It was rumoured in the ‘Tithe Farm and Ladygrove Estate Newsletter’ that Section 106 agreement money from building the Abingdon Court nursing home would help fund an improvement to this path. But that didn’t happen. The two things did not really relate.

The Abingdon Head of the River involves crews starting at intervals and racing against the clock. The winning crew receives the title of “Head of the River”.

The race is over a 2KM course starting near Culham. When they go past the Abingdon Rowing Club – shown here – competitors are on the finishing straight.

It looked hard going.

But having completed the course, the pain seems soon forgotten.

After the race there followed a more leisurely row under Abingdon Bridge (Burford Bridge).

Crews disembark at Rye Farm Meadow.

Most people came by car, and so half the meadow serves as a car park, and the other half as a boat assembly / dis-assembly line.

The event, hosted by Abingdon Rowing Club, had its biggest ever turn out this year (I believe).

Preparations were underway today for the Abingdon Spring Head of the River events tomorrow. This is a chance for rowing crews to warm up for the Regatta season. There are 272 crews in all rowing. The event starts at about 9:30 and carries throughout most of the day.

They say ‘Come and celebrate 50 years of the Abingon Rowing Club‘ with us.

It is also the pre-season for Salter Steamer cruises . Regular cruises start on 17th May, but there was a booked cruise today, and another on May 9th, which members of the public can join…

Most of the passengers went inside. One said ‘We are being cowards.’