Oxford Royale Academy

No, I haven't. Have you googled the company name?

My wife and I did the Oxford Experience at Christ
Church in the summer of 2006. It was a fantastic
week run by the college itself. I'd suggest you
look at their website. They do have some academic
courses, but also some that are pure fun. My wife
did "Enjoying the Cotswolds" which is just what the
name suggests.

I think it’s important to point out that Oxford Royale Academy has no connection at all with Oxford University ( the ‘e’ in ‘Royale’ should be a bit of a give-away ).

I have no knowledge of this company but every year during the summer months Oxford is swamped by people who have signed up to such schemes. In my personal opinion they get very little of worth for their money.

They offer the chance to ‘interact’ with Oxford undergraduates but the truth is most of the undergraduates have left during the summer months. It seems to me this really means hanging out in some of the city centre pubs, hoping that a student enters and trying to start up a conversation.

The question you have to ask yourself is this: which is cheaper ? - to sign up with this company or to book two weeks accommodation with any one of the small B&Bs on the Banbury Road in Oxford, take a trip in an open top tourist bus, participate in both a daytime walking tour and an evening walking tour and then visit the ‘Oxford Experience’ on The Broad ( Broad Street ). The Oxford Experience is well worth the money, in my opinion, I might add.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm still not sure what I'll do yet. Does anyone know if Oxford University does tours of the campus, or can you just wander around?

Any recommendations for B&B's in the area?

Jo

The first thing you have to remember is that Oxford University is made up of various colleges in various locations within the city. So there is no campus as such and it’s a VERY good idea not to use the word campus in Oxford. Each college has it’s own grounds. Some, like All Souls, are permanently closed to the public. Some will allow people to walk through their grounds. There is no way of knowing which colleges are open to the public on any given day. The best way to visit is to enter a college and walk into the porters lodge or talk to one of the bulldogs or scouts on the gate. These people can easily be spotted, they all wear bowler hats ( DON’T call it a Derby ). They will advise you if you can walk through the grounds, if you can’t enter they may tell you which colleges are open. They are very important people and you do have to ask very politely ( they terrified me when I was a student - and my father was a staff sergeant in the Sherwood Foresters Regiment ).

Another good source of information about Oxford colleges is to be found in three Oxford pubs: The Eagle and Child ( called the Bird and Baby ), The Lamb and Flag ( the Slag ) and The Turf. The Bird and Baby and the Slag are both owned by St. John’s college and employ students behind the bar, so does the Turf. Buy them a drink and ask a member of the bar staff.

Do take one of the walking tours from in front of St Mary the Virgin’s on The High ( High Street ) or outside Trinity College on The Broad ( Broad Street ) - the guides can often tell you which colleges are ’open’.

Banbury Road in Oxford is full of reasonably priced B&Bs. I’m sorry I can’t recommend any particular one, I either stay with friends or put up at the Cotswold Lodge ( very pricey I’m afraid ) when I’m in town.

One place that you should consider is the Lintern Lodge on Lintern Road. It’s a ’Best Western’ and reasonably priced and in a great location. Book early if you want to stay at the Lintern.