Happy Winter Solstice!

Enjoy the longer days!

See you in the new year.

My Photo is the Cover of a New Song

You might remember the photo from my Oxford Sabbatical Highlights post. I never thought this whimsical image would end up on the cover of a CD...my three minutes of fame.

I'm on blog vacation next week. I'll be back online August 28th. Happy Summer!

Oxford Highlights: favorite places and best restaurants

Time is suspended on sabbatical. Exploration and discovery replace the normal routines of life. I find it difficult to mark time, to remember that this new life is not my own but borrowed like a library book. I am renewed.

Going on sabbatical is quite similar to creating a novel. I speak to strangers and walk down unknown lanes. The first days were intimidating. I felt lost, homesick and lonely. A year abroad seemed like a very long time, but there were benefits too.

A sabbatical, free of life’s commitments, offered time to focus without distraction. I’m usually very involved in my community. On a different time zone, e-mails didn’t ping until the end of my workday. The phone rarely rang. No one passed by to chat. I could start fresh in a new setting. England was a year-long writer’s retreat.

As I waited for my readers to comment on S.A.D., I set out to research NOT CRICKET (renamed A MATCH FOR EVE) and to gather material for my blog. The 2 book projects were perfect complements: one of introversion and revision and the other of extroversion and sensation.

After counting down the months to weeks and now to days, nostalgia has overtaken my longing to return home. Reading a good book, you race through the pages, wanting to find out what will happen, only to realize that there are so few pages left. Do you slow down to savor every word? Reread favorite passages that you skimmed?

I am in the final chapter of Oxford. Here are some earmarked pages, but to experience Oxford in its full complexity takes a sabbatical. It is a book in itself, the one I will write back in Maine.

In the past couple of weeks my family came to visit in 4(!) lots. We showed them round the most beautifully grand colleges, Christ Church (above) and Magdalen College. We also visited my husband Henry’s alma mater, Oriel College (the window shots above.) Another favorite was Merton College, which claims to be the oldest. Many colleges are open in the afternoon to visitors; some charge a fee.

My two favorite Oxford museums are The Museum of Natural History (above) and The Museum of the History of Science. The first one is especially good for kids and features the Dodo bird from Alice and Wonderland. The Divinity School and Bodleian Library are definitely worth visiting too. Great for rainy days.

When the sun shines, the Oxford waterways are a delight. These cygnets hatched at the end of May.

There are ducklings hatching now.


The City of Oxford is situated between 2 rivers: the Cherwell and the Isis. The River Thames is called the Isis only when it runs through Oxford. The Celtic name for river is tamasas which became Tamasis in Latin. Say it aloud, and you’ll hear both Thames and Isis. The city’s name is less grand: it was where oxen could ford the rivers. The ancient trading village predates the university, given its ideal setting on the rivers.

In later centuries a canal was also dug stretching 78 miles from Oxford to Coventry. The Oxford Canal is a pleasant hour walk from Jericho to Wolvercote. You pass many funky canal boats and back gardens of posh North Oxford homes. The Burgess Field Nature Park is most peaceful, and if you get thirsty, you can cross the first bridge in Wolvercote to The Plough for a pint. Dogs are welcome outside.

The best place for an off-lead (off-leash) dog walk is Port Meadow along the Isis, but you should hold onto your dog around the cattle and horses grazing free. Several ponies have dropped foals recently. Since the mares know me from my daily walks, they let me and my visitors approach. In my teenaged years I was a bit of a horse whisperer.

Whenever I’m feeling low, the foals cheer me up. They’re so friendly and funny.

My kids and I take advantage of the long days of summer to visit the herd after dinner. Our best buddy is a colt we call George (above and below) because he’s so curious. He likes to nibble on my son’s shoelaces. My daughter thinks the shy grey filly might be a unicorn.












The swans are NOT friendly, but they are beautiful to watch.

