Addison's Walk

Addison's Walk (originally called Water Walk) is a picturesque footpath around a small island in the River Cherwell in the grounds of Magdalen College, Oxford, England.

The walk is named after Joseph Addison (1672–1719), a Fellow of the College from 1698 to 1711, who enjoyed walking there and wrote articles in The Spectator about landscape gardening.

Addison's Walk originally finished at Dover Pier, an old Civil War gun position on the River Cherwell.

The walk is referenced frequently in Justin Cartwright's 2007 novel The Song Before it is Sung.

He regularly frequented Addison's Walk with friends who included Hugo Dyson and J. R. R. Tolkien.

View along Addison's Walk.
View of the River Cherwell from the Magdalen College Fellows' Garden near the Addison's Walk entrance.