It’s the perfect time to enjoy the River Thames now there’s a heatwave and the summer holidays on the way.

Spending time on or near the River Thames is an attractive option, and there are plenty of punting and boat hire opportunities in Oxford.

One of those locations is at Magdalen Bridge Boathouse.

Oxford Mail: 15-04-2013
Magdalen Bridge Boathouse open.
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Pic: Damian Halliwell
Copy: Emma Harrison
Catchline: Magdalen Bridge punting
Length: standalone
Picture Sales Ref: OX58575

You can hire a punt for an hour or if you want to make a day of it you can stay on the river as long as you like, returning the punt to the boathouse at least half an hour before sunset.

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The boathouse website says: "As you set off south from the boathouse you glide gently past Oxford’s famous Botanic Gardens, through Christ Church College Meadows, where Lewis Carroll taught in the mid-19th century when he wrote the famous Alice Through the Looking Glass (1871) and Alice in Wonderland (1865).

"Then either take the river left past St Hilda’s College gardens, past the stunning Magdalen School rose gardens, under the miniature white bridges and back past the Botanic Gardens to the Boathouse.

Oxford Mail:

"Or alternatively, if you are feeling adventurous, continue south towards the Isis (Oxford’s name for the River Thames), along the entire Christ Church Meadow to where the river opens up allowing you to enjoy this stunning natural river environment.

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"Another option is to travel north from the Boathouse, past Magdalen College Tower and up past the Angel and Greyhound meadows, past Magdalen College gardens and into Oxford’s stunning countryside."

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You can also hire boats from Salters Steamers at Folly Bridge but its scheduled services are not running this summer.