Hinksey Park is one of Oxford’s lesser-known green spaces. But it’s a beautiful one – stand on the bridge which stretches across Hinksey lake, look in the right direction, and (providing a train isn’t passing on the near-by tracks) you can almost convince yourself that you’re miles from anywhere. There are coots and moorhens for company, and the silver surface of the lake is sometimes broken by a diving cormorant or great-crested grebe, even on occasion by a leaping fish. It’s the perfect place for stillness and reflection.
But tranquillity isn’t all that this place has to offer. Turn up on a sunny day and you’ll realise Hinksey Park is a poorly-kept secret. With enough sunshine, the grassy space by Hinksey lake comes alive with sunbathers and colourful picnic blankets. Many are wild swimmers, warming up before taking a dip in the lake—an activity which isn’t officially sanctioned, so for the law-abiding or the cold- or dirt-averse, you should also know that Hinksey Park is also the home of Oxford’s heated, outdoor, public swimming pool. The pool is wheelchair accessible (with a sloped ramp into the water).
And that’s not all. Hinksey Park also has outdoor tennis courts, which are free to book. However, it is important to note that they’re popular on summer evenings (so book ahead!) and are not lit on winter ones. The park even has table-tennis tables if that’s your preference (no booking required). If you have younger family members or visitors, then you might be interested in the playground, or the duck pond, which has some very tame, very enthusiastic ducks and geese.
Perhaps you want to venture a little further afield, in which case, Hinksey park provides a good starting point for many walks in Oxfordshire. For a short excursion, head to North Hinksey village – time it right, and you’ll be able to attend village tea in the hall. Head a little further afield to South Hinksey, or to make a day of it, you can head through North Hinksey and—gasp—cross over the ring-road into the farmland beyond.
In short, this park has a little bit of everything – pick your moment right, and you can feel far away from everything, lost in a little pool of serenity; but there are also plenty of things to do here, especially on a sunny day. It’s my favourite green space in Oxford.