During February, the Oxford Activities team set their students a challenge: ‘The Oxford Landmark Treasure Hunt’, which would take them to various hidden corners of the city as they attempted to tick off thirty objectives we put together.
These ranged from recording the characteristic local sounds of ringing church bells, to snapping portraits of stone gargoyles, and pretending to die on ‘Dead Man’s Walk’ that runs alongside Merton College.
The task was to be attempted in pairs — in accordance with government guidelines that permits outdoor exercise in groups of two — and was designed to provide a refreshing antidote to the endless time indoors and online that has characterised lockdown for so many of us.
We’re happy to report that the winning team, who accomplished far more of the objectives than any other participants, was ‘Team Arianna’ — comprising the dynamic duo of Arianna Guardino and Maria Florencia Bucci!
They reported it was the most fun they’ve had with an activity since lockdown began, and thoroughly enjoyed exploring (and sometimes getting lost in!) the beautiful local area, despite the blistering cold weather.
We hope this is a sign of things to come, with many more outdoor activities planned as spring progresses and lockdown eases!