The best way to enjoy the water in Oxford is from a punt. You can rent them under the Magdalen Bridge or at the Cherwell Boathouse. We prefer the latter as it’s more rural, especially if you head upstream.


Henry gave our 13-year-old son a punting lesson. Within minutes, he got the hang of it. Of course he’d love punting as it involves sticking a giant pole into the mud and pushing off. The skill is using the pole to steer like a rudder and letting go if it gets stuck so as not to fall in! Our son proved to be a natural like his old dad. I’m now slightly less nervous about him learning to drive in 2 years time.

My parents were visiting from NYC and enjoyed their first punt. We had one of the best lunches I’ve had in Oxford at the Cherwell Boathouse. The food was gourmet and excellent value at only £12.50 for the 2 course set lunch menu on weekdays. The dockside setting couldn’t be better on a nice day.

When it’s not raining, England is pleasantly 60’s or low 70’s at this time of year. You appreciate the sun that much more when it shines, and it's never too hot. The gardens thrive in this climate. Ideal boating weather.

Despite my son’s facility, punting is not easy. We tried our best not to laugh watching these Spanish girls try to figure it out on their own. It was more like bumper cars as the punts bounced from bank to bank. By the time our food came, the plucky girls had set off down river and had returned just as we were tucking into pudding. Book ahead to get a table but just show up for punting.

On a rainy day, you’d be better off having a gourmet lunch at Jamie’s Italian. It just opened in Oxford center. Usually I’d advise avoiding Italian food in the UK at all costs, but this is one of the rare exceptions. Jamie Oliver is a young celebrity chef and cookbook author.

We enjoyed the ciabatta with its assortment of toppings even though they were served too cold and took forever to come. Henry’s lamb was excellent but the basil sauce was odd. My fresh-made pasta arrabiatta was excellent as were the homemade sorbets. The lunch menu was quite affordable. The only downside is they don’t accept reservations, and it was noisy.

Jamie’s serves the best gourmet lunch option available in the heart of Oxford Center. For more casual recommendations read my Best Lunch and Tea in Oxford post. I’ve also reviewed some other restaurants in Fine Dining in Oxford.

Since my parents were in town, we went to the two best gourmet restaurants in Oxford. The Old Parsonage and Gee’s are under the same ownership, but are quite different in feel. The best dinner I’ve had in Oxford was at The Old Parsonage, and it was so good that we are going back on Friday for our last meal here. The setting is charmingly Old World without being stuffy. The marinated tuna sashimi was sublime and the duck delicious. Everything we ordered was excellent as was the service. It a short walk up Banburry Road away from the City Center.

The food was not as good at Gee’s, but perhaps that is my taste as it is more traditionally English. The ingredients were fresh and local when possible. We had an excellent turkey dinner around Christmas that couldn’t have been better, but the two other times we dined there were not as good. Still, my family was happy with our meals, and we are picky eaters when it comes to quality dining, especially at that price. The only disappointing dish was the lobster risotto – remember the avoid Italian food in England rule? We'll have the best lobster back home in Maine anyway.

The Victorian glass conservatory setting at Gee’s is just lovely and quite unique. It’s worth going for the atmosphere and top quality service for a special date. The ambiance, however, was ruined by the live jazz music on Sunday nights. It was so loud that we couldn’t talk.

And there was so much to say about how much I’ve loved this sabbatical in Oxford. It's going to be very hard to leave in 4 days. Still I’m eager to head home to be closer to family and friends. Tomorrow I’m meeting a friend from home, Scott Sehon, for a pint and dinner. These visitors help ease the transition. It was hard to say goodbye to my English friends, though.

I’m an emotional yoyo about leaving. All the work of packing is ahead of me in these next few days. Even the weather is reflecting my mood. Yesterday I got soaked in a downpour, and then it hailed so hard I couldn’t see out the window. A rainbow appeared for only minutes. A gazillion frog babies are hopping down the sidewalk and through our garden to Port Meadow. That’s an English pound coin and an American penny by the frog for cross-cultural size reference. I’m not sticking around for the plague of locusts.

