A historical bike tour round Abingdon happened today – at the end of Bike Week.

The route was round many older monuments but ended up at Radley Lakes – where we heard a graphic account of the Greenpeace occupation and the balaclava’d security men and the ousting of the spotted crested newts.

The battle of Radley Lakes will soon become a thing of myths.

On the way back to Abingdon we stopped at this ‘For Sale’ sign. The lake has been landscaped following gravel extraction and is near the Abingdon Science Park off the N5 Sustrans bike track.

Adkins have all the details. Its says ‘Suitable for a Range of Leisure and Environmental Activities’

Probably best to ask Adkins about that range before buying. But I would think Fly Ash Dumping and Mink Farming are out.

Adam Ball from Heart FM was the Compere this year. That’s him on the left encouraging contestants to go just that one step further to impress the judges.

However, the first real Su Bo Mo was…

this lad singing ‘You Raise me up’ in the under 11 category.

More eclectic was a performance on an early electronic musical instrument called a Theremin. It’s eery waverings had the effect of scaring all the pigeons from the Market Place surrounds.

There were more established acts like Big John who has been on X-Factor in front of an even more distinguished panel of judges – if that is possible.

People came from far and wide to see the show. Carl, pictured here, comes from Florida (corrected after comment), but he didn’t just come to see Abingdon’s Got Talent. He loves Abingdon and has come to stay for the summer months and hopefully see a few MGs.

These two young lad are from the European school, near Abingdon, and they did Hip-Hop and break dancing

or something like that…

It proved to be another entertaining AGT. The crowds just grew and grew.

The County Hall, an iconic building in Abingdon, once served as a Court Sessions Hall

covered market

and down below a cellar for storage. It currently houses The Abingdon Museum.

The building has required major maintenance and updates at roughly 50 year intervals. The last was 60 years ago. The next major maintenance and updates could be about to happen after a successful £2M bid to the Lottery Fund. Described as ‘Erection of external lift tower and associated accessibility works, internal alterations and general refurbishment of building‘ the plans goes before the District Council Planning Committee early in July. To see the Planning Application go to Planning Public Access and Search application 09/00922/LBC .

Hello, Abingdon, Here’s our progress at the West End Allotments since my earlier pix.

There’s now peas being picked, and the long view shows the potatoes and the bean sticks ready for the runner beans; also the courgettes..

They say there’s a waiting list for allotments, but there’s plenty of unused land here!!

John