Monthly Archives: February 2020

The Vale is Alive

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Vales are Alive
Peter often sends me advance notification of concerts by the Abingdon and District Musical Society (ADMS). There are two concerts in March. The concerts will be held at St Helen’s Church. The conductor will be Alexander Walker and the orchestra will be led by Kate Bailey.

Saturday 7th March at 7:30 pm (orchestral concert):
“Four Last Songs” by Richard Strauss
“Symphony No. 1” by Elgar

Saturday 21st March at 7:30 pm (choral concert):
“Cantique de Jean Racine” by Faure
“Rejoice in the Lamb” by Britten
“Requiem” by Durufle

Abingdon & District Musical Society have been performing since 1946. They have a large mixed voice choir and a full symphony orchestra – both led by professional musicians.
Vales are Alive
It makes me wonder how a town the size of Abingdon, in the Vale of the White Horse, has so many musical groups and societies.

Nags Head change of ownership and winter refurbishment

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Nags Head change
Dusham took over, and then refurbished, the Nags Head in 2012, and ran it until August 2019. He often carried out winter upgrade work. As a result the large island beer garden has been transformed. The Nags Head has its best months in the Summer with the River Thames and Nags Head Island being big attractions.
Nags Head change
The Nags Head has been taken over by Brakspear. The name Brakspear rhymes with Shakespeare and originated with the Brakspear Brewery in Henley-on-Thames. They have 130 pubs.
Nags Head change
The Nags Head is closed for refurbishment during the winter months.

Ock Ness Monster

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Ock Ness Monster
Chris sent me this photo. He said …

On 1st Feb me and the family were walking home from the town centre at lunchtime, along the road next to the River Ock.

A guy was there fishing, and just as we were passing he hooked a huge fish and was struggling to get it in his net.

I helped hold the rod and he managed to land the fish. He asked me to take a picture of him holding his catch with his phone, but its battery was dead, so I offered to take the picture on my phone of this giant pike he was so pleased to have caught!

I gave him one of my work business cards I had in my wallet so he could email me and I could send him back the pictures.

But maybe he lost my card because he never got in touch…

Maybe you could post this on the blog as I’d love to be able to send him the pictures. He was so proud to have caught this Ock ness monster, and said he had been after this one for a while!

Thought maybe a blog reader might know who this is and put us in touch?

You can email me at backstreet60@gmail.com and I can forward any responses to Chris.
Ock Ness Monster
Paul Gustafson, who lives and is well known in Abingdon, wrote a book on this very subject. It goes into detail how you can develop techniques that will catch bigger pike when fishing any location. He describes how to locate the biggest fish in a fishery, the best way of catching it, and how to apply various clever techniques and the most effective tackle to achieve greater success.

Demolished chimney, fallen trees, rain showers, and rainbow

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Storm Ciara was blowing today. There was a loud bang early on. Our first thought was that something had come crashing down from the roof.
Demolished Chimney in Didcot
But the bang was caused by Didcot ‘A’ Power Station chimney being demolished. The view down the River Thames from Abingdon has changed as a result.
Fallen Trees
The wind brought down some trees and branches. One tree had fallen between Trinity Church and the Abingdon School sports grounds. Fortunately the wind was from the South West and the tree fell onto open ground. Another tree on Bostock Road fell not onto cars or across the road but along the footpath and grass verge.
Fallen Trees
There was a tree and lots of branches down in the Albert Park.
Fallen Trees
A tree had come down over the River Ock along the Ock Valley Path.
Fallen Trees
A poplar in the Abbey Meadow had shattered.
Fallen Trees
A tree over the other side of the River Thames was split apart.
Rain
There was also a very heavy rain shower during the afternoon that lasted a few minutes before easing off.
Fallen Trees
That was followed by sunshine and a Rainbow (seen here over Abingdon Vale Cricket Club ground).