Oxford Official Guided Walking Tours Booking Pack 2013
Thank you for requesting a private walking tour pack for an official guided walking tour of Oxford, conducted by members of the Oxford Guild of Guides, the Official Guides for Oxford City. This pack includes: some useful general information to plan your tour information about the different types of tours offered terms and conditions University buildings admission fees a map a booking form some itineraries to help you to plan your visit GENERAL INFORMATION Colleges & University Buildings Most of the colleges only allow groups of a maximum of 19 people. St John s College and Exeter College only allow groups of 14 people excluding the guide. There are very few free colleges and they only open in the afternoon and access is not guaranteed. Colleges which are open in the morning charge an additional fee, therefore there will be no admission to colleges unless this is requested. However, it is part of the guide s expertise to ensure that all tours are interesting and enjoyable. If your group wishes to visit any of these colleges please state it on your booking form and instruct your group leader to pay the entry fee in cash on the day of the tour. Please refer to page 5 for opening times and prices. When scheduling a Harry Potter tour please check the opening times of Christ Church namely the Dining Hall, New College and the Divinity School (page 5). When visiting the colleges, please remember that they are places of study all year round, so please make as little noise as possible and follow your guide s advice. Subject to availability the Divinity School, the most beautiful Gothic building in the city, and the Sheldonian Theatre where matriculations and graduations take place, could be included in your tour. Parking & Traffic If you are coming by car we suggest you use the city s Park & Ride facilities. For further information please visit www.oxfordbus.co.uk For any queries on overnight parking and on street parking please telephone 01865 815700. If you are coming by coach please refer to map on page 6. If the coach car park in the city centre is full you might like to check whether it would be possible to park at the Kassam Stadium (OX4 4XP) where there are 15 spaces available every day except on match days. Please contact Michael Doyle on 01865 337602 or 337682. There is a 10 charge per coach. The approach roads to Oxford are very busy as are the M4 and M25. Please allow ample time for your journey especially from the direction of London. For up to date traffic and travel information please visit www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/travel/ Maps Maps can be downloaded from www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com Public Toilets Please make full use of the public toilets available at service stations on the ring road, on the outskirts of the city as there are limited public toilets facilities in Oxford. Alternative Meeting Points If you are coming by train (station OX1 1HS) you might want to consider meeting the guide in the Castle Development (OX1 1AY) or Bonn Square (OX1 1LQ). If you are coming by coach you could meet the guide at Gloucester Green (OX1 2BL) except on Wednesday and Thursday as there is a market there. If you are staying in a hotel, B&B or college in the city centre the guide could meet you there. Between November and February you could meet at the Visitor Information Centre (OX1 3AS). Accessibility The tours can be tailored to be wheelchair accessible. Please inform us in advance if this is required. A portable hearing loop is available by request. Subject to availability. Guide dogs are allowed on the tours and in the colleges. 1
TYPES OF TOURS Oxford Past and Present This is the main introductory tour of Oxford. The guide will take you through the heart of the historic city centre illustrating the history of Oxford and its University and describing the architecture and traditions of its most famous buildings and institutions. Themed Tours Science at Oxford Take a fascinating tour to hear about the transformation of the study of science at Oxford. By the 14 th century Oxford was famous for the work of Bacon and Grosseteste, for developments in mathematics and astronomy. The 17 th century saw Boyle, Hooke and Halley make their respective groundbreaking discoveries. In the 20 th century, it was the penicillin scientists under Professor Florey who made the greatest impact. Find out about Oxford s role at the leading edge of science right up to the 21 st century. Oxford Film Sites Oxford is one of Britain s busiest and most instantly recognisable places for film and TV drama locations. See the backdrop for historical recreations and literary adaptations from fantasies to thrillers. Hear of the links with some of the biggest names in cinematic history. Pottering in Harry s footsteps Tour the locations where memorable Harry Potter scenes were shot and enter the magical wizarding world. This tour can include a visit to Christ Church, New College and The Divinity School for each of which an additional entry fee is charged. Please state on the booking form which of the locations you would like to include in the tour. Oxford Children s Stories Explore the Oxford of Alice, Lyra & Will, of Prince Caspian & Aslan characters created by well-known Oxford authors in Alice in Wonderland, The Northern Lights