Thanks to Jane E for sending news and pictures of the intrepid Abingdon walkers who turned out at 10am on New Year’s Day to walk 8 miles to raise money for Christian Aid. This year the walk started from All Saints’ in Abingdon, walking to Boars Hill via Bayworth then back to Abingdon via Sunningwell.

At the half way point they were welcomed for tea and home made cakes at a house among the tall trees on Boars Hill.

Googling ‘abingdon boundary walk’ I read it started at 11:30am, but failed to notice the date was 1 Jan 2014.

The walk really set out at 11:00am, as advertised on the posters round town, and I found them by walking the reverse direction along the Ock Valley Walk.

We then crossed the ancient Ock Bridge, peeped in at the MG Gardens, and then crossed the road at the Marcham Road lights.

The Town Crier, John Crowley, greeted people at various halts along the way on behalf of the Mayor and Town Council, wishing people a Happy New Year, as he woke some from their slumbers.

He did say he hoped that those indoors would grow a skin like a rhinocerous in 2015 and be able to join the Boundary Walk next year.

He also announced to those ‘waking with the hideous realisation of the new year’s resolutions so sincerely made last night‘ that he hoped ‘the resolutions will last longer than the hangover.‘

He introduced the ‘infinitely informative and lavishly loquacious‘ Patrick Bird who led the walk, and described the 1556 Abingdon boundaries.

At Abingdon Lock, where the two hour walk finished, Patrick showed us a boundary stone, marked with ‘A’ for Abingdob, and handed round pictures of other Abingdon and Parish Boundary stones.

The Friends of Abingdon had organised a series of walks for this Bank Holiday Monday.  The rain continued to fall thoughout the day, but it did deter the folk of Abingdon.

Martin Smith, leading the Boundary Walk, said that it is the first time he remembered it ever raining on a Boundary Walk.

Eleanor Dangerfield, leading the Ock Valley Walk on behalf of the Green Gym, said that they had been very lucky with the weather for Green Gym events up to now. Rain was a rarity.

Wispy and Hattie are used to walks in all weathers.

On the St Helen’s Walk, local historian Judy White told people about some of the history of the buildings surrounding St Helen’s Church. Part of St Helen’s Mill, behind her, was used as a church school by St Helens from the 1830s before the Bury Street School was built.

There was also an 8 mile waterside walk, and an Old Abbey walk.

Thanks to The Friends of Abingdon, and Pat Bryden in particular, for organising all those walks.