This Oxford walking route, with a map, takes you from the Covered Market to the Pitt Rivers Museum, Headington Shark, and Varsity Club’s rooftop bar. Along the way, you can see some iconic sites like the Radcliffe Camera and Bodleian Library.
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Route overview
Oxford’s Covered Market, which opened its doors in 1774, has a distinct and enjoyable atmosphere owing to its variety of sights, sounds, and smells. At first, it was twenty butchers’ shops; it grew quickly to become the busy market it is today. It now features a varied range of vendors offering handmade crafts, fresh fruit, and other merchandise, all of which contribute to the lively environment.
Oxford’s Covered Market offers a wide range of food options for visitors to savour while perusing, including pastries and sandwiches, so there’s sure to be something for every taste. The market is also free to enter, but you may want to set a budget for what you want to spend inside; it’s easy to get carried away!
Inside Oxford Covered Market. Credit: Insiders Oxford
Make your way to Market Street, turn right, and continue onto Brasenose Lane. You’ll pass the iconic Radcliffe Camera, then turn left onto Catte Street, passing the Bodleian Library. Continue over the roundabout onto Parks Road.
Part 1 of the 8.5km Oxford Walking Route: Covered Market, Rooftop Bar
After about 400 metres, the Museum of Natural History will be on your left. The Pitt Rivers Museum is inside. Exit the museum where you entered, retrace your steps, and then turn left onto South Parks Road. Follow the curve of the road to the right onto St. Cross Road, then turn left onto Manor Road.
Part 2 of the 8.5km Oxford Walking Route: Covered Market, Rooftop Bar
Founded in 1884, the Pitt Rivers Museum is notable for its extensive collection of more than 500,000 artefacts from many cultures and historical eras worldwide. Known for its distinct curatorial approach, the museum uses creative presentation to encourage interaction with complicated topics, particularly Britain’s colonial past. It arranges objects according to kind rather than location or chronology, promotes investigation of the various ways that people approach life, and allows for cross-cultural comparisons.
In addition to its displays, the museum offers top-notch conservation and research projects, making it a centre for instruction for students of all ages. Contrary to popular belief, the museum is always changing and connecting with new generations of visitors while maintaining its rich and complex history. Once again, entry is free, and you can see their website here for opening hours.
Pitt Rivers Museum. Credit: Oxford Magazine
After about 250 metres on Manor Road, turn left, passing the Great Meadow on your right. After 300 metres, turn right onto Mesopotamia Walk. After 750 metres, turn left onto King’s Mill Lane.
Part 3 of the 8.5km Oxford Walking Route: Covered Market, Rooftop Bar
At the end of King’s Mill Lane, turn right, then immediately left onto Cuckoo Lane. Where the road splits, turn sharp right towards Brookes University, Headington Campus following the curve to the left. Alternatively, continue on Cuckoo Lane, then turn right onto Pullens Lane. Turn left onto Headington Road.
Part 4 of the 8.5km Oxford Walking Route: Covered Market, Rooftop Bar
After about 1.1km, turn right onto New High Street to see the Headington Shark; you can’t miss it. Retrace your steps back to Headington Road, turn left and continue straight. After 2.4km, at the roundabout, take the first exit onto The Plain, which becomes Magdalen Bridge, then High Street.
Part 5 of the 8.5km Oxford Walking Route: Covered Market, Rooftop Bar
When the shark was installed on the top of 2 New High Street in Headington in 1986, it attracted international attention and turned a regular house into a mysterious symbol. Bill Heine commissioned the sculpture, which represented sentiments of helplessness and social issues like nuclear power and past tragedies like Nagasaki.
Heine’s successful appeal process ensured that the shark was maintained as a monument even after the council first opposed it. Its bold placement, which defied expectations and sparked conversations about art, planning, and urban dynamics, is what has made it so famous over the years. The shark is still a well-liked and recognisable landmark in Headington, despite debates regarding its heritage designation and use as an Airbnb property.
Headington-Shark. Credit: The Spaces
To your right, you will find the entrance back to the Covered Market; the Varsity Club is on Avenue 1.
The Varsity Club offers multiple floors, each with a different atmosphere. Of course, the most popular floor is the rooftop. You can dine here all year round, as blankets, heating, and rugs are provided in the winter, and the rooftop is open in the summer to experience the sunshine and fresh air. You can see their food and drinks menu and specials on their website here.
The Varsity Club. Credit: Oxford Magazine
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Resources:
If you enjoyed this route, see our Still Nature Walk.
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Information gathered from various sources, including Wikipedia.