Oxford Afternoon Tea & Picnic River Cruise

Picnic River Cruise With your traditional picnic basket in tow, board your Oxford river boat for a 2.5-hour cruise along the River Thames. The scenic route will cover the quaint Osney Island, ancient Port Meadow — vast land which has changed little since the prehistoric times, Godstow as well as famous landmarks including Christchurch College and Meadows, Folly Bridge, the University boathouses and regatta course.

Afternoon Tea Cruise Travelling down the University Regatta course, enjoy a quintessential Afternoon Tea of finger sandwiches, homemade scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream, a selection of cakes, tarts or petit fours, and of course, tea! You’ll pass plenty of famous local landmarks as well as travel into the tranquil water meadows that surround Oxford where you’ll uncover wildlife amongst the green banks and willows.

Picnic River Cruise We travel through the city past famous landmarks including Christchurch College and Meadows, the University boathouses and regatta course, the Head of the River and Folly Bridge. From the river, we take in a side of Oxford's heritage rarely seen by visitors to the city. Quaint Osney Island, well-loved allotments and gardens, and majestic and ancient Port Meadow are off the tourist trail but represent some of Oxford's most beautiful and intriguing scenery. Port Meadow, a vast area of common land, has remained little changed since prehistoric times and supports plants and bird-life in abundance. At the top of Port Meadow is Godstow. Godstow was the ultimate destination of Alice Liddell and Lewis Carroll when they followed an identical route to our trip while composing 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. It is also the site of Trout Island, an inspiration for another of Oxford's literary icons, C S Lewis, and his stories of the land of Narnia.

Your picnic lunch is provided by riverside restaurant, The Folly, and typically includes*; An Selection of Finger Sandwiches Homemade Quiche or Tart of The Day Homemade Scones with Strawberry Jam, Clotted Cream Elderflower Presse Served in a traditional picnic basket with napkins, crockery, and glasses (to be returned to the crew at the end of the cruise) Drinks to take aboard can be purchased at the departure point.

Afternoon Tea Cruise This relaxing afternoon cruise sails downstream from Folly Bridge taking in the best-known reach of the River Thames in Oxford. Traveling down the University Regatta Course we pass Christ Church Meadows, the University College Boat Houses and other landmarks on our way to Iffley lock. This is often a busy and vibrant section of the river where training rowing crews, punts, and pleasure boats jostle for river space in a wonderful display of Oxford at play. Passing through the lock at Iffley is an experience in itself. The river scenery and fascinating buildings combining to form a picture-perfect location. Beyond Iffley, we travel into the tranquil water meadows that surround Oxford and there are abundant opportunities to spot wildlife amongst the green banks and overhanging willows. We turn for home at Rose Island, a favorite destination of Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell on their river journeys.

Aboard the boat, we serve an indulgent afternoon tea provided by the renowned riverside restaurant, The Folly. The traditional menu includes*.

An Selection of Finger Sandwiches, Homemade Scones with Strawberry Jam, Clotted Cream, A Selection of Cakes, Tarts or Petit Fours and Tea

Drinks to take aboard can be purchased at the departure point.