Oxfordshire - The Spires Walk
A route that makes the best of the iconic Oxford spires
An easy, 2.5 mile (4km) walk that's best taken at a leisurely pace so as to fully appreciate those famous 'dreaming spires' of Oxford as well as some of the city's green spaces.
You start at Boars Hill and follow the path along three main areas: The Old Berkeley Golf Course, Chilswell Fields, and finally, Signal Elm Field. You then retrace your steps to finish where you started.
Along the way, you pass the grand oak tree that inspired Poet Matthew Arnold to write Thyrsis in 1865: the poem that gave rise to the "dreaming spires" references. A new board on the crest of the hill marks the spot.
The beginning of the route can be accessed from Berkeley Road, opposite Foxcombe Hall, where you'll see an information board. A map on this board then directs you down the Old Berkeley Golf Course to a new pedestrian footbridge from where the route is clearly marked.
