Alice’s Day, Oxford

Yesterday (7th July) was Alice’s Day in Oxford.  This is a day celebrating Alice in Wonderland, or Alice Liddell who the story was based on; there’s lots of events around the city, and there’s always Alice’s Shop to visit.

I decided that there was probably enough to do for N, and with the weather being amazing it was going to be a great opportunity to walk down through Christchurch meadows and have lunch by the river.

One of the big highlights for N is the park and ride bus journey in.  It’s the only time we ever go on a bus, and we were hoping for the top seat…wasn’t to be on either journey, but he still finds it exciting.

It was a sweltering day, even more so having to push a buggy.  I can’t wait til he no longer needs it (or wants to be carried!) and it means less luggage to carry around.  We did a lot of walking to get to the various different activities, although unfortunately the one I really wanted to get to and see for the first time was the Botanic Gardens as it was afternoon only.  I like to be in places in the morning and then out again so we’re not faffing around late trying to get out of town and back.

We checked out Alice’s Shop – one of the places that originally features in Through the Looking Glass, and trekked round to see the special displays in the windows of the University of Oxford shop.  All a bit disappointing really – I was expecting a bit more than just what seemed normal.

The town hall was holding craft activities for children, selling a Dodo’s appearance.  The story was that the Mad Hatter had just left, but there were tea pot pictures and paper plates for children to decorate ready for the tea party when he returned.  N with his usual short attention span when it comes to crafts, half decorated a plate, looked quite intrigued at the ‘dodo’, then decided he wanted to go home.  It was lovely to be back in the town hall, where I used to do a lot of dancing.

The great thing about being in Oxford is all the green spaces, and despite all the foreign students (of which there seemed to be fewer than usual hogging the grass just inside Christchurch meadows), it’s great to be able to walk down to the river, sit and watch the boats and rowers go by.

We’d bought sandwiches and drinks (also getting some local strawberries and Ben’s Cookies from the Covered Market where I love mooching around), so then just had to find the perfect spot.  N enjoyed talking to the cows that are in the field next to the path, his bull impression is impressive!

He had a bit of a wander round (in his socks, not sure why), talked to the geese and swans, shouted hello to some of the boats going past before we decided to head off home.

It was a lovely day out, and always nice to see green spaces in cities.

Find out day out suggestions in Oxfordshire.