Ali Walsingham &
The Oxford Society of Botanical Art

Travel to Oxford, Northmoor village hall and Accommodation

 

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Getting to Oxford could not be more easy.  

 

Travel: 

By Train - if you arrive at Oxford or Didcot station, I can collect you and your luggage and take you straight to your accommodation and see you settled in.   If you are arriving a few days early to explore the local area and see some exhibitions in Oxford or visit the Botanic gardens, I can make sure that you have details of local bus and taxi routes and help with any issues during your stay, returning you to the station on your departure day.  I can also pick you up in the mornings and take you to the village hall, and return you to your hotel in the afternoon after the course end.

 

By Coach - from London the easiest way to get to Oxford and to ensure a guarenteed seat (not always possible by train) is the Oxford Tube coach.  It runs between London Victoria bus station with a number of other stops in London, to Oxford.  Coaches leave every ten minutes, no need to pre-book.  I would collect you from Thornhill Park and Ride and take you to your accomodation, and then in reverse on the day of your departure.  

See the Oxford tube website here, or download the app onto your phone so that your tickets are on your phone:  https://www.oxfordtube.com/plan-a-journey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Air - flying into Gatwick or Heathrow allows you to get the Oxford Airline bus straight to Thornhill Park and Ride on the outskirts of Oxford - give me your flight time and text me when you get on the bus - I will be at Thornhill waiting for you to help unload your luggage and take you by car straight to your accommodation, and then in reverse on your day of departure.  

See the Oxford Bus website here for the Airline Bus and also all the other Oxford bus services if you are prolonging your stay.  For easiest use download the app to your phone and then your tickets will be on your phone:   https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/airline

Heathrow:  

Heathrow to Oxford travel time (traffic depending) - 80-90 minutes
- from Terminals 2 and 3  - walk the short distance to the Central Bus Station and look for the Airline bus departures.  
- from Terminal 4 - there is a free underground or shuttle train to the Central Bus Station at Terminal 2/3
- from Terminal 5 - the coach leaves at stand 10 outside the arrivals hall, look for the Airline coach. 

Gatwick:
Gatwick to Oxford travel time (traffic depending) -

- Oxford to Gatwick South Terminal: 2 hours 15 mins - 2 hours 50 mins

- Oxford to Gatwick North Terminal: An additional 10 minutes from Gatwick South Terminal

- From the South Terminal, follow signs to the Lower forecourt, and the coach leaves from stands 1 and 2
- From the North Terminal, follow signs to the Lower forecourt, and the coach leaves from stands 4 and 5. 

Arriving in Oxford:   Thornhill Park and Ride is the first of the Oxford bus stations, I will be waiting for you there.  Please text me when you get onto the coach - I have the Oxford bus app on my phone and can ensure that I am at the bus station on your arrival.   If you download the Oxford bus app it allows you to check the bus times more easily if your flight is delayed or you miss a bus.  

By Car - Northmoor is a very rural village,  12 miles from Oxford, close to the towns of Witney and Abingdon.  The address for your satnav or Google Maps is:  Northmoor Village Hall, Church Road, Northmoor,  OX29 5SX.   WhatThreeWords:  Contoured.handed.chromatic

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The hall is close to the Red Lion Pub and opposite St Denys Church.  The roads leading into the village are single track, so enjoy the beauty of your surroundings, but look out for sheep and tractors!  

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There will be a sign outside the village hall on the days of courses to make the entrance easy to find:

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​​​There is plenty of parking in the carpark at the village hall - please park in the gravelled areas and leave the concrete parking at the front of the hall for disabled cars.  




Course venue 

Northmoor village hall is a modern, well-equipped building set in a quiet, rural village in beautiful Oxfordshire.  This hall is perfect for our watercolour painting workshops, allowing you plenty of room to work, but a friendly atmosphere and no outside interruptions.    We have sole use of the building, and can usually leave our materials and equipment set up for the whole course.   It is accessible for wheelchair users, has plenty of onsite parking, a fully equipped kitchen including huge fridge, microwave, kettles, crockery and cutlery. 

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For visiting artists teaching the course - you can design the layout of the tables to suit your style of teaching - tables close together to allow students to chat and collaborate, or tables in a circle around the room - however you prefer.  There is a huge cinema screen projector for slide show presentations or use with a visualizer  - if you would prefer not to bring a laptop, bring your presentation on a datastick or send it to me and I can connect my laptop for your use on the course.  I have a visualiser for your use also.  There will be a large table to allow you to display your own prints/cards and course advertising throughout the course, or any art materials that you would like to offer for sale.   I provide the subjects for the course - let me know what you would like me to grow or provide, depending on the subjects we are painting or drawing, the participants can usually take home their subject to finish their project at home.    I can forward to all participants your suggested materials list prior to the course.    I have an A3 and A2 light pad for partipants to use throughout the course. 

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For course participants - you will have your own 3ft square table, a desk light with daylight bulb (please message me if you would like two), and access to power for mobile charging etc.  You are welcome to bring a table easel if you are coming by car - if you are flying or coming by public transport, please ask if you would like to borrow a table easel for the course.    Please bring your own professional quality drawing and painting materials.  You will be supplied with a suggested list prior to the course, tailored to the course tutor's preferences.   Do not feel that you need to buy any new materials that you do not have - I will have some that you can borrow.  Just message if you are not sure.  If you forget to bring anything - I have plenty of spares of everything free of charge - just ask!  Don't apologise!    Please bring a packed lunch each day - but tea/coffee/biscuits and fruit are provided free of charge - message me with dietary requirements.   I can provide a daily packed lunch for a small fee - please book in advance. 

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Local Accommodation
 
The Red Lion pub, yards from Northmoor village hall is highly recommended by our past course participants.  Luxurious, quiet Shepherds huts in a garden full of flowers and butterflies, welcoming hosts, fabulous food - book direct or on Booking.com.    Wake up in the morning, breakfast freshly cooked in the pub, then wander across the road to the village hall - a very relaxed start to the day!

See:  https://www.redlionnorthmoor.com/shepherds-huts

 

The Rose Revived pub is also highly recommended by past course participants as very friendly, very helpful, and offers comfortable accomodation, breakfast and delicious evening meals.   Situated right on the edge of the River Thames in the heart of beautiful farmland, overlooking canalboats and an ancient bridge over the river - plenty of parking and a bus stop that enables you to take a trip into Oxford.  If you arrived by public transport I can collect you in the morning after your breakfast and take you to the course, then return you to the pub each day after the course.  The staff are used to our participants staying, and will remember you by name if you book another course! 

See:  https://www.chefandbrewer.com/pubs/oxfordshire/rose-revived/hotel

There are other hotels a little further away that participants use if these two are fully booked - I can transport you if you use the Oxford Botley hotel or the Doghouse pub, Frilford.  - message me for details or see Booking.com.   Check AirB&B for local cottages or bed and breakfast.  
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