People and dogs are so happy now that the Ock Valley Walk has re-opened here in Abingdon.
Blossoms brighten the way.
The River Ock trickles by on both sides, the higher stream and the lower stream. They cascade together at two different weirs along the route
Then there is all the wildlife that has got used to humans not being about. This little muntjac looked a bit worried by the sight of me.
Thank you to Elizabeth for this picture of the bridge being replaced at the town end of the Ock Valley Walk. The work happened yesterday. Elizabeth says she is delighted, as will be many other people, that the much loved walk is open again after a long closure.
The previous bridge was vandalised and closed almost six months ago.
Both the Head of the River rowing, and the Home Guard at Abingdon Lock have been cancelled because of the wet conditions. Here is a video showing some of the recent water from the River Thames and River Ock, mostly shot at various weirs.
It was early closing at 6pm at Tesco on Easter Monday. Anybody going back by bike or foot had to think twice before going along by the River Ock.
The River Ock had burst its banks and so the Marcham Road was the only route.
Beyond the Drayton Road the River Ock was running fast. It was within its banks, and so there does not look like any danger to properties.
One sporting event has been cancelled. The Head of the River rowing event, planned for Sunday, 8th April, has been cancelled with great regret. The River Thames usually reaches a high water mark 2 or 3 days after the River Ock, and even if the River were row-able by next Sunday the fields would be too wet to take cars with trailers.
Thanks to the Royal Mint for the new £1 coin. With the old £1 coin there was often the worry it could be a fake.
In Abingdon it was a couple of weeks, after the introduction, until we got any of the new coins.
Not all the machines are ready in time. The leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council was seen in front of one of the parking machines saying that it would not take the new coin yet.
Tesco took the decision to unlock all their trolleys until they could be adapted to the new coin. I did see one trolley in the River Ock. There must have been more.
Now a notice says “… due to trolleys being abandoned around the town and in the river, they will now be locked back up to protect the local area and environment. The trolleys accept old style £1 coins or trolley tokens …”
Running alongside Ock Street, the River Ock has two branches.
Between them lies a favorite walk of locals. It runs from St Helen’s Court in the town centre to Drayton Road.
The path is out of site of the houses because of the cover of trees. There are crack willows beside the water, and Abingdon Green Gym have planted new trees in an area between the main path and a smaller path following the upper river.
It is a place of natural beauty where wildlife can be seen. On Sunday we saw by chance a heron in action. Normally we just see herons standing waiting in the water, but this one was going for the kill.
It caught what I fear was a water vole. An expert might know better.
The heron then fought and dunked its victim repeatedly in the water. I hope it was a rat, but I fear it was a water vole.
One of the longest running complaints of the Tithe Farm and Ladygrove Residents association was remedied last week. Instead of a muddy uneven path beside the River Ock between Chaunterell Way and Tesco there is now a tarmac path.
The work has been done by the Vale of the White Horse District Council.
In the same area, alongside the Ladygrove Meadow, the Environment Agency has been clearing trees, and dredging the River Ock. I have not heard any official word about dredging but there was a large pile of mud a month ago that is now gone. This area did see flooding in 2007.