Port Meadow is a vast expanse of common land just to the north and west of Oxford city centre, stretching along the western bank of the Thames (here called the Isis) for over two miles. It has been unenclosed common grazing land since at least the Norman Conquest, and horses and cattle still graze freely across it today. The views back from the meadow towards Oxford's skyline — the spires of the city rising above the treeline — are some of the best views of the city available without climbing anything.
The meadow floods in winter, when it transforms into a shallow lake that freezes in hard years and attracts wildfowl. In summer, it is a favourite spot for Oxford residents to walk, picnic, and swim in the river. The walk along the towpath from Port Meadow north to Godstow — where the ruins of a medieval nunnery stand beside the river — and then to the Trout Inn at Wolvercote is a classic Oxford afternoon out. The return journey on foot takes about two hours at a gentle pace.