trilogy (filmed as The Golden Compass) and The Chronicles of Narnia. Delight in the make-believe as you discover places which inspired Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis and Philip Pullman amongst others. Oxford s Detectives Follow in the footsteps of the city s celebrated TV detective, created by Oxford author Colin Dexter. Visit the scenes of Inspector Morse and Lewis best-known cases, with lots of lively anecdotes along the way. Literary Over the centuries many famous writers: poets, novelists, critics and children s authors have studied or lived in Oxford. Explore this rich heritage on this tour. Women in Oxford Learn about the many women connected with Oxford and how women fought to become accepted as full members of the University. From St Frideswide, Patron Saint of Oxford to the Medieval queen Matilda; from Dorothy Wadham, college founder, to future Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher, Indira Ghandhi and Benazir Bhutto and authors Dorothy L. Sayers and Iris Murdoch, Oxford owes much to its women and their story is a fascinating one. Stained Glass The city of Oxford has some of the finest stained glass in the UK. Almost every style and period of English glass-painting is represented; from medieval to modern times including some beautiful 17 th century windows and a wealth of 19 th century glass particularly by William Morris and Co. Enjoy the opportunity of seeing some fascinating craftsmanship. Bring your binoculars! William Morris & Victorian Oxford The Pre-Raphaelites were closely connected with Oxford. Edward Burne- Jones and Morris studied here and together with Holman Hunt, they left the city with some outstanding artistic works. Join a tour with emphasis on this delightful period of Victorian art. Gargoyles and Grotesques Symbols, emblems, motifs, animals and demons cling to the roofs and walls of delightful buildings in Oxford. Medieval and modern stonemasons used imagination and humour in creating a wealth of amazing stone carvings. Your guide will highlight the inventiveness and delights to be seen. Bring your binoculars! Civil War Oxford in the Civil War was at the centre of the national stage, with King Charles making his Headquarters at Christ Church. Ramparts enclosed the city, college silver was melted down to make coins and Oxford became a garrison rather than a university town. Join this tour to hear more about life in Oxford during the Civil War. Note: If you have a special area of interest please discuss it with the Walking Tours Team as, if the subject is relevant to Oxford, we can usually accommodate you. Email:owtours@visitoxfordshire.org 2
BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS A booking form needs to be completed to book a tour. Your contract for your tour will be with one of more members of the Oxford Guild of Guides. Visit Oxfordshire Limited acts as agent of members of the Oxford Guild of Guides. Visit Oxfordshire Limited will allocate the appropriate number of those members as your guide(s) to conduct your tour and these Terms and Conditions will apply. Your booking will be accepted when Visit Oxfordshire Limited has booked your guide(s) and issued an invoice to you for your tour at which point and on which date the contract for your tour shall come into existence. Payment Full payment of the invoice must be made at least 5 working days before the tour takes place. You may pay by one of the following methods: 1. By bank transfer. Please note that you will need to cover all the costs. 2. By credit/debit card. We do not accept American Express or Diners Card. 3. By cheque. Please send a cheque payable to Visit Oxfordshire Limited for the full amount due with your booking form. Cheques must be in pounds sterling and drawn on a British bank. Confirmation of Booking By completing the booking form, you agree that all written communications with you by Visit Oxfordshire Limited may be made by email to the address specified in your booking form. Bookings will be confirmed by email after payment is received. Receipts will be sent only on request. Agents please ensure you send a copy of these Terms and Conditions and the booking form to your group leaders. Cancellation/Change of Booking Cancellation or amendments to the booking must be received by Visit Oxfordshire in writing at least 7 working days before the tour by hand, post or email to the address specified in the booking form. If a booking is cancelled a cancellation fee of 20% of the total amount of the booking will be charged. If less than 7 days notice is given when cancelling a tour or a guide booked for a tour, or if the group fails to arrive, the total amount of the tour fee will be retained to pay the guide(s). In the case of a change of date and/or time a 15 fee will be charged. If on the day of the tour the group size differs from that stated on the booking form and it is more than 19 people per guide, the guide(s) will not take the additional tour delegates. (Please refer to page 1). Late Arrival A group arriving late for a tour will have that time deducted from their tour. Guides will wait at the meeting point for 45 minutes. They will then wait at the Visitor Information Centre for a further 1 hour and 15 minutes i.e. until the tour was scheduled to end. No refunds will be given for late arrivals. In case of delay groups must make every effort to contact the