Category Archives: River Thames

The River Takes Over: Images of the River Thames near Abingdon

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Abingdon Weir looks fully open as high flows of water from Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire make their way along the River Thames by Abingdon.

The River Thames has risen dramatically over the past 24 hours. After breaching the bank near Abingdon Bridge, much of the water now bypasses the usual route, flooding the cricket field instead of curving around by St Helen’s Church.

Not only the cricket field but also the football ground finds itself underwater as the unbound River Thames takes over.

Some cars have been caught out by the sudden inflow of water to Rye Farm Carpark.

The water has risen to submerge the step of the stone building used by West Waddy Architects. Their flood gate shows the water level. It is still below the level reached in January 2024.

Yesterday, I praised the flood wall’s success in safeguarding St Helens Mill. Today somebody was pumping water over the wall away from the mill.

At sunset, the floodwaters look calm, reflecting the sky and trees near the Abbey Meadow pool.

But the river itself is anything but calm, overflowing the path to Abingdon Weir.

A late afternoon walk by the Thames in Abingdon

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Pictures from a few days ago.

The sky is blue and the river is calm, reflecting the colours of autumn, from yellows to rusty reds. On the right, the bank leads from Abingdon Bridge to Abingdon Lock, a short distance of half a mile.

Looking across the river to Cosener’s House, we see the newly restored stone wall and grotto, their surfaces now clean and bare. In the garden, a summer house sits near a golden tree that glows in the sunlight, a contrast to the darker evergreens.

At Abingdon Weir, looking back over the churning, frothy water, a “mackerel sky” stretches across the horizon. The cloud pattern resembles the scales of a fish, with scattered patches of white and grey clouds. The low sun brightens the central clouds, silhouetting the bare trees as evening approaches.

Sunny September Day at Abingdon-on-Thames

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Temperatures soared to about 28 degrees Celsius today, making it a warm start to September.

Earlier this week, Frank spotted the Canal Boat Diaries crew passing through Abingdon Lock. The lock was busier today. I was interested by a narrowboat, called Helios, powered entirely by the sun.

There were free cooking apples on offer at the lock. I took three and after cutting out the bad bits had the equivalent of two.

The Mill Stream swan family has expanded, and now number two adults and nine cygnets. I wonder if the five cygnets spotted without a parent last week have joined them.

Walking the Thames Path and Make a Splash

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Dale and Alan are walking the Thames Path, first downstream and then upstream, to raise money for the Ollie Young Foundation. Their journey began on July 9th and continues until July 27th. Ollie lost his life with an inoperable brain tumour just before his sixth birthday. The foundation aims to find a cure for this devastating illness. See https://wwo24.org/

Hatwell’s Funfairs have their rides near the river at Rye Farm Meadow. We are more used to seeing them near Drayton Road.

Another visitor asked about the Thames Path and I said, ‘Follow the funfair side of the river. Cross to the other side at Abingdon Lock and follow a Thames Path sign over a wooden bridge.’

Several walkers with backpacks were enjoying the Thames Path today. But according to Frank at the Lock, there are not as many boats as usual.

The puppet barge has returned to its usual spot along the river. The Open Air Pool is preparing to open. Grass has been cut.

Bookings for swimming sessions are available from July 20th onwards. For more information try Make a Splash.