'His Dark Materials’ Self-Guided Tour: A Guide to Lyra’s Oxford

Oxford is a city where real and fictional worlds collide in Philip Pullman’s beloved fantasy series.

On this self-guided audio tour, you'll explore the real Oxford locations that inspired Jordan College, discover filming spots from The Golden Compass and BBC’s His Dark Materials adaptation, and step into scenes straight from the pages of Pullman’s novels. From ancient college quadrangles to atmospheric lanes, you’ll experience Oxford through the eyes of Lyra Belacqua and her daemon Pan.

The tour starts at Exeter College on Broad Street, the real-world inspiration for Lyra’s Jordan College. You’ll pass through the Covered Market where Roger would buy vegetables for Jordan College kitchens.

You’ll also visit the magnificent Bodleian Library where the alethiometer is kept in Lyra’s world, and pass under the photogenic Hertford Bridge where Lyra and Roger were filmed fleeing from Gyptian children. You’ll see where many scenes from the adaptations were filmed.