I'd lived in Oxford for years before I found Cutteslowe Park. Don't make the same mistake. It is a…read morewonderful park on the northern outskirts of the city. There is a children's play area, mini-golf, tennis courts to hire, a small avairy, amazing model steam trains that you can sit behind and whizz round the little track. There is a duck pond. There are football pitches and a basketball court. The top field is windy and great for kiteflying. There is also a mile circut marked out do the energetic can run round and know how far they've gone. You can get there by car - the car park is at the end of Harbord road. By bike - you can follow the bike path through the back roads of Summertown and over the specially built bike bridge that goes over the ring road. By bus - take a number 20 or a number 7 towards Kidlington and get off at Harbord Road.

A brilliant place to spend a Sunday afternoon. Don't fall into the trap of thinking it's just for…read morekids - students and adults can still enjoy having a picnic together, going for a walk or just chilling out with an ice cream and a book. I reckon it's the best place in Oxford for flying a kite and it's not bad for running either, although I prefer the proximity of the University Parks or the canal. It's certainly very useful for timing yourself if you've got targets you want to beat, and it's lovely to cycle there, go for a run, relax a bit and then head back.

I wanted to buy Russian Coats with "Oxford Uni" written on them. Can't get them here. I should have…read moregone to "University Parkas." Oxford is full of gorgeous and stunning and legendary Parks. University Parks may not be my favourite, but it is the one within the closest walking distance of most of the colleges of Oxford University, and it's a wonderful place to relax and play football... And to look at the flowers like I did when I was a little kid, as you can see from the picture.

The University Parks are open to everyone and have something for everyone. There's no cycling…read moreallowed, so no risk of being run down by hurried students, and it's surprisingly free from tourists, so the parks are a great place to get away from it all. There are park wardens to make sure people follow the rules, which makes it seem a little less liberating, but they are generally unobtrusive and friendly. They also shut at night, which is probably best safety wise, but is slightly alarming if you are there at closing time and feel you may get locked in! The parks hold rare and tropical flowers and well-cultivated trees and flowerbeds which are home to all sorts of furry and feathered creatures if you just look hard enough. There are well-kept paths for joggers and pushchairs and lots of benches for the more romantic, people who want to eat or read, or just those who feel like watching the world go by. There's a duck pond near the river, where you can watch punters floating by, and sports fields where local cricketers, footballers and ultimate frisbee players train. At some weekends there's an ice cream van near the entrance and during the week there's a great little crepe stand near the Keble Road entrance. The perfect place to escape the city without leaving behind the culture and beauty of Oxford.

Hinksey is the park I tend to forget about and every time we go to the outdoor pool I think - why…read moredon't we come here more often? The answer is that we live on the other side of the city and Oxford has so many lovely green spaces. On the other hand Hinksey is just outside the centre of Oxford and has things the other parks don't have. There is a small children's play area, a lake on which there used to be pedalos for hire, a lake on which you sometimes see people sailing their radio controlled boats, tennis courts, fishing and the outdoor swimming pool. The paddling pool has been replaced by a free fountain / water feature play area. I've not been to this one at the right time of year but the one in Abingdon is great fun. Remember the fun of running under the hose in the garden? Fountain play areas recreate that experience. I've just looked at the city council website to check out the details for this park and I found out that it is a "Green Flag" winner. I've heard of different coloured flags being awarded to beaches but I didn't know there were flags for parks - I can feel myself just about to waste half an hour looking up other "green flag" parks to see if my other favorite places have won anything. (And I've found out from the website there are fresh water sponges and zebra mussels in the park - who'd have thought it!)

This is as good a park as any, and it's a lovely haven of green and fun. If you live in central…read moreOxford, there are plenty of nearer parks, but if you're young at heart or have kids, and if it's a warm day, this is definitely the place to be. Why? Water! There's a 'Splash' water feature, open from 10am-8pm May to September, but sometimes earlier in the year if it's warm enough. The outdoor swimming pool is brilliant: it's heated, free for under-17s and surrounded by sun-loungers. It's like being on holiday: sun, water and ice-cream, yet only a short drive from home. There's also tennis, fishing and a lake with a myriad of interesting birds (still waiting to catch a glimpse of a kingfisher!) and underwater life. A word of warning: if, like me, you enjoy evening walks with friends or a four-legged companion, watch out because although the park's always open (unlike the University Parks for example), there's no way to get a car in after a certain time. This changes throughout the year, the earliest being aroudn 5pm in winter, I think. Definitely worth checking, but not a disaster if it's shut, as there's plenty of parking nearby.