Walking Tours Team on +44 (0)1865 252037. Limitation of Liability Except as set out in these Terms and Conditions, all warranties, conditions and other terms implied by statute or common law are, to the fullest extent permitted by law, excluded from this contract. Visit Oxfordshire Limited acts as agent for your guide and it shall under no circumstances whatever be liable to you, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, for any loss or damage arising under or in connection with your tour. Nothing of this conditions shall limit or exclude liability of Visit Oxfordshire Limited for death or personal injury caused by its negligence. Complaints Any complaint about a tour or your guide should be notified to Visit Oxfordshire acting as agent for your guide. Visit Oxfordshire will handle the complaint on behalf of your guide in accordance with its complaint procedures but as Visit Oxfordshire Limited acts only as agent for the guides, it accepts no responsibility for the conduct of your tour. Foreign Language Tours Although every effort will be made to find foreign language speaking guides, this may not be possible. The Tours Coordinator will arrange for English speaking guides instead. If you have specified that this is not acceptable the tour will be cancelled. English Tours for Groups of Foreign Students Guides can be booked to match the English level of the group: beginners or intermediate. Please specify the level required in the booking form. We advise a 1.5 hour tour for beginners. 3
Fees from 1 st January 2013 Please see the table below. The fees quoted are exclusive of any admission charges imposed by the owners and operators of any premises visited on your tour. Each group leader counts as one person and there are no free places on tours and no price reduction for children. Large groups of young people must be accompanied by an adult group leader on their tour at least one group leader per 18 students. One guide will be allocated to every 19 people. Some sites impose a lower limit to this number. If applicable, you will be informed of this before your booking is finally confirmed. TOURS IN ENGLISH No People Guides required Cost 1-19 1 97.00 20-38 2 194.00 39-57 3 291.00 58-76 4 388.00 77-95 5 485.00 TOURS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES No People Guides required Cost 1-19 1 105.00 20-38 2 210.00 39-57 3 315.00 58-76 4 420.00 77-95 5 525.00 Tours over Christmas Bank Holidays There is a 20% surcharge for tours on New Year s Day. There are no tours available on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (26 th December). 4
UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS ADMISSION FEES To enter the following university buildings an admission fee must be paid (please note that this is in addition to the guided tour fee). Entrance is not included in a tour unless you specifically request it. Please contact the venue directly to arrange payment. Access to the buildings listed below cannot be guaranteed. Building Telephone Opening Times Admission Fees BALLIOL COLLEGE 01865 277777 2pm-4.30pm BRASENOSE COLLEGE 01865 277830 CHRIST CHURCH 01865 286573 10am-11.30am 2pm-4.30pm (5pm summer) Dining Hall: Monday to Friday 10.30am-11.45am 2.15pm-4.30pm Saturday & Sunday 2.30pm-4.30pm Adult 2.00 Students/Pensioner 1.00 Adult 1.50 Child Free Groups: Up to 15 people: 15.00 16-30 30.00 31-45 45.00 46-60 60.00 Adult 7.50 8.50 (July & August) Child/Pensioner/Student with ID 6.50 7.50 (July & August) Family 15.00 MAGDALEN COLLEGE 01865 276000 Summer noon 1pm-6pm October 1pm-dusk Adult 5.00 Student/Pensioner 4.00 Children Free MERTON COLLEGE 01865 276310 NEW COLLEGE 01865 279555 ORIEL COLLEGE 01865 276555 Monday to Friday 2pm-5pm Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm Easter to October 11am-5pm October to Easter 2pm-4pm Monday to Sunday 2pm-5pm Adult 2.00 Children Free Adult 3.00 Student/Child/Pensioner 2.00 Free between mid-october & Easter 2.00 per person with an Official Blue/Green Badge Guide. Student/ Pensioner 1.00 JESUS COLLEGE 01865 279700 2pm-4.30pm daily 2.00 per person with an Official Blue/Green Badge Guide. Student/Pensioner 1.00 TRINITY COLLEGE 01865 279900 DIVINITY SCHOOL 01865 277224 SHELDONIAN THEATRE 01865 277299 10am-12pm 1.45pm-4pm Monday to Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 9am-4.30pm Sunday 11am-5pm Closed when in use March to October 10am-12.30pm 2pm-4.30pm November to February 10am-12.30pm 2pm-3.30pm Closed when in use Adult 2.00 Student/Child/Pensioner 1.00 1.00 per person with Official Blue/Green Badge Guide. 1.50 per person with Official Blue/Green Badge Guide. This information is subject to change but was correct at the time of writing (October 2012). Visit Oxfordshire does not accept liability for any omission from or inaccuracy in this publication or for any inconvenience caused thereby. 5
Oxford Coach Map EXCLUSION ZONE Coaches are not permitted within the area marked between 07.30 18.30 daily without a permit. Permits are available for setting down or picking up only at the specific named venues passengers are visiting. No drive-through tour permits are issued. Access permits may be issued only where considerable difficulty or hardship would otherwise ensue. Telephone 0845 634 4466 A Oxpens Coach Park B Ferry Hinksey Road PSV Parking Visitor Information Centre Main Coach Routes in and out of the City Toilets Coach drop/pick up point max 10 mins Meeting Places for Official Guided Walking Tours 1 Outside Christ Church War Memorial Garden Gate 2 Martyrs Memorial 3 Pavement at junction of Catte & Broad Street Oxford City Council 6
