised start to the day.
A Bit of Korean Shopping
We spent the first part of the day wandering around the shops, eventually finding ourselves in Seoul Plaza.
If you're interested in Korean food, snacks or products, this place is well worth a look. It seemed to stock just about everything Korean you could possibly need, along with a few things you probably didn't know you needed until you saw them.
We bought a few bits and pieces that we didn't need and left happy that the best before dates were well into the future.
Speciality shops like this are one of the reasons I enjoy exploring cities. You can find something a little different from the usual high-street offerings, and it's often the smaller discoveries that make a day out memorable.
Oxford was already doing well at this point.
Lunch at The Ivy
Our next stop was The Ivy Oxford.
We'd spotted Cool Britannia menu offered two courses for £19.96 online, but didn't fall for the bait and switch and asked for the menu when we were ordering drinks. It's always worth checking what's available rather than assuming the menu presented to you is the only option.
The food was good, as we've come to expect from The Ivy. Jane and I enjoy the consistency. You generally know what you're getting, the surroundings are attractive, and the prices can be perfectly reasonable if you choose carefully.
My minute steak was particularly good, as was the accompanying sauce. The chips deserve a mention too, which is not something I usually feel the need to say about chips. Must have been the triple cooking.
With drinks, sides and tea afterwards, we made good use of the £70 or so in loyalty points we'd accumulated over the years.
There was another little win on the way out. We bought a £100 gift card using the £100 UK dining benefit on our American Express card and received a bottle of fizz with it.
Not a bad bit of value stacking.
Between the meal, the points and the gift card, we felt we'd made good use of our various benefits. If you're going to eat out anyway, you might as well make the most of the offers available.
Oxford Ivy Oxford Ivy Oxford Ivy Oxford Ivy
Lunch was declared a success.
A Cheesy Stop at Jericho Cheese Company
After a substantial lunch at The Ivy, we decided that what we really needed was some cheese for dinner that night. Don't ask me why, but at least we had a purpose - a mission of sorts - Find Cheese - it seemed like a perfectly sensible idea at the time.
We set off in search of a suitable cheesemonger, relying on our trusty spider senses to guide us.
Jane spotted the Jericho Cheese Company, and it turned out to be just what we were looking for. https://jerichocheese.co.uk
These are serious cheese people. No cheesy jokes, thank you very much.
I did my best, of course, but my attempts at humour seemed to leave them feeling a little blue. Perhaps my jokes weren't gouda enough.
Any whey, we left with three small parcels of cheese, which they were happy to accommodate. It's always nice when a specialist shop is happy to help, even when you're buying smaller quantities rather than stocking up for a cheese festival.
It's exactly the sort of independent shop I enjoy finding when exploring somewhere new. A little different from the usual high street, with knowledgeable people and something delicious to take home.
And let's face it, you can never have too much cheese.
Exploring Oxford
Oxford buildings Oxford buildings Oxford buildings
The buildings are undoubtedly impressive, and there's plenty of architectural history to admire. Oxford has that traditional university-city feel, with grand stone buildings, narrow streets and plenty of places that make you want to stop and have a closer look.
We wandered around, taking in the sights, although our walk ended up being shorter than the one we'd enjoyed in Cambridge.
The boats on the river were all tied up, too. It had been raining earlier in the day, and with the time of year, there wasn't much of the picturesque river activity that might have added to the experience.
Oxford vs Cambridge: Which Would I Choose?
Having visited both cities, I thought it would be interesting to compare them. Both have beautiful historic buildings, interesting shops and plenty of places to eat and drink, but I found the overall experiences quite different.
Category | Oxford | Cambridge | My Verdict |
Architecture & Scenery | Impressive historic university buildings, but I found the overall setting a little less picturesque. | Beautiful historic buildings and a more picturesque feel, particularly around the river. | 🏆 Cambridge – prettier and more visually appealing, in my opinion. |
Shopping | A good variety of interesting shops, including Seoul Plaza, which was a real find. | Interesting shops, but we found less variety during our visit. | 🏆 Oxford – more choice and better speciality shopping, based on our experience. |
Getting Around | Relatively easy to explore on foot, although cyclists travelling through pedestrian-heavy areas could be frustrating. | Also walkable, but we encountered more cyclists and found them less considerate overall. | 🏆 Oxford – fewer bikes |
Crowds | Busy on our Tuesday visit in late October, although it was half-term. | Also busier than we'd have liked during our visit. | 🤝 Neither – both were too crowded for my liking. I'd avoid school holidays next time. |
Food & Drink (Ivy only) | Lunch at The Ivy was enjoyable, with good food and an opportunity to make use of our loyalty points and Amex benefits. | Breakfast at The Ivy was enjoyable, with good food and an opportunity to make use of our loyalty points and Amex benefits. | 🤝 Too close to call – The Ivy is consistent. |
Overall Experience | An ok day with good shopping, a decent lunch and some impressive buildings, but it didn't quite capture my imagination. | More picturesque and a city I'd be happier to revisit. | 🏆 Cambridge – my personal favourite of the two. |
The Verdict
For me, Cambridge wins overall, largely because I found it more picturesque and enjoyed the experience of exploring the city more.
Oxford has the edge when it comes to shopping, and we certainly enjoyed our lunch at The Ivy Oxford, but it was on a par with Breakfast at the Ivy Cambridge.
Oxford v Cambridge, Cambridge gets my vote.
Oxford – Box Ticked
Oxford was an enjoyable day out.
The drive from Northampton was easy, the park-and-ride arrangement was excellent value, the shopping was interesting and lunch at The Ivy was a success.
We also managed to make good use of our loyalty points and American Express benefit, which always helps to put a smile on my face.
But the city itself didn't quite capture my imagination in the way Cambridge had.
I found Cambridge more picturesque, while Oxford offered a better shopping experience. Both were busy enough to test my patience, and I suspect our timing during half-term didn't help.
Would I visit Oxford again? Yep.
Oxford – box ticked. An enjoyable day, but Cambridge remains my favourite.
Cambridge write up
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