Campsites in Oxfordshire

With its rolling green hills and attractive waterways, the pretty county of Oxfordshire could not be more typically English. Top of the list for many will be the incredible city of Oxford and this world famous centre for education and tourism is not to be missed, but don't let this gem have you forget the rest of the county. The region is stacked full of amazing stately homes and country houses, charming towns and villages to visit, and there are excellent opportunities for exploring the lovely countryside on foot, bike and boat.

Bustling Oxford with its stunning buildings, range of shops and many museums is a must see. The Natural History or Pitt Rivers Museums, the Museum of the History of Science, and the Museum of Oxford have excellent collections and interactive displays.

The old Oxford University Church and historic University buildings, the excellent Covered Market and Oxford Castle are also all great day trips out, as is a river boat cruise on the Thames. The University of Oxford Botanic Gardens are perfect for strolls and picnics where you can see some rare and beautiful plants and flowers. Don't miss one of Britain's most impressive collections at the Bodleian Library.

Further afield you can take a trip to Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and a Baroque wonder. If your jaw hasn't yet grazed the floor, take a tour of the stately homes and houses in the area - Stowe House, Farnborough Hall, Nutfield Place and Grey's Court are some of the many worth visiting. Broughton Castle is still owned and lived in by the Fiennes family and is another popular attraction.

The Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens and the Crocodiles of the World are both animal centres which are home to many rare animal breeds from all over the world and make for great family days out. Watch out for the crocodiles!

The area has many other fascinating museums that may be of interest such as the River and Rowing Museum, Didcot Railway Centre and the Soliders of Oxfordshire Museum too .

Rural Oxfordshire is fantastic for walking, cycling and other outdoor activities. There's a touch of fairy magic to be had in Wychwood Forest among the ancient trees, and it's essential you admire the imposing Uffington White Horse, or see the fascinating megalithic monuments of the Rollright stones. 

Don’t Miss

• City of Oxford
• Blenheim Palace
• Oxford Castle Unlocked
• The Cotswolds or the Chiltern Hills

World-famous attractions

The city of Oxford is famous all over the world and for good reason, it is a truly beautiful place full of refined architecture and interesting museums. The quaint cafés and coffee shops, the rows of bicycles stored neatly next to each other and the narrow cobbled streets intertwining here and there are just the loveliest sight. It is also a very easy city to visit: its main attractions are mostly situated in the stunning city centre and everything is well set up for tourists.

If you are in Oxfordshire and haven’t seen Oxford before, you would be mad to miss it.

Top of the list should be a look around some of the University of Oxford’s major colleges which are just as impressive as they sound. Christchurch College, the largest of all the Oxford Colleges, is spectacular inside and out. It has an immaculate quad with stunning fountains and statues and the River Cherwell runs all the way around its large park at the back. The dining hall in Christchurch is also the setting of the Great Hall featured in the Harry Potter movies, so very familiar to us all. 

There are also a number of brilliant museums in the city, starting with the Pitt Rivers Museum of Anthropology and World Archaeology which houses some astounding artefacts from all around the world - including some gruesome shrunken heads! The Ashmolean is another fantastic museum showcasing art and archaeology, set in a breathtakingly palatial building. It has beautifully curated wonders, such as an Egyptian mummy and Guy Fawkes' lantern.

Before you leave, be sure to have a go at punting on the river too, which is an iconic Oxford activity.

Elsewhere the county is full of incredible historic buildings to visit, the list of stately homes, country houses, halls and gardens to visit is endless. Extravagantly grand Blenheim Palace in Woodstock was the birthplace of Winston Churchill: this amazing stately home and gardens is a must see.

Broughton Castle and Upton House in Banbury make for excellent visits, and Grey’s Court and Nuffield Place in Henley-on-Thames are both fine country houses and gardens, the latter of which tells the interesting story of the family of Lord Nuffield, who founded the Morris Motor Company.

The pleasing market towns of Banbury, Chipping Norton, Thame and Wantage offer plenty to see and do in charming historic environments. While idyllic villages like Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Burford and Cuddesdon to name but a few, show why Oxfordshire is considered to be one of the prettiest places in the UK.

Mysteries from the past

If you are heading out into the countryside, don’t miss the chance to see the famous Uffington White Horse hill figure on White Horse Hill, which also happens to be the highest point in the county. This massive chalk hill figure dates back to the Bronze Age and is an iconic British view that can be seen for miles around. No one knows why or how it was created in times gone by, so you're free to form your own theories.

Oxfordshire is great walking country as the rolling hills offer wonderful views and the valleys provide easier strolling options. The county contains a good part of both the Cotswolds and the Chilterns Areas of Oustanding Natural Beauty, so there are plenty of excellent walking routes in both of these areas offering wonderful ‘typically English’ scenery – green hills, lush meadows and winding river valleys.

The Oxfordshire Way is an established long distance walking path that runs through the heart of Oxford from the Cotswolds to the Chilterns. Other well-known long distance paths also pass through Oxfordshire, taking in the best countryside on offer, and these are well worth picking up for shorter walks and day walks.

Oxfordshire is known for its waterways. Natural waterways like the River Thames and other tributary rivers are perfect for watersports and country walks. The Thames in Oxfordshire is a rowing hot spot and the centre for Oxford’s intercollegiate races plus other international rowing events such as the giant Henley Royal Regatta.

There are also manmade waterways to enjoy in the county, like the lovely Oxford Canal which winds through the pretty countryside for 78 miles from the city of Oxford to the city of Coventry, via Banbury and Rugby. You can cycle and walk the entire towpath of the canal (or just sections if that’s too much!) and the waters are perfect for boating.

Anyone who has been to Oxford will have seen how popular cycling is: there are bikes everywhere, almost like Amsterdam. The rest of the county is the same, there are plenty of well-marked cycle routes and this is a perfect place to bring or hire a bike and head off into the countryside.

Treats for little ones

Oxford Castle Unlocked is one of the best family attractions in the county. This guided tour of Oxford Castle tells the story of 1000 years of murder, betrayal, romance and execution. You can also climb the Saxon Tower to get 360 degree views of the beautiful city as well as explore the underground crypt which is over 900 years old. The castle offers some seriously spooky ghost tours during Halloween too.

Top of the list for animal lovers should be the Cotswold Wildlife Park where you can easily spend a whole day with the family. Crocodiles of the World is another interesting option and the only crocodile zoo in the UK. For animals of a more local variety, Millets Farm Centre has all kinds of interesting features for both adults and children, including a falconry centre, a farm zoo, play areas, restaurants and cafes, a garden centre and fly fishing.

If you are in Oxford, the deer park at Magdalen College feels a million miles away from the bustling city and is a lovely place for a family picnic while watching the herd of deer roaming the grounds.