Country mouse on litter in Oxford
Visiting Oxford with foreign guests Mark is ashamed of the extent of the littering problem

Oxford's gleaming spires now poke up through a rubbish dump. The litter on the streets last weekend was unrelenting, and, when we took our foreign guests punting, we did so through a flotilla of Styrofoam burger wrappers, plastic water bottles and other detritus. Litter begets more litter, and, with so much lying around, nobody seemed the slightest bit concerned when they added to it.
It was shocking, and I spent most of the day apologising to our friends. On Monday, I read that Britain spends £858 million a year clearing up litter. We either need to spend more or drop less.
After Oxford, we went for a walk around our parish, and, not only is there no litter, but there were wild raspberries in their hundreds. Wild raspberries, like wild strawberries, are smaller and have a more intense flavour than their cultivated cousins and often appear, as on this occasion, after coppicing of a wood has taken place.
As well as the raspberries, the red kite obliged with a slow flypast and, with the breeze weaving its magic through the golden wheat, the countryside put on a show that poor, litter-strewn Oxford couldn't match.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Bringing the quintessential English rural idle to life via interiors, food and drink, property and more Country Life’s travel content offers a window into the stunning scenery, imposing stately homes and quaint villages which make the UK’s countryside some of the most visited in the world.
-
Dawn Chorus: Audrey Hepburn’s Swiss villa hits the market for £17 million and research reveals that looking at art can, quite literally, help you live longer
Everything you need to know today: The Swiss home that Audrey Hepburn lived in for 30 years prior to her death is for sale, those who regularly engage with art have a 31% lower risk of dying early and an iconic Palm Beach hotel teams up with interior designer Ashley Hicks.
By Rosie Paterson Published
-
Five beautiful homes for sale around Britain, as seen in Country Life
By Toby Keel Published