THE PERCH & THE TROUT: EVENING WALKS AND FAREWELL REFLECTIONS

From The Lamb and Flag, you have two options:
Option A – Walking Route (Lewis’s favourite):
If you wish to follow in Lewis’s footsteps, continue north up St. Giles’ Street, passing St. John’s College and Little Clarendon Street until you reach Walton Street.
From there, follow signs toward Port Meadow, a vast expanse of ancient grazing land.
The walk to The Perch Inn (in Binsey) takes about 30–40 minutes along the River Isis (Thames).
You can continue onward, if time and energy allow, to The Trout Inn in Wolvercote — about another 30–40 minutes along the same river path.
Option B – Taxi or Bus:
If you prefer, you can take a short taxi ride (10–15 minutes) from Oxford city centre to either The Perch Inn or The Trout Inn — both are accessible and well-signposted.
Orientation cue: Both inns are traditional, thatch-roofed riverside pubs surrounded by fields and trees — tranquil, timeless, and very much unchanged since Lewis’s day.

About

​

“This seems like a good place to end the Lewis tour, unless, of course, you have the time and energy for one of Jack’s favorite walks. A late afternoon walk to The Perch (a quaint, thatch-roofed pub on Binsey Lane across the Port Meadow) for a pint and conversation, followed by a stroll along the Isis River to The Trout (the most glorious of pubs) for dinner.
If you can’t take the walk from The Perch to The Trout, do go directly to The Trout via taxi or auto. You’ll not regret it. In any and all events, do take your time. Enjoy yourself and, by all means, return!”
Added context:
The Perch Inn and The Trout Inn are two of Oxford’s most picturesque riverside pubs, set among meadows and willow trees.
They were beloved by Lewis and his friends for their calm and simplicity — perfect places to unwind after long terms of teaching, writing, and debate.
Lewis often walked this route along the Isis River, enjoying the quiet hum of nature and the rhythm of conversation with his brother, Warnie, or with Tolkien and other Inklings.
He once wrote that the beauty of Oxford’s countryside reminded him of “the hint of a better world beyond this one.”
The Perch, with its thatched roof and garden tables, is one of the city’s oldest pubs (dating back to the 17th century).
The Trout, further along the river, is larger and more stately, featured in many films and novels — but for Lewis, both offered the same gift: a moment of stillness, friendship, and gratitude.
To end the tour here is fitting — it mirrors the way he liked to end his days: in laughter, light, and quiet wonder.

​