We’re not going directly home but spending a night with Henry’s family and then with friends in Cambridge, UK. Henry is flying with our dog to Boston and then driving to Maine. The kids and I are flying via NYC to catch up with family and friends. Next week I plan to blog from Manhattan on Thursday. Any tips, world travelers, on adjusting back to life in the USA? How's Maine?

Yes, the blog will continue on my usual Wednesdays in Maine. It’s a special place too if very different. As much as I enjoyed Oxford, I love my home most of all. Stay tuned to find out why.

Expat Tips for Sabbatical in England

Here are the 10 things I wish I’d known before my family's sabbatical at Oxford. This is actually the fifth time I’ve lived in the UK, as my husband is English. Henry teaches at Bowdoin College in Maine USA. He had 2 Oxford University fellowships: The Nissan Institute and The Reuters Institute. He is writing a book on public television in the UK, USA and Japan.

I used the sabbatical to research a young adult novel, NOT CRICKET (renamed A MATCH FOR EVE), about an American girl in England. It all started with Uprooting to England. Click on Oxford Sabbatical Index to view the whole year. I’ll post once more from Oxford next week, and then I will continue blogging in Maine.

Tower Bridge, London from 2004

1. How long should we go? Last time my family moved to England it was for 6 months in London, and this time we came for 11 months in Oxford. I’d definitely recommend coming for the whole year if you can. It will be easier to rent out your house back home and to find accommodation abroad. It will be less disruptive to your children’s education. Most importantly, you will make more friends. People will make more effort getting to know you and you’ll make more effort too if you’re there longer.

On the 6 month stay, I felt as soon as we were settled, it was time to go back home. The move itself is very disruptive. It’s worse than a permanent move because you will have to maintain 2 households. During the year, you may have tenant or property issues to deal with back home complicated by time zones. The disruption was the biggest downside of a sabbatical. Read more about timing in the school section below.

Swans on Wolvercote Common: I counted over 40 on my last walk in adjacent Port Meadow. I'll be posting cygnet photos next week.

2. How do we find a place to live? The best site is sabbaticalhomes.com. It’s set up for the academic community for home exchanges and short-term rentals. It might even help you find a tenant for your house back home. Of course I heard about it after I was living in Oxford.

We found our perfect Wolvercote house through the Oxford University Gazette in March. Most listings go up in June/July. If you are connected with a university or living near one, check their paper for listings. It’s usually nicer living in someone’s home than in a professionally set up rental, and the price might be lower too.

Jericho townhouses are convenient to the Oxford City Center.

3. Where’s the best place to live in Oxford? If you have a family, I’d recommend Summertown as there are good shops in walking distance; the city center is in easy biking distance, and it’s well served by the bus lines. Your elementary school child is most likely to be placed at Cutteslowe which is close by. There’s a community sports center with an okay lap pool. There’s also a private but expensive sports club, Esporta.

On street parking is tight, but you won’t need a car in Summertown. Buy a "second hand" bike. Summertown Cycles has some, but it’s hard to find used ones for kids. Oxford is a biking town with bike lanes going into the center. However, there are no bus routes or bike lanes going across Oxford, so pay careful attention to your location. The downside would be no great pubs in Summertown, and it’s not especially scenic.

Another option is Jericho which is more charming and right by the city center. There are restaurants and some shops. It’s by the Oxford Canal, nice for a walk. It would be a good choice for a couple without kids or dog.

We chose to live in Wolvercote, a small village in the northern edge of Oxford. Wolvercote is the place to live if you have a dog, and it’s a green community with lots of families. We had on-street parking for our (used) car, and the #6 bus goes every 15 minutes to the center and only takes 15 minutes. I loved our location.

The downside about Wolvercote was that 3 miles was kind of far to bike into the center, and the local Wolvercote School was full. We were stuck walking our 10-year-old daughter 3 miles round trip to get her to school. My husband took the morning shift, and I the afternoon, but on some days I had to do both and walk 6 miles. I got very fit! It’s the European way to get exercise just getting places as opposed to driving in a car to work out.

