I had not explored the Sheep’s Meadow that lies between Christ Church College and the River Thames nor walked the towpath along the river to Iffley village. But as the weather turned warmer, my walks favored that direction. While the Broad Walk and Poplar Walk were pleasant to stroll, they were not picturesque. The actual destination was the Keble College Boathouse (the right side of the building pictured below; the left half was the Jesus College Boathouse, not a group of evangelicals).
Summer Eights
Most of the students were heading to the river because it was Summer Eights. I won’t pretend to understand how it worked. Our college rowing team was competing against teams from the other Oxford colleges to become Head of the River. How this was actually accomplished involved bumping the boat ahead of them, since the Thames was too narrow at this point for all the college rowing teams to line up at a starting line. If you are interested in learning more about the boat racing aspect, I refer you to "Hear the Boat Sing."
I was there for the party. The boats and oars were stored on the ground level, inside what looks like a garage door. The second floor was a bar and social club, and the third floor was an open deck for viewing the race. Notice the little red gazebo that says Pimm’s (in the color photo). The drink of choice at Summer Eights was Pimm’s, by the pitcher, with chopped lemon, orange, cucumber, and mint floating on the top. The taste is indescribable, but refreshing, and I have forever since associated Pimm’s with the start of summer.
Alice Day
The River Thames plays a part in the literary history of Alice in Wonderland. The journey began one afternoon in July 1862 at Folly Bridge, Oxford. From there, Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), an Oxford don, took the three daughters of Henry Liddell, the Dean of Christ Church, on a rowing trip up the River Thames. They stopped for a picnic, and to while away the time, he told the tale of a girl called Alice who falls down a rabbit hole. Alice Liddell loved the story and asked him to write it down, which he did as a Christmas present for her several years later.
The much-loved story is now celebrated on Alice Day. The Alice Day festivities take place throughout Oxford with lectures at various museums, performances of Lewis Carroll’s works, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the botanical garden, and special souvenirs at the Alice Shop (the Old Sheep Shop) near Christ Church College. Don’t be surprised to see the Red Queen and White Rabbit wandering around town as well as girls wearing blue dresses with white aprons.
In Search of the Source
One summer when we were living in the Cotswolds, I decided that the summer’s adventure for the children would be to find the source of the River Thames (and for the parents it was an excuse to visit every pub with an outdoor garden along the river). The plan was to have Sunday lunch at a different pub each week, then let the children go wild on the play equipment while we sat at a picnic table, sipping beer and chatting. Oxford had four such places: the Isis River Farmhouse, Head of the River, The Perch, and The Trout.
The next stop was about ten miles from Oxford at the Ferryman Inn at Bablock Hythe. It is one of the oldest ferry crossing points and was mentioned in Matthew Arnold’s poem “The Scholar Gypsy.” We also stopped at the Riverside Inn in Lechlade. Beyond that the river became increasingly difficult to follow. We drove one-track roads and frequently got lost. Pub lunches were no longer beside the river. At the summer’s end, the River Thames was nothing more than a farm ditch that we were able to jump across. There was a plaque marking the source of the river, but the exact location of the beginning of the river is disputed.
I hope that you have a summer adventure in progress.
I think I would like to have a Pimm’s sometime.... I do not generally drink beer, but it looks good with the fruit/ vegetable on top...
I am intrigued by the names various business establishments are given: the Isis River Farmhouse, Head of the River, The Perch, and The Trout. In the US, it seems there is a tendency to name such places after people, the type of food served, or maybe ..bar, ..tavern, ..lounge, ..grill, ..saloon or some such. Just interesting.....