Playtime!

Remember playgrounds when you were a kid? Rickety old slides with all the legendary tales of what had become of kids who'd fallen off, a roundabout that you spun so fast it made you sick, and a see-saw that launched you 3 feet into the air... Those were good times. If only kids had such opportunities in today's health and safety obsessed world.

Hold on, though - maybe the outlook isn't so bleak. Oxford has its fair share of decent parks and some of them have some really fun things in them!

Here's my pick of the bunch:

Best view: South Park - a very photogenic view of Oxford, actually made better when it's slightly misty and the spires rise out of the cloud.

Best for young children: Cutteslowe and Sunnymead Park - have a ride on the miniature railway followed by ice cream in the sun.

Best lake: Hinksey Park pedaloes are a brililant way to have fun with friends, and a whole lot easier than punting!

Best climbing frame: Florence Park has an excellent, health and safety denying spiders' web frame.

Best slide: Quarry Hollow - this still seems big to me, so imagine how big it must look for little children!

Best climbing: Yes, you read it right: there's a big boulder with a range of climbing problems at Frys Hill Park. It's low enough not to be dangerous, but watch out because there's sometimes broken glass and litter at the bottom.