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Routes to St Hilda's College

The college entrance

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St Hilda's College Entrance

A quick guide to getting to St. Hilda's College from the railway station and the central bus station at Gloucester Green.

This year we are staying at St. Hilda's College, which lies to the East of the town centre. The college entrance is in Cowley Place. As you will doubtless be arriving with a heavy bag or two this is a guide to help you get to the college as simply as possible with the minimum of walking.

sketch map of streets near St Hilda's College

The roads immediately around St Hilda's College.

Note that where particular bus stops are mentioned in the routes described, the bus will not necessarily stop at them, if the button has not been pressed or there is no one is waiting to get on. You must keep a careful watch for the landmarks mentioned and press the button. You will see an illuminated sign at the front of the bus saying "stopping" or "bus stopping" to confirm that the bus will stop.

Routes from Oxford Railway Station

If you arrive by train several options are open. For the financially comfortable (or seriously loaded) there are always taxis. The rank is located directly in front of the station and is easily seen from the station exit.

Taking bus 5 to get from the train station

Bus number 5 goes from the station forecourt to stops close to St. Hilda's. The first one is 5.29am and the last 11.38pm, during the day there is one every 5 minutes and in the evening about every 10 minutes. Come out of the station, down the steps and go to the first bus stop on the right. This has a round red indentifier on the top with R2 written on it. Ask for the first stop on Cowley Road. The bus turns left out of the station heads along Park End Street and then goes into New Road [Bus number 2 from Gloucester Green joins here]. On the right hand side you can see Nuffield and St. Peters Colleges, on the right is the old Castle mound. At the top it bears left into Queen Street, this is one of the main shopping streets in Oxford. At the top of Queen Street is Carfax and on the left hand side is the medieval tower of St. Martin's Church. The bus goes straight ahead at this point along the High Street. Look out of the left side windows and you will see, in order, All Saints' Church, Brasenose College, St. Mary The Virgin Church, All Souls College and Queens College. A short distance further on is Magdalen College with its great bell tower. On the right hand side is the botanic garden and the top of Tolkien's favourite tree, Pinus nigra, should be visible. Immediately after Magdalen College is Magdalen Bridge, press the bell on the bus as you need the next stop. After the bridge is a roundabout, look right and there is Cowley Place. [Bus number 2 leaves the route at this point]. The bus goes over the roundabout and should pull up at the next stop along Cowley Road.

When you get off there should be Oxford's one and only sex shop on the other side of the road, The Private Shop. Head back the way the bus came past Uhuru Wholefoods, Bombay Emporium, Galeria Brasil and across Dawson Street. There is a pedestrian crossing next where you need to cross the road.

Carry on back to the rondabout where you will be outside The Pub. Turn left, go across Iffley Road (signposted Henley A423 and reading A320) and turn right. Cowley Place is immediately on the right. The road sign was buried in a hedge when I visited in June and wasn't obvious. Walk down Cowley Place, the buildings on the right are St. Hilda's College. When you get to the right hand bend in the road the gate in front is NOT St. Hilda's, go round the corner and the college gates are immediately on the right. Look for the blue sign with St. Hilda's crest on it. The porters' lodge is just through the gate, on the right, behind black metal railings.

Routes from Oxford Central Bus Station

If you want to take a taxi after getting off at the bus station, head along the alley which is next to Harvey's sandwich shop, go into Gloucester Green (notable for being completely paved over and not very green at all) and the taxi rank is straight ahead across the square. There are trolleys available to haul your bags across Gloucester Green, but you have to put in a £1 coin, which you get back at the taxi rank.

If you travel by National Express coach then you will arrive at the Central Bus Station. After getting off go onto the pavement at the front of the bus, turn right and walk back down the way the coach came in which is called Chain Alley back to George Street. Straight over the road is Jessops camera shop, on the left is Pizza Hut and in front of there is a bus stop. Get a number 2 and ask for St. Clements. This bus goes down George Street, turns left past a Chinese restaurant, the Opium Den, and then follows the same route, almost, along New Road that the number 5 from the railway station does. The difference is that this bus goes down St. Clements instead of Cowley Road. Follow the instructions in the route from the railway station up to Magdalen Bridge and when you see the bridge press the bell. The bus will take the first road off the roundabout and pull up at the next stop.

You should be outside the Thai Orchid restaurant. Walk back the way the bus came, across Caroline Street, past the Post Office top the pedestrian crossing. Cross over the road towards Marcus Roberts Piano shop and turn right. Walk past Fishers restaurant, over Dawson Street to the roundabout and turn left past Hamptons Estate Agents. Cross over Cowley Road to The Pub, past there and cross over Iffley Road (signposted Henley A423 and reading A320) and turn right. Cowley Place is immediately on the right. The road sign was buried in a hedge when I visited in June and wasn't obvious. Walk down Cowley Place, the buildings on the right are St. Hilda's College. When you get to the right hand bend in the road the gate in front is NOT St. Hilda's, go round the corner and the college gates are immediately on the right. Look for the blue sign with St. Hilda's crest on it. The porters' lodge is just through the gate, on the right, behind black metal railings.

If you come by bus from London Victoria Coach Station The London buses such as The Oxford Tube come along St. Clements when heading into Oxford. The stop needed is called St. Clements and the driver usually shouts this out when stopping there. The stop is outside a model shop (toy aircraft and cars etc.). Carry on the way the bus was going and follow the route described for getting to St. Hilda's from Gloucester Green bus station.

Arriving at the college by car

I will not try to describe all the routes to Cowley Place when arriving by car, only you know your route to Oxford and from which direction you will arrive. However if you don't know oxford well it is easiest to come in from the East via Headington. Headington roundabout is where the A40 meets the Oxford ring road. Drive into Oxford along the A420 from this roundabout. You pass through Headington shopping centre, and the road continues through suburban Oxford past the turning to the John Radcliffe Hospital and then Oxford Brookes University. It goes down a short hill past South Park (honestly!), past traffic lights to New Marston and into St. Clements. Look for the pub The Port Mahon on your left and you are close to St. Hildas. At the end of the road is a roundabout, the first turning is Cowley Road, the second Iffley Road and the third which is directly opposite St. Clements is Cowley Place.

Cowley Place is within the restricted parking zone of Oxford centre. It is alright to unload there, register at the lodge and put your bags in your room. Then you will have to move your car. There are some car parks around the centre, there is one in St. Clements but it is almost certainly illegal to park there all weekend. The best solution is to use the park and ride facilities around the city. These are all located close to the ring road.

Water Eaton and Pear Tree to the North.
Seacourt is to the West.
Redbridge is on the South side.
Sandhills is to the West.

All have regular bus services to the centre and all the buses are green. If you use Seacourt the number 400 bus goes along Botley Road, through the centre and can drop you at the first stop in St. Clements. The bus from Sandhills will also drop you at the end of St. Clements.

Please do not leave valuables in your car wherever you park it.

Lost?

Call 07778 444 382 and I'll try to help you.