Category Archives: River Thames

The Seven Wonders of Abingdon

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The City Daily Photo Theme for February was power but I am too late for that. It is February 3rd and entries have now closed. 

The weir is one of the seven wonders of Abingdon and could potentially generate several hundred horse power. A weir is a barrier built across a river to raise the water level on the upstream side, allowing water to flow steadily over. On the River Thames weirs are alongside locks, to let boats pass, and fish passes.

My seven wonders of Abingdon are:
* Abingdon Weir
* The County Hall
* Abingdon Bridge
* St Helen’s Church
* Long Alley Almshouse
* Abbey Buildings
* Albert Park

Here is a short video of the weir to show it deserves to be in the top seven.

Registering craft and swans on the River Thames

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Down at Abingdon Marina,

by the slipway, is a notice that says all craft need to be registered.

Swans are the only birds that are routinely registered with a ring. The Swan Uppers have not been to Abingdon for the last two years. There are more unregistered swans than usual.

Most of St Helen’s Wharf seems to be used by registered carft.

There was music coming from The Old Anchor Inn.

Hippy Haze may have been rehearsing. They are next performing on 6th February.

The pigeons had all been listening from the chimneys until they all flew off.

More pigeons flew down from the steeple at St Helen’s Church. All those pigeons were just waiting for the moment somebody started throwing bread into the river.

Abingdon Marina Park – wind battered with lone swan

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When I walked round the Abingdon Marina Park late this afternoon there was still debris from the Sunday morning winds. Willow branches with leaves were thrown around. One larger branch lay across the path and had been wound with hazard tape.

In other places it did not look so bad in the late afternoon sun.

The park is between the River Thames and the Marina and has a view across to where Swift Ditch rejoins the Thames.

A lone swan was there. Swans are usually seen in pairs or family groups or teenage gangs. Perhaps the family had gone off somewhere and this one was just waiting for their return.