Raleigh Park - Parks in Oxford

There are several entrances to the park, either from the top and bottom of Harcourt Hill or from Yarnells Hill/Lime Road.

Bike/Walk: Just a small detour from the National Route 57. Access from North and South Hinksey is from A34 underpass.

By Bus: The U1 bus travels past the park; there are several stops at Westminster Way and Harcourt Hill.

By Car: The park is just off the A34 northbound at the Harcourt Hill slip road. There is no on site parking and the surrounding roads are residential.

The land was formerly part of the estates of the Harcourt family. The land was sold in 1924 to Raymond Ffennell, then owner of Wytham Abbey, who gave it to the City of Oxford for use as a park. It was named in honour of Professor Sir Walter Raleigh, who lived nearby on Harcourt Hill and died in 1922.

There is a mix of important grassland and fen.

A stream runs through the park which features a pond and reinstated waterfall.

You can enjoy fabulous views of the 'dreaming spires' of the city of Oxford.

Whilst in the park you may be lucky to see;

• foxes
• muntjac
• an array of bird species
• flora
• native lime trees

Cattle 

Cattle are grazed in the park during the summer months, as they were many years ago. Please take care as you walk through the park and keep dogs under control. Please follow the Countryside Code too. 

Wild Oxford Project

Raleigh Park is the fourth site to join the Wild Oxford Project, which operates in partnership with Oxford City Council and BBOWT. Working together with the Friends of Raleigh Park we are improving the habitats, accessibility, and opportunities for everyone to get involved. To find out more visit our Wild Oxford page.

Drones

It is currently not possible to fly model aircraft or drones (both with and without camera for filming purposes) within Oxford City Council’s public open spaces, including parks and nature reserves.

As these spaces are open to the public and experience high visitor numbers throughout the year, flying model aircraft and drones are not permitted for safety reasons.

Friends of Raleigh Park

By becoming a member of the friends group you could:

• make a positive contribution to your local area
• have a say in the park's facilities
• improve the local conservation value
• get exercise, improve your health and wellbeing

To find out more visit the Friends of Raleigh website.

Friends groups are independent, but work in partnership with us.

Contact the Parks Team: 01865 249811