Bodleian Library, University of Oxford SG Crime & Literature in Oxford What better way to visit our beautiful city than on foot? Morning Begin the day with an Oxford Detectives Tour (2hrs) and follow in the footsteps of Inspector Morse and his successor, Lewis, created by Oxford author Colin Dexter. Lunch at the Big Bang Restaurant, a true gastronomic experience of Great Britain: classic favourites done with a bit of style and local products served up in the prettiest corner of town, the Oxford Castle Quarter. Afternoon You can t leave the Castle Quarter without visiting Oxford Castle Unlocked (1.5hrs) where tales of romance, murder, betrayal and executions are brought to life. Afterwards make your way to The Bodleian Library (1.5hrs), to see the real Hogwarts Library and the most beautiful room in Europe. Late Afternoon Choose from a selection of traditional cream teas at the iconic Macdonald Randolph Hotel much frequented by actors and politicians and the scene of many Morse and Lewis deliberations. End the day with a relaxing boat trip along the Isis or if you fancy a bit of exercise, hire a punt and enjoy the experience. For further advice please contact us on: Tel 01865 252037 owtours@visitoxfordshire.org Facebook.com/oxford.official.guided.walking.tours Twitter.com/@OfficialToursOX Images, clockwise from top left Macdonald The Randolph; Oxford Castle Unlocked; River Thames SG; Divinity School, Bodleian Library Bodleian Library, University of Oxford; Oxford Official Guided Walking Tours Meal options The High Table Ashmolean Roof Top restaurant No1 Folly Bridge Oxford London www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com
Art & History in Oxford What better way to visit our beautiful city than on foot? Morning Start the day with a visit to the most famous museum in the city, the Ashmolean Museum, (2hrs) where you will find amongst their exhibits, the finest Anglo-Saxon treasures outside the British Museum and the foremost collection of modern Chinese art in the western world. Don t forget to visit their temporary exhibitions. You don t need to leave the museum to enjoy a delicious lunch; just go up to the Ashmolean Roof Top Restaurant where you can eat indoors or outdoors with a view of Oxford s dreaming spires. Afternoon If you are looking for something different and you have previously visited Oxford we suggest a themed tour. Admire the varied and rich artistic heritage of our city on a William Morris & Victorian Oxford Tour (2hrs), an Architecture Tour (2hrs) or a Stained Glass Tour (2hrs). Afterwards savour a cream tea at the Mercure Eastgate s High Table, an old coaching inn transformed to a sleek and tranquil restaurant, an escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. End the day at the oldest Botanic Garden in the UK where the most compact yet diverse collection of plants in the world can be found and their uses explained. For further advice please contact us on: Tel 01865 252037 owtours@visitoxfordshire.org Facebook.com/oxford.official.guided.walking.tours Twitter.com/@OfficialToursOX Images, clockwise from top left Oxford Official Guided Walking Tours; Bridge of Sighs; Oxford Botanic Garden; Harris Manchester College; Ashmolean Museum Meal options The Macdonald Randolph Malmaison restaurant Big Bang Oxford London www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com
Oxford, where fiction meets the big screen What better way to visit our beautiful city than on foot? Morning We organise a variety of themed walking tours to suit all film fans. Enjoy a magical start with a Pottering in Harry s Footsteps Tour (2hrs) and visit the locations where memorable Harry Potter scenes were inspired and shot. If you are also an Alice in Wonderland fan, book the When Alice met Harry Tour and explore their worlds. To see the backdrop for historical re-creations and literary adaptations from fantasies to thrillers, with some of the biggest names in cinematic history we suggest the Oxford Film Sites Tour (2hrs). Lunch Feel transported to any of the 17 classic cities which inspired the new menu at Fire & Stone and discover some delicious new flavour combinations in this centrally located restaurant where children are welcome. Afternoon Celebrate children s stories with performances, exhibitions and activities at the Story Museum (1hr) and admire their shop for fantasy characters. Advance booking required. If you have ever dreamt of taking a bite from an Eat me cake, or gulping down drink me tea while gliding down the river then end the day with a Mad Hatter s Tea Party on board a river cruise following the same stretch of river that inspired the first Alice in Wonderland story. For further advice please contact us on: Tel 01865 252037 owtours@visitoxfordshire.org Facebook.com/oxford.official.guided.walking.tours Twitter.com/@OfficialToursOX Images, clockwise from top left Oxford Official Guided Walking Tours; All Souls College; Cream Tea; Brasenose College; Christ Church Meal options Malmaison restaurant The Eagle & Child The Randolph Oxford London www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com
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