Category Archives: River Thames

Temporary Closure of Abingdon Weir Walkway – April 2025

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We are back in Abingdon after a short time away and find the Abingdon weir walkway has been temporarily closed for safety reasons following an engineering inspection.

The Environment Agency is investigating corrosion found in the steelwork supporting the pedestrian bridge. The walkway has been shut while the full extent of the damage is assessed and any necessary repairs are planned.

A temporary footpath closure notice has been issued by Oxfordshire County Council and is expected to last from 22 April 2025 until 12 May 2025. The footpath diversion is over Abingdon Bridge to Abingdon Lock.

The First Day of Spring in Abingdon

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The first day of spring brought blue skies and sunshine to Abingdon. People went outdoors to enjoy the town’s riverside beauty. Signs of the changing season were everywhere. Cherry blossoms from a fallen tree still bloomed and added colour to this view of Abingdon Bridge and The Nags Head pub.

Yellow daffodils near the water’s edge brightened the view of Abingdon Bridge and The Riverside Cafe – a popular spot for those wanting a coffee and cakes or lunch with a view.

From another angle, the spire of St Helen’s Church rose above The Riverside Cafe.

Cherry trees also bloomed near the Old Gaol.

For people who did not have to work  there was a chance to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the first day of Spring in Abingdon, the vernal equinox, when day and night are of nearly equal length. Although up to recently I used to think it was March 21st.

A walk by Abingdon Lock

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These discoveries on the walk round by Abingdon Lock may be old news to some, but here they are anyway …

On Wednesday, November 27th, a narrowboat broke free and sank near Abingdon Lock. The vessel remains submerged against the weir wall, its hull held in place by the river current and ropes.

The boat owner and their dog are safe. A large tree branch is entangled behind the boat as the river flows around and through it.

I did hear that the lock keeper provided temporary shelter in the lock house until alternative arrangements could be made for the boat owner.

In an update, the lock keeper has written on a board that insurance and recovery companies  must wait for the river flow to subside significantly before removing the boat.

Apart from what must be a sad episode for the boat owner, there was a beautiful winter sunset this evening at the lock.

A second discovery on the walk was the opening of the new Sushi takeaway on Bridge Street.

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.