Can any of you chaps recommend any where to eat evening wise, and anything to fill the day? I'm staying up at the bear hotel in woodstock in one of their haunted rooms, very goth indeed, and i need to fill two days up.
Browns in Oxford is reasonably consistent but can be pricy.
I would have thought there would be some good gastro pubs in Woodstock.
I stayed in a haunted bedroom once, fortunately the ghost had been tamed with the help of a geomancer, but it was uncomfortable and when I woke in the middle of the night for a pee, it took me awhile to get my courage up in case I met with an apparition straight out of an M.R. James story.
Oo Bop, if you have days to fill, Blenheim Palace is well worth a visit. Lots going on - http://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events.html
Last edited by Bishop of Briggs (2012-08-24 09:52:37)
I would be grateful if Oo Bop could tell us about his trip. Woodstock is top of my list for an autumn weekend break with my good lady.
Last edited by formby (2012-08-24 11:37:42)
I've seen a few ghosts... Don't really like talking about it.
But seriously, the dark spirits which haunt places can be sent home too, but l am not going to send every damn spirit home...i've got better things to do. That's why a protective shield is the best way for those types of spirits. Just bounce the buggers off and go about your business.
Christ shoo you're scaring me shitless i don't even believe this stuff, no i'll be brownin the sheets
And just think of all those murders in Oxford that we see on the telly!
Thats it formby
The Bear is part of the MacDonald hotel group. You can get some very good deals from them.
I am 10 miles from Oxford but keep away for all sorts of reasons.
Last time I had dinner at the Bear it was crap - menus from head office, etc. so eat out for your main meal.
During the day try http://www.ashmolean.org/ and a wander round Oxford colleges
http://www.blenheimpalace.com/ is expensive but as you can walk there difficult to discount.
Browns used to be good but I think they lost the plot when they became a big chain (I first went there c 1978 but gave up a 3 or 4 years ago).
A bit of a drive but http://www.thefivearrows.co.uk/ is reliable, try it for lunch and take in http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/ as well
How about the RSC and some time in Stratford? http://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/
DO NOT BOTHER WITH BICESTER VILLAGE!!!!!
^ I must admit to being disappointed with the food at the last MacDonald's hotel that I stayed at. Browns' quality is variable and my local branch was below par on my last visit. Fairly typical for England these days!
Doesn't Raymond Blanc have a place near Oxford?
Yeah 'Le Manoir', it's between me and Oxford, kind of Thame way.
As for the hotel if anyone can recommend any other haunted hotels of a better quality in the area let me know, but this was the only place I could find in the area. It's a bit of fun any how, I'll probably steer clear of the food though, thanks for the tip!
THanks for the info John, think Blenheim will get a walk round on the Sunday, oh and Bish I'm going over around October time so will hopefully be able to give you a heads up.
Not restaurant related, but Holywell Manor, where I lived while I was at Oxford, was supposed to be haunted. I never saw or heard anything untoward, but maybe that was because I lived in a newer wing of the structure.
I have never experienced any ghosts or similar psychic phenomena, but so many otherwise sensible people I have known have that I certainly wouldn't discount the whole business.