One more cost to include in your calculations is you'll have to pay the council tax (ie poll tax) even if you aren't a Brit. We paid £1,400 for the year! Good news is you're also entitled, as a resident, to the National Health Service. Register when you arrive. We were happy with the Jericho Health Center. You don't have to go to the closest practice. Be sure to choose one that is open full hours.

Abingdon School Chapel: the boys attend weekly Anglican services. Both state and public schools study multi-religions as a required subject.

4. Where should the kids go to school? This may be your biggest headache. English state schools (ie public schools in American) will not automatically accept your kids, and most have crowding issues. Class sizes are large – up to 30 in a class and often one more. Oxford requires a signed tenant agreement (lease.) They have to provide children a spot only if you are resident for six months.

Due to school choice, you are not guaranteed a spot in a local school, and your kids won’t necessarily end up at the same schools. There are no school buses so you are responsible for your kid’s transportation unless it is over 3 miles one way (Oxford.) The school system is riddled with inequity.

In London we weren’t even allowed to apply until we were physically resident. Since we were moving in the middle of the year and wanted them at the same elementary school, we sent our kids (then 6 and 9) to a prep school instead. A prep school is a private primary school, usually up to age 11 or 13.

Many Americans in London send their kids to The American School. When we lived in London, we sent our kids to The Abercorn School which was mostly English but had a lot of international students with many Americans. It had an English curriculum and high academic standards. I’ve heard good things about The American School, and it certainly makes for an easier transition on both sides. Still, we were happy to send our kids to an English school for the full experience. Abercorn also cost less than The American School.

It’s confusing: many private secondary schools are called "public schools" in the UK. Some public schools provide scholarships but many require an entrance exam the spring before you go. When we were told that Cherwell, the state school in Oxford, was too full to accept our thirteen-year-old son, we sent him to The Abingdon School. You can read more about it in Public School Dayboy. It's his last day of school today. Our daughter's state school runs until July 23rd! There are more vacations over the school year.

Another factor you should consider is the age of your children. The demands on young children are much higher in the UK. A six-year-old is expected to be reading chapter books and memorizing times tables. Americans do catch up in the later elementary school years. Academically the differences increase as English schools get very specialized and tracked in the final years. It would be much easier for your high school student to attend The American School or an international school than to study for English A-levels that are in only a few chosen subjects.


My husband in his Oriel College boating club blazer.

5. What should we ship vs. buy? Everything is cheaper in the US, so it’s worth anticipating your needs and shipping stuff over. This year things cost the same number of dollars as pounds so life was twice as expensive. Plus my husband's grants were in dollars.

If you want to price compare items between the US and UK, check Argos on line. There’s a branch in Oxford center and others all over England. It’s a discount chain where you order from an in-store catalogue or on line. There are other "superstores" outside Oxford, but you won’t find the bargains or selection that you’re used to in the US. Boswells in Oxford Center will provide most of your household needs. You can find and get rid of stuff for free through freecycle.

The climate, no matter what time of year, is pretty consistent. Pack for 50’s and light rain. It can get up to the 70’s (rarely 80’s) in the summer, and it might occasionally snow or frost in winter. You’ll need wellies (rubber boots) for country walks, but you can find them here for not too much. I’d recommend bringing a good, light weight raincoat or you can buy a “pack a mac” here.

At Oxford there are many black tie or jacket and tie events. A dark suit is fine for all events for men (no real need for the tux.) You will get invited to more things at the beginning and end of the academic year than in the middle. Sensible dress shoes for women are a must as you will be walking on cobblestones and up slippery stone steps, possibly even on rooftops!

Shipping home is a headache. The Royal Mail no longer ships by boat and is expensive by air. The cheapest convenient option was Mail Boxes Etc, which has a branch in Summertown and many all over the USA. It’s about £3 per kg with a 17% fuel surcharge. Shipping from the US is much cheaper.

