Discover Wolvercote: How to visit A Hidden Gem Near Oxford
Looking for a day trip from Oxford? Consider a walk to explore the ruins of Godstow Abbey, before settling down for a delicious family lunch at The Trout. Relax in the garden with a drink watching red kites gracefully swooping over the Thames. Find out all the details to help you plan the perfect visit to Wolvercote.
Looking for family friendly activities in Oxford? Check out our Ultimate Family Guide to Oxford for tons of great ideas for all ages.
Why visit Wolvercote?
Wolvercote is a lovely town easily reachable from the centre of Oxford. This pretty village boasts both the ruined Godstow Abbey and the famous Trout Inn, making it a great day trip from Oxford.
The Trout Inn is a 17th century pub, perched on the banks of the Thames just 3 miles from Oxford City Centre. The inn is only a few minutes walk from the ruins of the medieval nunnery, Godstow Abbey. Fans of author Phillip Pullman will know both locations from his novels ‘La Belle Sauvage’ and ‘The Secret Commonwealth’. The location has also appeared in several episodes of Inspector Morse.
The ruined Abbey, which is over 900 years old and a scheduled monument, is a wonderful place to explore. Kids will enjoy finding entrances into the atmospheric ruins, exploring the ancient walls and discovering the buildings fascinating history, from Benedictine monastery to family home. There is plenty of space to roam free before finding a table at The Trout for lunch, or a drink by the Thames in the tranquil side garden.
History of Godstow Abbey
The ruins found on the site today are the remains of a medieval Benedictine nunnery, founded around 1130. Its days as a nunnery ended 400 years later during the dissolution. From this time the abbey became the private home of the Owen family, who were gifted the abbey and land by the King. In the 1600s the house was sold to the Walter family, Royalists who attempted to stop the abbey falling to the Parliamentarians. They failed in their mission, eventually abandoning the building.
Today only the ruins of the chapel and the rebuilt walls remain. The atmospheric ruins are a great place to spark the imagination.
The Trout Inn, Oxford
The Trout serves delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere. We visited on a Sunday and enjoyed a traditional Roast Dinner and hake with roasted vegetables, both of which were excellent. Kids are well catered for and the puddings are excellent. The side garden, on the banks of the Thames, features a picturesque wooden bridge to an adjoining island and is a lovely place to while away an afternoon. A short walk away, past Godstow Abbey, you can find Godstow Lock.
Getting to Godstow Abbey (Wolvercote) from Oxford: walk, bike, bus or drive
You can choose to walk, drive, bike or take the bus from Oxford city centre. It’s a lovely excursion from the city and allows you to wander through areas of the city you might not visit otherwise, away from the university and town centre. Port Meadow is ancient grazing land, which in spring hosts an abundance of wild flowers. It is a peaceful place to wander amongst the grazing animals, and is hard to believe you are only a stone’s throw from the city.
Walking to Godstow Abbey or The Trout:
Wolvercote is situated on the Thames Path, running from the source in the Cotswolds to London.
If you have the time, this is a lovely 13km round trip route to The Trout at Godstow from Oxford City centre. The route includes the Oxford Canal where you can watch the narrowboats. This route starts at The Trout, but is a circular route and can instead be started in Oxford.
In summer (dry conditions) walk across historic Port Meadow, saying hello to horses and cattle, from Jericho (Oxford) to Wolvercote. Next, take Godstow Road towards Godstow. This route passes near Wolvercote bathing area, however please check water quality before bathing.
In winter (or wet conditions) walk along Oxford canal from the city centre, followed by Godstow Road.
Cycle : Use National Cycle Route 51 then Godstow Road
Bus : Take the City 6 bus from Oxford City Centre to Wolvercote (Home Close stop) then walk 0.5 miles along Godstow Road to find The Trout. Continue along the road for about 100m, crossing two bridges over the Thames to Godstow Abbey. Turn left turn onto the Thames Path to find the Abbey, which is visible from the road.
Driving and Parking: The Trout has a large, free car park for patrons to use.
A cautionary tale: How NOT to walk from Oxford to Wolvercote
As avid fans of Philip Pullman’s books, we were excited to visit some of the key locations from his novels, when visiting on a December weekend. However, on this occasion, poor planning led to a very long muddy walk across Port Meadow before abandoning our journey after 2 miles and returning to Oxford. We chose this option rather than facing a swim to our destination. With hindsight, it should have been obvious that a meadow was likely to be inaccessible in the middle of a particularly soggy British winter. To avoid our mistake, see the walking suggestions below.
Although our walk had not gone to plan, we did find a lovely pub in Jericho, aptly named ‘The Jericho’ to eat before returning to our student accommodation in beautiful Mansfield College. If you fancy a taste of university life, several colleges rent out rooms during student holidays. We were treated to a tour of the college, a fantastic way to see what life inside a historic college is like. Not all colleges accept under 18s, but we highly recommend Mansfield college with its beautiful grounds, honey coloured neo-gothic buildings and ornate chapel.
