Nature Trails for Explorers

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In South Abingdon, three new trails take you on adventures through parks, playgrounds, and local neighbourhoods. These are called the South Abingdon Nature Trails. They’re like treasure hunts, but instead of finding gold, you get to see wildlife, play pavement games, have a picnic on the way, and stop off to have a go on the swings or slides of a local playground.

Bug, bird and bat boxes, community planters, carved animals, wildflower areas and pavement games are being added to make the trails more interesting.

There are three trails to choose from. You can scuttle on the hedgehog trail, flutter on the dragonfly trail, or waddle on the duck trail

All the trails have special markers to help you find your way, and there’s a map you can print out from the website https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/vale-of-white-horse-district-council/sports-and-activities/follow-the-new-south-abingdon-nature-trails/.

Where the trails follow the same route for a bit you will see two or more colours

You can start your adventure anywhere you like! But there are three starts near Hogarth Place just off Preston Road.

The trails were created by the Vale of White Horse District Council to encourage people to enjoy the local area, become more active, and learn more about the natural world around them.

Swan Cygnet Count in Abingdon

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Following yesterday’s report of 9 cygnets near Abingdon Lock, additional swan families have been spotted in Abingdon.

A swan family with 3 cygnets has been sighted near the town centre.

Another swan family with 5 cygnets was observed close to the marina.

There are currently 17 cygnets confirmed across these three locations in Abingdon.

The annual Swan Upping ceremony, where the official swan count takes place, is scheduled for July 19th. Unfortunately, I’ll be away that weekend. If you’re lucky enough to see the Swan Upping, I’d love to get photos.

Swans and Geese

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The local swan family had 9 cygnets a month ago.

There were still 9 cygnets yesterday when we walked down the same waterway in Abingdon.

Downstream from Abingdon Lock, a new sand bank has been created from silt. The Canada Geese go there to stand and preen and that shows how shallow the water is over that area. There are buoys to warn boats but the area does not get dredged.

One Planet Living Festival 2024

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The One Planet Living Festival 2024 was on the Market Place today. There is also an election and the Reform UK local candidate was there. He had a discussion about The Climate Emergency with Tim, the alternative town crier.

The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers performed. Roger Cox the current Mayor of Ock Street will be standing down this year, and the vote for the new Mayor will be next Saturday, the 22nd of June. There will be a lot more Morris Dancing then as well as the Abingdon Passion Play and the Abingdon River Litter Pick.

The day’s events were enlivened by music, poetry, and a fashion show organised by Dr Diane Regisford: Racial Equity Social Sculptress , Politician , ARTiviste , Healer , Poet , Author and Evocative Enquirer. She is seen here with Councillor Alison Rooke the new chairman of Oxfordshire County Council. Alison has been Mayor, Chair of the District Council, and now Chair of the County Council.

There was also a lot of dancing to music which had an Afro Caribbean sound.

Every now and then some mysterious women in red would smoke in, waving their arms.

Down in the museum basement (the Climate Emergency Centre), Abingdon Muslims were serving Asian Street food for a donation for charity. I think they are raising funds for a base of their own in Abingdon.

There was a presentation by Philippa Hoy from the charity Bioregional, the organisation behind One Planet Living. One Planet Living is where we can live happily within the Earth’s resources.

A lot was happening. It was lively fun and crazy at times. There were also businesses with sustainable products such as Tribe (Zero-Waste) from Faringdon, who deliver to Abingdon.

Make Music Day is on Friday June 21st in Abingdon, and two of the performers also performed at the One Planet Living Festival 2024.