The airing cupboard can be in the bathroom, hall or kitchen. Our drying space is unusually small since the tank is extra big.

6. What’s different in the household? Your flat (as apartments are called in England) will probably have no dryer or an all in one unit that will not do much more than steam your clothes. You might have a clothesline, but it rains more days than not. Most people hang clothes on radiators or off furniture. Damp clothes are put in the airing cupboard. This is a cupboard around your hot water heater with wooden slats designed for drying clothes.

Another option, if you have space, is to buy a condenser dryer for about £200. Every 3 loads or so you empty out the water collected in the tank. It takes longer than a vented dryer, but it does the job.

I like Ariel Biological detergent. Buy Calgon limescale protection tablets to soften up the water. Then you can use half the recommended detergent. The washing machines tend to work well at spinning off excess water so clothes dry faster but also wear out faster.

Due to hard water, you have to add a special salt to your dishwasher occasionally. You’ll see limescale in the machine and on your glasses if you don’t. Be sure to get a toilet cleaner that’s tough on limescale. Andrex toilet paper is softest.

Your fridge and freezer will probably be small by American standards. You can order groceries on the internet and have them delivered for free (if you spend over £50) from Sainsbury's.

None of your recipes will work in the UK without conversion. All English products are in grams of weight whereas American recipes are by oz volume. You won’t find American shortening for baking. Use caster sugar for baking and a little less butter than you would usually since the butter is creamier. Baking soda is called bicarbonate of soda and most Brits don’t use it.

Your heat and hot water will probably be on a timer. You can reprogram it, but you probably won’t need heat at night as it rarely gets below freezing. Expect a small hot water tank and not much water pressure unless you are lucky (we were.) Most English people prefer baths and have nice deep and long ones. English homes tend to be cool and damp so bring layers to wear inside.

My English home office where I started writing NOT CRICKET (A MATCH FOR EVE).

7. How do I set up a home office and stay connected? The good news is there are Staples in England, including one in Oxford center, but the bad news is that everything costs twice as much. Worst of all, standard computer paper is a slightly different size – a bit longer and narrower. Shipping a large document, like a novel manuscript, is expensive. I needed to send manuscripts to readers and my agent in the USA. There were postal strikes going on last fall.

The best solution was to e-mail my manuscript as a US formatted PDF to FedEx Kinko’s and have them print it. I found a branch a few blocks away from my agent, and the courier service ($15) was cheaper than a fed ex. My agent’s assistant picked up my manuscripts the first couple of times [thanks, Marika!]

We chose BT for a cable wireless hub, but it is slower than what we had back home and has to be reset weekly to discharge static electricity. It comes with a broadband phone which allows us to make inexpensive calls at any time to the USA. The reception is not as good as our land line. A cheaper option is Skype, but the reception is poor and requires a camera in both computers to get the full service.

It took BT several weeks to get us connected to the internet, and my husband spent many hours (not exaggerating) on phone queues (on hold) and was often disconnected. The UK is not a service economy. Call lines are understaffed and often out-sourced. This drove us completely crazy and ruined the first couple of weeks. Does anyone know a better option than BT? If so, please comment.

Free WiFi is hard to find. There are a few places where you can pay 70p for a half an hour to use ancient computers. Read my first Oxford post.

Mobile phones are inexpensive and plentiful. Best to get a pay as you go with a cheap US calls plan. We did ours through carphone warehouse. You can buy a separate card to use in the rest of Europe.

Blogging is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends and to create a record of your adventure. If you want privacy, you can have your blog password protected and unlisted. You can set up a free google blog in minutes.

The downside of blogging was that it will distract you from work (that’s why I only post weekly) and your friends and family probably won’t post comments on your blog. They get your news without you getting theirs so you’ll feel disconnected. It’s still the best way to update people without repeating yourself endlessly.

