As spring flowers paint the city with a rainbow of colour, here are some great places to spot wildlife. This list was kindly compiled by Lita Doolan - you can also check out Lita's other reviews here.
South Park – Headington Hill
Enjoy an iconic landscape of the spires from the park's highest point. This view was famously painted by Turner as he entered the city. Across the road is Headington Hill Park with its arboretum.
C.S. Lewis Community Nature Reserve – Lewis Close
Find a bench to enjoy a sense of peace within this woodland. Smell the bluebells, listen for woodpeckers and watch waterfowl in the pond. It is said to have been an inspiration for Narnia. The land belonged to C.S. Lewis; his old house is nearby.
Florence Park – Rymers Lane
Tranquil tree-lined paths offer relaxing walks and a bandstand gives a nostalgic nod to childhood here. Follow the stream that runs through this traditional family park and spot pollinators making a beeline for the planted wildflowers.
Port Meadow – enter via Walton Well Road
The wildflowers growing on this ancient site include buttercups, white clover and thistles. Home to the native Port Meadow ponies, this is where Iron Age settlers grazed their livestock.
Lye Valley Nature Reserve – East of the Churchill Hospital
Keep an eye out for soldier flies, glow worms and several rare plants (that are on the England Red List) living in this ancient habitat.
Bury Knowle – London Road, Headington
The areas of this park that are undergoing re-wilding offer a comfortable tree trunk to sit on to enjoy a moment of quiet. Within this landscaped park, wooden sculptures inspired by characters from childhood stories are waiting to be stumbled upon.
Rock Edge Local Nature Reserve - south-east end of Windmill Road, Headington
A layer of Upper Jurassic limestone juts out of this compact nature reserve. The pit is thought to have been a former boundary between a coral reef and the surrounding shallow sea.
University Parks – Parks Road
The Parks are bound by River Cherwell to the East and contain gardens of scientific interest. Look out for golden oats, wisteria and lilac here and a selection of oak and pine trees. In the open spaces, games of rugby, cricket, lacrosse and quidditch are played.
With more grassland than you can shake a stick at, there is a perfect haven of stillness close at hand to offer a colourful view of nature this spring.