Do you have the 5th week blues? Are you getting tangled up in tort, confused by contract or enraged by equity? Maybe it’s time to take a break… Research suggests that short breaks can actually boost your motivation and focus, so with that in mind, why not try some of these recommendations, all within a 10 minute walk of the LawBod!1
1. University Parks
Walk 5 minutes down St Cross Road and you’ll be in University Parks, 70 acres of green space with the River Cherwell running along its boundary. You won’t see sheep and cattle grazing in the meadow here any more (as they did until 1937) but the pond is home to a breeding pair of swans. You might be lucky enough to spot a heron in Parson’s Pleasure… formerly an area designated for male-only nude swimming! In warmer weather, this is a fantastic picnic spot; at this time of year you might prefer to grab a hot drink from the coffee truck and stroll through the autumn leaves.
2. Magdalen College
Walk down St Cross Road/Longwall Street towards the High Street and turn left and you’ll find yourself at Magdalen College. Founded in 1458, Magdalen College can boast the city’s only deer park, home to a herd of around 35 semi-wild fallow deer. In autumn, the deer herd is usually in the central water meadow; the circular walk around the meadow takes around 15 minutes. Look out for breathtaking wisterias in spring and cloisters full of hydrangeas in summertime.
3. Holywell Cemetery
Behind Holywell Church on the corner of St Cross Road and Manor Road, lies Holywell Cemetery, a quiet green space to sit for a while with your thoughts. The area is kept semi-wild as a nature reserve and is home to around 100 species of flora, fauna and insects.
4. Oxford Botanic Gardens
Head down St Cross Road/Longwall Street to the High Street and cross the High Street to find yourself at the Oxford Botanic Garden. The oldest botanic garden in the UK, the Oxford Botanic Garden was founded as a ‘physic garden’ for the cultivation of medicinal plants in 1621. Visit the tropical glasshouse, the water lily room or just sit by the river and watch the world go by. Admission is free for members of the university, but make sure to get there before last admissions at 3pm.
5. Natural History Museum/Pitt Rivers Museum
Take a 10-minute walk along St Cross Road/South Parks Road and turn right to find the Natural History Museum/Pitt Rivers Museum. Built in dramatic Gothic Revival style in 1860, the museum makes a beautiful change of scene from the more austere architecture of the Law Library! Head here for breaks on a rainy day or just when you feel like spending some quality time with an 18-foot plesiosaur.
Main court, Oxford Natural History Museum. Photo: ©Oxford Natural History Museum.
- For an overview of the current literature, see Albulescu et al. “Give me a break!” A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLoS One. 2022;17(8) ↩︎
