One of those places that feels as though it's been here longer than the river itself. The Trout sits right on the Thames at Wolvercote, its stone terrace overlooking the weir, and the first sip of something cold while the water rushes past is one of the best moments Oxford can offer.
The building dates to the 17th century, and the setting is the real draw: a low stone inn tucked against the riverbank where the Thames narrows into a rush of white water over the weir. On a warm afternoon the terrace is hard to leave. Peacocks wander the grounds with the confidence of regulars, and if you're lucky you'll catch one perched on the wall like a painted ornament. The food is honest pub cooking (good pies, decent fish and chips) and the beer list nods to local breweries. It's the sort of place where you go for a quick drink and find yourself still there two hours later, watching the light change on the water.
The classic thing to do is walk along the towpath afterwards to the ruins of Godstow Abbey, which takes about ten minutes at a stroll. The abbey is where Fair Rosamund, Henry II's mistress, is supposed to have been buried, and the crumbling walls are genuinely atmospheric. Fans of Inspector Morse and Lewis will recognise The Trout from several episodes; it turns up so often it practically deserves a screen credit. From the cottage the drive takes about forty minutes, and it pairs well with a morning in Oxford or a walk along the canal at Jericho.
“Sit on the terrace with the weir roaring underneath and a glass of something local. That's the whole plan. It doesn't need improving.”
All of this on the doorstep, and your own thatched cottage to come home to. Sleeps seven, less than a mile from Soho Farmhouse.