IN PHILIP Pullman’s Northern Lights trilogy, readers are transported to a bewitching parallel Oxford where heroine Lyra Belacqua explores university colleges accompanied by her dæmon Pantalaimonm while Gyptians patrol the Thames.
Now the city’s tourist board is launching its own tour of ‘Lyra’s Oxford’.
Marking the publication of the Cumnor author’s highly-anticipated new novel in the series, La Belle Sauvage, on October 19, Experience Oxfordshire is inviting fans to ‘rediscover’ the alternate Oxford.
The surreal stroll will take visitors to key locations from the story, including the Bodleian Library, the Covered Market, Exeter College, the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Botanic Garden.
Organisers have also promised to give fascinating insights into the stories and places that inspired the His Dark Materials trilogy, and walkers will even get a map to help them navigate Lyra’s parallel universe as they walk around the real historic streets.
Mr Pullman announced in February he was planning to publish three new novels in his Book of Dust series.
Experience Oxfordshire revealed that the first stop on the new tour, the Bodleian, features in the new book, La Belle Sauvage.
The board will also be recommending several other locations outside of central Oxford that fans can visit after their tour, including Godstow Abbey, Jericho, the Trout Inn and Port Meadow.
The Philip Pullman’s Oxford walking tour will run every Saturday from October 19, starting at 1.45pm, and will take two hours.
Tickets will cost £20 for adults, £19 for Seniors and £16 for children aged five to 15 – children under five will go free.
To book tickets, call Oxford Official Walking Tours on 01865 686442 or book online at experienceoxfordshire.org/shop/tickets/tours/philip-pullmans-oxford
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here