Army Rowing Club – new facilities for outdoor and indoor rowing


The Army Rowing Club (ARC) in Abingdon is owned by the Army Sport Clubs Association and so is not MOD land. The Army Rowing Club exists to encourage and promote the sport of rowing within the British Army. They supports two main disciplines of rowing; outdoor rowing (scull and row) and indoor rowing.

As ARC redevelop the land off the Wilsham Road in Abingdon, the buildings at the back are designed to house outdoor rowing boats, and the building near the river will give access to indoor rowing. The indoor rowing will take place in an underground area that was built before the huts. The underground area is a tunnel under the River Thames with an emergency trap door on the far bank, covered with vegetation. At this early stage the mismatching vegetation can be seen by anybody who looks closely. If anybody is walking along the far bank and can take a picture I would like to add it to this blog post.

Preston Road Jackpot


Every Tuesday at Preston Road Community Centre, doors open at 7pm, and its eyes down at 8pm for Bingo that finishes just before 10pm. There is room for more tables if more people come along.

Also at the centre on 7th April the Abingdon Wine Circle have their monthly meeting and the theme will be wines from Catalonia, including a very unusual orange wine.

Goslings on the cycle path


Malvin sent me this picture of a group of goslings on the cycle path beside the Mill Stream through the Abbey Meadows.

It is always a good idea to cycle slowly at that part on the path. There are pedestrians, and wildlife. In the new Highway Code, the “Hierarchy of Road Users” ranks road users in order of those who are most at risk in the event of an accident. It does not mention wildlife.

I was amazed last weekend to hear the loud sounds of fireworks during the birds breeding season. I have never investigated whether firework displays need to get a license.