Thanks to Stuart from the Vale of White Horse Ramblers for this picture and report.

On Friday, November 10th 2023, a gathering marked the official reopening of the Mill Road Bridge in Marcham. Over 30 individuals, including local residents, councillors, and those directly involved in the bridge’s reconstruction, were present to witness the culmination of a long-awaited restoration project. Representatives of the Vale of White Horse Ramblers Group were also in attendance, eager to resume using the bridge as an integral component of their walking program.

The bridge’s reopening signifies the restoration of Bridleway 17 between Marcham and Drayton, and improves the network of walks available for people in Abingdon. The bridge has been closed for over a decade due to structural issues, The Crown in Marcham has also recently reopened so there is even more reason to use the route.

Albert Park is a 19th-century formal park with green spaces and trees, and a statue of Prince Albert near the top. Today there was sun and shade and forsythia was flowering.

There was also bird song and blossom. The park is surrounded by large houses, Abingdon School, St Michael’s Church,

and Trinity Church, all from Victorian times. Through these trees, as well as Trinity can be seen the more recent bowling clubhouse.

There were a lot of people walking round by the River Thames and down to Swift Ditch today. It did feel like a Bank Holiday Monday with people out getting some exercise and fresh air.

River levels have not gone up too far yet.

Some people will be returning to work after the extended Christmas holiday. The return to school could take a little longer for some with the need for tests to be done before children return.

‘Oyey Oyez Oyez! … God Bless the Queen and God Bless Abingdon.’ The start and the end of the Town Crier’s cry is always the same. It is just what goes in-between that changes. Today he said ‘Happy New Year and welcome to the walk of the ancient Abingdon bounds.’

The Abingdon Boundary Walk began on the Market Place at 11 am, just as the rain began. Minutes before, there had been sunshine from over the river and a grey sky everywhere else. The Town Crier accompanying the walk rang his bell and cried at a half dozen stops on the walk. At the Ock Valley, however, he said ‘I won’t ring the bell here. I’m just spending a moment listening to the birds as we can hear them over the sound of the traffic.’ He has a west country accent. More Bristol than the pure Berkshire once spoken by Abingdonians.

Information on the walk was provided by Councillor Helen Pighills who described the original boundaries and told us how a town official once swam over the River Thames from near St Helen’s Wharf because the boundary runs along the far bank. In another place we took the scenic route rather than sticking strictly to the route – in order to avoid a narrow pavement and the busy Drayton Road.

There was no group Christian Aid walk today. Instead walkers can make their own way round.