My writers' group: standing L and R Miranda Glover and Rachel Nkere-Uwem Jackson; seated L to R Jennie Walmsley, Sarah Laurence (me), Anne Tuite-Dalton and Lucy Cavendish. Alexa Wilson is in the group too. I'm missing you guys already! Photo by Miranda's husband.

8. How do I meet people? It can be challenging to make friends in England. The country is smaller so people are used to keeping their old friends and won’t empathize as readily with your situation. The English are more reserved than Americans so don’t take a cool first reaction personally.

Look for groups of people who share your interests. Your local community center or library may have classes or book groups. The church would have a choir. Choosing a local state school is a good way to meet other parents. I joined a writers' group after meeting another author at a party.

Join the Oxford Newcomers’ Club. It’s mostly women but open to any spouse or partner of someone who is working/studying/on sabbatical at Oxford. Oxford is not an open university and access is very limited. Through Newcomers you will go on special tours. Some are free and others cost a few pounds. They even have a book group. If you aren’t at Oxford, check to see if the university has a similar program. Cambridge University does.

Our golden retriever loved Port Meadow, so did we. Wellies required!

9. Should I bring my dog/cat/ferret? England recently introduced the pet travel scheme so you don’t have to put your pet in 6 months quarantine. You have to start the paperwork and tests six months before you depart. It’s really complicated and expensive. You also have to get a final check within 2 days of departing the US.

BA is the only airline that you can ship your pet to England, but you don’t need to accompany your pet. You have to buy a huge crate to fit their requirements. The crate for my golden retriever was big enough for a Shetland pony, and her airfare was over a thousand dollars! To return, she can go on American for much less, but we have to buy a smaller crate as the minimum size crate for BA was larger than the maximum size for American Airlines.

We chose to live in Wolvercote because Port Meadow is the best place to walk and swim your dog off lead (leash.) Here’s a virtual dog walk post. Hill’s Science Diet Pet Food is readily available in both countries so switch your pet over before you leave. We were very happy with our Parkwood Veterinary Group.

Despite the hassle and the cost, I’m glad we brought our dog. Home is not home without her. I’ve also met people through my dog. England is very dog friendly. It’s easier to find a rental open to pets here than in the US. Dogs are welcome on Oxford buses. There are even special dog gates on country walks. Having a dog in London, however, would be difficult.

Hot air balloon over Lincoln College, Oxford. Bon voyage!

10. Was it worth it? Yes! We had a wonderful time, and I collected fabulous material for my novel, NOT CRICKET (A MATCH FOR EVE). Living abroad is much more satisfying and personal than traveling as a tourist or for work. If you have a family, this will be a broadening and educational experience your children will never forget. Even the hardships will pull you closer together. A sabbatical is the ultimate bonding experience. Plus it was fun!

More Oxford Info:
Oxfordshire County Council for state schools
NHS for medical services
Best Lunch and Tea in Oxford
Best Pubs in Oxford
Fine Dining in Oxford
Americans in Oxford
The Oxford Guide

Did I leave anything out? Please "comment" below.
Go to Oxford Sabbatical Index to view the whole year.

Port Meadow in Spring

Look! The sun is shining! The skies have been bright blue and the temperature in the 70’s (low 20’s C) for a whole week. As you can tell from the lush green foliage, this is not common for England. It makes you want to roll in the buttercups . . .

. . . or row along the Thames/Isis.

Greylag geese are out with a fuzzy gaggle of goslings (count those g’s!)

The young adult swans are showing off their bright new feathers.

The cattle are young enough to be very curious. They buddy up as if missing their moms.

The horses and ponies wintered in Port Meadow, but the cattle didn’t join them until the end of April.


Can you believe that is basically the same view of Port Meadow?

Everything is blooming. The wisteria look lovely by St. Mary’s. The steeple stands out against the perfect blue sky.

I had planned to blog about Merton College, but that will have to wait for another week. When the sun shines on the British Isles, you must get out and enjoy it. After dinner there is still light to stroll along the river.

