Category Archives: River Thames

Abingdon Weir Walkway Still Open as Water Channels Through Sluice Gates

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Water was flowing through the central sluice gates of Abingdon Weir today, but not over the sloping spillway. Often the flow is all the way across.

The footpath across the weir is currently open. It was closed for much of the spring and early summer for safety reasons. People were stopping to watch the large foaming cascade through the gates as they crossed.

The Environment Agency said in early October that the walkway will remain open until river flows increase, but the supporting structure still needs strengthening. Because of this, the walkway remains at risk of temporary closure during high flows or when construction work begins. Once contractors are able to start the strengthening work, the path will need to close again for the duration of the repairs.

Fishing Line Traps Heron in Mill Stream

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On the morning of 13 August, a heron — a familiar visitor to the mill stream by Thames Street — was heard calling persistently from around 7:30 am. It soon became clear that the bird was in distress, unable to move far or leave the water.

The RSPCA arrived at the scene around 10:00 am and, seeing the bird’s condition, called in the fire service. Firefighters entered the water and lifted out the exhausted heron, which by then was too weak to resist.

The RSPCA said a fishing hook was lodged in the bird’s wing, with line trailing into the lilies and holding it fast.

Thanks go to G for the photograph and to J for passing on the story.

Dredging downstream of Abingdon Lock

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If you passed Abingdon Lock today, you may have seen an excavator on a floating barge, pulling mud from the river with its grab.

Silt collects below the weir and has to be cleared to keep the channel deep enough for boats. The spoil is swung either out of the navigation channel or onto the bank that has built up near the lock. That bank seems to grow larger each year and is now a favourite spot for geese. It may also help to keep the silt from drifting back into the channel.

A local passer-by said they remembered the same work being done last summer. The Environment Agency has plenty to do, with flooding sometimes and silt at others. Although this summer has been dry, the river level does not look unusually low on the gauge downstream of Abingdon Lock. However, a notice at the lock warns boaters about shallows along the left bank before Abingdon Bridge.

Abingdon Weir Footpath Open

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The footpath across Abingdon Weir has reopened, with large green “Footpath Open” signs now in place and the fencing that blocked access removed.

The walkway was closed in April 2025 due to safety concerns over corrosion in the steel support structure. At the time, the closure was expected to last about three weeks — from 22 April to 12 May — but it was understood this could be extended depending on inspection results.

During the closure, there were occasional acts of “guerrilla reopening,” with padlocks removed to let people across, only for the Environment Agency to replace them.

The Environment Agency has given no public updates about repairs or an official reopening date, but the path is open for now.