Easy hikes and walks around Hanborough

One of the biggest Roman villas, which was occupied during the 4th century. Free entry

The tree is featured in the order of the Phoenix where Harries father bullies Snape.

Winston Churchill's father called the view of Blenheim Palace, its lake and the Grand Bridge the finest in England. It certainly all looks grand from the edge of this beautiful, man-made lake. When Blenheim Palace was first built, the lake was not much more than a marshy stream. It was 'Capability' Brown who imagined a grand lake as part of his great vision for Blenheim Park. In 1764, he dammed the River Glyme, creating the lake and its series of beautiful cascades. Today, Blenheim Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due, in part, to the lake's importance for breeding and wintering birds.

In 1704, Blenheim architect John Vanbrugh set out to create something spectacular across what was then just a marshy brook. The Grand Bridge was the outcome, containing no less than 30 rooms. In 1764, 'Capability' Brown set about improving and landscaping the grounds. His most notable work was the creation of Blenheim's Lake, which submerged the lower stories of the bridge.

The Oxfordshire village of Combe is wonderfully located for some fantastic walks. Nestled in the Evenlode Valley, there are tranquil riverside and woodland trails to the south and west of the village. To the east are the magnificent grounds of Blenheim Park, with its large lakes and superb oak woodland. In the village, the Cock Inn serves good pub grub at reasonable prices and there are a few guesthouses to choose from. St Laurence Church is a Grade II-listed building and dates from the 12th century.

Woodstock is derived from old English, meaning a clearing in the trees. This is because Woodstock used to be part of the Royal Forest of Wychwood, most of which has since disappeared, cut down for industry and replaced by farmland. The market town today is a good base for exploring the gently rolling limestone uplands of northern Oxfordshire. Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its wonderful grounds are set to the south and west of the town.

Everything about the bridge is extraordinary and much of it is puzzling. No ground plan has survived. All we have is an elevation showing the proposed superstructure in the manner of a viaduct or of the Pont du Garde. Sarah 1st Duchess of M Marlborough vetoed the arcade. ÒI made Mr Vanbrugh my enemy', she wrote, Òby the constant disputes I had with him to prevent his extravagance.' The immensity of the Grand Bridge and its cost was one of the main subjects of their dispute. The Duchess scathingly told a friend that she had counted thirty-three rooms in it, that there was a house at each corner and that what made it so much prettier than London Bridge was that you might Òset in six rooms and look out at the window' while the coaches rumbled over your head. Vanbrugh in its defence went so far as to assure her that if, when it was finished, she found a house inside it she would go and live in it. Nothing was more unlikely; and indeed there is no evidence that it was ever lived in, though some rooms have fireplaces and chimneys, and one large windowless chamber has been plastered and fitted with an elliptical arch as though for a theatre. Old guidebooks describe the bridge as a cool retreat in summer, and no doubt many a picnic was enjoyed in the sunnier rooms. Unfortunately, it is no longer safe to enter now. http://www.camelotintl.com/heritage/historichouses/south_east/blenheim_palace/bpbridge.html

Free access to the park is available via Park Rd (51.8401582,-1.384567). Free parking is also available near this entrance.