On days like today, I can’t bear the thought of leaving Oxford. These hours spent working on my novels and walking in Port Meadow have been the best writer’s retreat. In the remaining 2 months of this blissful sabbatical, I’ll have to break my hermitage. I have more material to collect for my English novel, and friends to see before going back home to Maine.

There is still plenty of Oxford to explore although it already feels like a second home. My posts will get longer again as rain is in the forecast. This evening I’ll sit by the river for sundowners and enjoy it while it lasts.

Best Pubs in Oxford

There are so many great pubs in Oxford, it was hard to choose a favorite among the 8 I reviewed. The Trout (above) has everything I look for in a pub: history, properly stored bitter (beer), real wood fires, cozy nooks, good food, country walk, pleasant outdoor seating and a peacock. Okay, I don’t usually look for peacocks, but this one came looking for me!

Book a table days ahead for dinner at The Trout. Stick to the pub classics like the best fish and chips or special savory pies. My kids adore the wood oven pizza. The hummus etc. plate is good for sharing. Perfect with a pint of Landlord’s. Sitting outside by the river, watching the sun set over Port Meadow, is bliss. You can get a full tea too.

Colin Dexter (creator of the Inspector Morse series) is a fan of The Trout as were other local authors. I’ve never seen Dexter at the pub, but I have passed him on the road while picking up my daughter from school.

The best way to reach The Trout in Wolvercote from Oxford City Center is on your wellies (rubber boots). Take the dog too! Enter Port Meadow from Jericho, and you have a nice 4 mile loop along the Thames/Isis River with The Trout at midway. The Port Meadow side is a muddy, boggy field with horses, cattle, geese, swans and migrating birds for company. It’s gorgeous in a frost or the rare snow.

At the north end of Port Meadow, cut through the car park, take a left on the Godstow Road and cross the bridge. Pass a sheep farm on your left and a community garden on your right. The Trout will be on your left before the next bridge (about 5 minutes).

On the way home, take a left, cross the bridge and turn left onto the Thames towpath by the Godstow Abbey ruins. At the end of the towpath, cross the footbridge back to Jericho. If you don’t have wellies, you can take the towpath both ways.

The less intrepid can take the Number 6 bus from Oxford City Center (near the Randolf Hotel) to Wolvercote Home Close (end of line.) You’ll have a 10 minute walk down Godstow Road. The Trout has a good size car park too, but then you’ll have to watch your drinking. Really! I live in Wolvercote. My English husband chose our house because it was closest to his favorite pub and country walks.

Back in college, Henry and his Oxford mates thought the journey to The Trout was well worth it. Mostly, though, Oxford students are lazy drinkers. They usually head to the college bar or to the closest boozer. Oriel and Christ Church students favor The Bear. Writer that I am, I can’t resist the sign calling itself “an historic pub.”

The Bear is tiny and authentic (1242!) During term time, crowds spill into the road. Wear a special tie only if you are willing to have it clipped for the impressive collection housed in glass cases on the walls and even on the ceiling.


The most classic but hardest to find pub is The Turf Tavern. Check out their website for funny visual directions or you'll never find it. It’s cozy inside and has plenty of outdoor seating in the courtyards. The Turf has been a favorite Oxford watering hole for centuries. It was mentioned in Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure.

The Lamb & Flag was also cited in Jude the Obscure. It’s popular with students and is owned by St. John's College. The lamb and flag signify that saint. The visual signs were key in old pubs, serving an illiterate community.

I had an excellent pint of Pewsey Best, and Henry’s half of Spitfire was good too. Okay, I’ll own up. I ordered the Spitfire (half pint as we were visiting 2 pubs) and traded it for the Pewsey because it really was the best. Research, darling.

Great atmosphere at The Lamb and Flag. I wonder if they ever light the enormous fire? It was almost cold enough. April has been miserably grey and bitter with the exception of yesterday. Yes, I know you are wearing T-shirts in NYC. It might get up to 75 here – in mid summer!


