This route will surely bring a smile to you and your furry friend. Visit a couple of dog-friendly cafes, walk through Aston’s Eyot, which was previously a trash tip, beautiful Christ Church Meadow, and the Broad Walk past Christ Church College. Please see the opening times of each of the cafes on their websites below. Your doggy will need to be on a leash at all times and be able to make friends with fellow furry friends.
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Route overview
Magdalen Road has a few dog-friendly cafes you may want to try. The Magdalen Arms allows your furry friends to join you, but they must keep you company from under the table. Additionally, they host a flea market on the first Saturday of every month. Please see their website for more information on their opening times. If you are an eco-conscious coffee lover, Green Routes Cafe will tick all your boxes with its focus on sustainability and unique coffee blends. The Rusty Bicycle has some great in-house specials throughout the week and a cosy vibe in the restaurant.
Magdalen Arms. Credit: The Oxford Magazine
Green Routes Cafe. Credit: The Shopkeepers, Facebook
The Rusty Bicycle. Credit: The Oxford Magazine
Pass the Magdalen Arms on your left to turn left onto Iffley Road, right onto Daubney Road, and right onto Warwick Street. Turn left onto Bedford Street, and at the end of the road, turn left onto Meadow Lane. After about 40 metres, turn right onto the pathway and keep right as the pathway curves to Aston’s Eyot and Christ Church Orchard.
Part 1 of 5.5 km Dog-friendly Run in Oxford
Aston’s Eyot has been called such since at least 1440. This area once served as the city’s trash tip from the 1900s to the 1940s. Now, most of the trash that’s left is made of glass and ceramics. As a result of the dumping, the entire eyot was raised by 1 to 2 metres, and therefore, it rarely experiences floods.
The eyot was used for military training during WWII and as a rugby field. However, this didn’t last long, as the players were frequently cut by the glass and ceramic fragments in the ground. Since the area has not been used as a trash tip since the 1940s, the area has grown into a semi-natural wilderness. The area has several fruit trees, including sweet cherry, apple, and pear trees.
Aston’s Eyot. Credit: Deborah Burrows
Christchurch Orchard is part of Christ Church Meadow, a beautiful area of greenery and tall trees. It’s the perfect place to take a short break and maybe play a game of fetch. The gardens are open most days during daylight, except on 25 December.
Christ Church Meadow. The Oxford Magazine
Continue on the main path to Jackdaw Lane, then turn left onto Loverose Way past the tennis court. At the end of the road, turn right to continue down Loverose Way and left onto Iffley Road.
Part 2 of 5.5 km Dog-friendly Run in Oxford
At the roundabout, take the second exit onto and over Magdalen Bridge, which becomes High Street. Turn left onto Rose Lane, past Oxford Botanic Garden. At the end of the road, you will see the Watcher Tree.
Part 3 of 5.5 km Dog-friendly Run in Oxford
The Watcher Tree got its name from how it looks like there are eyes along the tree trunk. It may be a rather unassuming tree; however, as Vincent Van Gogh once put it, “I see everywhere in nature, for example in trees, expression skills, and, so to speak, a soul.”
Continue down Christ Church Meadow Walk, which follows the River Cherwell, then curves to the right to follow the River Thames. As seen in the screenshot below, there are a couple of trees of interest that don’t carry too much significance. Following Christ Church Meadow, you will end at Broad Walk.
Part 4 of 5.5 km Dog-friendly Run in Oxford
Fun fact: Broad Walk was the landing site of Britain’s first hot air balloon ascent from Merton Field. Broad Walk has served its purpose as a promenade since the mid-17th century. It passes the recorded line of Oxford’s Civil War defences and was widely praised. It is The Meadow’s most significant remaining landscape element.
Broad Walk, Christ Church. Credit: Bilal Yassine
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Resources:
This route was curated in collaboration with Headington Road Runners.
If you enjoyed this route, see our 9km Meadow Run.
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