We enjoyed a nice visit to the garden. They offer timed tickets you can pre book which makes it…read morequick to get in. There is a large garden you can walk through to see the plants and trees and also some glass houses that contained interesting plants such as poisonous plants, cactus, and more. Most plants were labeled. There were a number of trees and some seating that was in the shade. It was a pleasant place to spend a couple of hours.

What a beautiful place to walk and listen to the birds as you walk your breakfast off…read more Really peaceful and despite not having all the flowers and trees in bloom, it was such a lovely couple hours spent here. I can just imagine what it would be like in summer. I really liked the green houses as well. Our favorite was the rainforest one. A small gift shop at the entrance/exit. The staff was really friendly and helpful but that's just all the people in Oxford so far.

As parks go, this one is quite wonderful. Loads of open space, running and bicycle track, exercise…read morestations, and such. There are a great many benches for just sitting and enjoying the sounds, sights, and smells of nature. Sunsets are a special treat here, as the main slope of the park runs toward town away west. It's a beautiful sight, even with the construction cranes in silhouette. Grab a picnic bag or a take out pizza and a few pints, and head there on your next visit to the area. You'll not regret it!

South Park is great for lazing around in summer, picnics, meeting friends and, most importantly,…read morefor building enormous snowmen and snow sculptures in winter. I spent a very happy afteroon here one February building snow slides on the slopes and crunching through frozen leaves. It's surprisingly large despite being surrounded by roads, and although you can always hear the traffic in the background, it's still quite a peaceful experience. The worst bit is that it's quite hard to find an exit as they're quite spaced out, and it has a reputation for not being good for women walking through at night. I've never heard of anything bad happening, but it's worth bearing in mind.

So far, the park with the best playground I've ever seen: sandpit with water, lots of different…read moreslides, swings, etc... all very green. And a zip line. I haven't taken pictures because there is loads of kids, you know, but great for them. And lovely for adults too. I loved the lion too

When Noel Gallagher of Oasis dies, will he be cremated? Or will they Bury Knowle?…read more Either way, this is a lovely little park in Headington, and brings back memories of going to see Oxford United play just down the road. Tourists don't really come up this way so it's unspoiled and belongs to the locals. Right in the middle of Headington and close to all the shops. Always did love the parks of Oxford.

The only place in England I've ever seen a glow worm…read more Now registered as a Town Green and so saved from development it is a lovely bit of wilderness near Port Meadow but not part of it.

I love parks, so I love finding new ones in Oxford. Of course this isn't new, but it's one of the…read morelesser known areas, especially as it's so close to the open South Parks. Ignore the ominous hedges and gates and take a step into this great little place. You can pop in during a lunch break and share your sarnie with the curious little birds who hop around begging for crumbs. If you're in a hurry, try avoiding the traffic and noise of the city by walking through the park and connecting to other parks (try the Mesopotamia concrete path to University Parks). If you have the time, the best thing to do is to just stroll through the trees, enjoying the glimpses of buildings like the magnificent Islamic Instutute and Headington Hill Hall - the 19th century mansion whose private gardens used to be situated in the park. There's all manner of unusual trees and plants, which I find interesting even though I have no idea what they are. Look out for the tree near the Marston Road entrance that has been struck by lightning but is still stubbornly spewing out branches. It's much nicer than South Parks - even the occasional bits of graffiti are hippie style peace and love words. It's free, it's pretty, it's good to chill out in.

Yes, it's a college with a deer park. Posh or not, it's a lovely little snippet of tranquil…read morecountryside and a good escape from the bustle of Oxford life. Entrance is included in the college entry fee: Adults £4 Concessions: £3 Oxford students/alumni/Oxford residents: free The deer park is basically a big meadow in the North West of Magdalen's grounds. In winter and spring there is a herd of deer there, which have been the subject of poems, works of art and student pranks for years. It's nice to observe animals close up in your own time and space without the pressure that comes from trying to fit everything in at a zoo or the hassle of driving round a safari park. If you look back you can see the dreamy spires of Oxford and Magdalen's Grove Quad; look forward and you can see Magdalen meadow and gardens. In the Civil War, a regiment of the King's army camped here and used the trees for fuel. It used to be a grand display of elm trees, which were subsequently replaced by newer trees after the spread of Dutch elm disease. This is the absolute best place to come if it snows.