Across the busy road is the most literary pub: The Eagle and Child (1650). C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and other friends met every Tuesday morning(!) between 1939-1962. “The Inklings” discussed books and their writing. They called the pub affectionately “The Bird and Baby.” Is the sign creepy or what?

On the walls are pictures of the famous writers, a framed letter to the landlord and even a commemorative plaque. Hey, my writer friends and I occasionally meet at Henry and Marty’s for a drink and dessert back home in Brunswick, Maine. We discuss writing, revising and publishing too. When’s the plaque going up?

Sitting in the Inklings’ corner is Henry, my best drinking buddy. He knows from pubs. The Brakspear (local Oxford brew) was divine and the Adnams Broadside was good. Add a packet of crisps (potato chips) and you’re sorted.

Looking for a big, easy to find pub? Go to The Kings Arms, smack at the end of Broad Street near my favorite bookstore, Blackwell’s. It draws a lot of tourists and students. The food isn’t so great, and I find the high ceilings lend a cavernous feel. Smokers on the outside benches and traffic fumes waft inside.

For you Oxford locals, this is all old hat, so I’ll name a couple of favorites more off the beaten track. Perhaps the most obscure good pub in Oxford is The Plough on Wolvercote Green. Take the Number 6 bus, get off at Wolvercote School, walk straight past the school and down the hill.

The Plough is on a meadow by the Oxford Canal with limited parking. You can also walk a couple miles to it from Oxford Center along the canal towpath. There is pleasant outside seating in the meadow (for those of you with dogs,) also an adjacent playground. It feels like a country village pub.

Sit in “the library” at The Plough. There's a working fire (gas), huge bay windows and lots of books. My daughter enjoyed reading J.H. Williams’s In Quest of a Mermaid (1960) while waiting for her kids’ menu dinner. My teenaged son loves the fresh chicken burgers. The food is really good value. I once had a delicious ostrich steak special, and they prepare fresh side vegetables.

The Plough’s food is not as tasty as The Trout’s, but you can always get a table and it’s much cheaper. Go there if The Trout is full or just for more peace and quiet. The Abbot Ale was mighty fine and the service very friendly. The Plough and The Trout are the best pubs for families or for a meal.

Avoid the two other pubs in Wolvercote by the end of the bus line. The Red Lion has bad food and lots of loud kids playing in the bouncy castle. Give The White Hart a miss unless you fancy a wide-screen TV playing the football (soccer.) Don’t confuse it with The White Hart in Wytham which is good for a pint, although the food isn’t as good as it used to be.

Closer in to Oxford Center is The Rose and Crown on North Parade. It is a 20 minute walk from Oxford Center and a good value for okay meals. I hear the ale is kept really well but didn’t sample it as I was working after lunch. Yes, I’m still revising my novel, S.A.D. I'll be back for a pint of Old Hooky, a local brew and favorite of mine.

The pink color both inside and outside was cheerful, and I saw more women at The Rose and Crown than at the other pubs. What I love about English pubs, is that they are friendly places for women and even families, not at all like American bars.

The English beer is cask temperature so you can really taste it (like fine red wine.) Lager is light, and bitter is darker. My favorite bitters are medium amber colored, smooth and rich like Hobgoblin. It shouldn’t be cloudy, too hoppy or sour – that happens when improperly stored or too old.

Riverside at The Trout for sundowners.

Pubs are often the social hubs of villages, but sadly many are going out of business due to the cheap cost of beer in supermarkets, high taxes on pub beer, stiff penalties on drunk driving (that bit is good!) and perhaps the recent smoking ban passed last summer [as reported in The Week April 18.] I for one much prefer pubs since the smoking ban – I’m going much more frequently now. You can expect several pub scenes in my English novel, Not Cricket (A Match for Eve).

If you know of other good pubs in Oxford, please add a comment below. Click on the “pubs” label to read more reviews. Cheers!