Ock Valley Walk – mid December

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Ock Valley Walk
Anyone walking the Ock Valley Walk between Drayton Road and St Helen’s Close this December will be struck by the number of yellow leaves still on the trees.
Ock Valley Walk
The path is muddy and despite wearing boots I got splattered.
Ock Valley Walk
The Ock Valley walk is between two streams that carry rain water and some sediment down from the Vale of White Horse.
Ock Valley Walk
The River Ock flows under the busy Drayton road through two main arches.
Ock Valley Walk
There are other arches which allow more water to flow during flooding. In 2007 even they were not enough. The water backed up and flooded the Drayton Road.

The rounded concrete on the far side is where the bridge was widened.
Ock Valley Walk
The water can flow from the upper to the lower stream at this mini weir – put in to protect Ock Street from floods.
Ock Valley Walk
At the lower end of the walk there are a lot of old tree trunks, left where they fell, or piled in damp heaps and covered in moss – a home for creepy crawlies.

Art show in Abingdon and signs of old age

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Water Leak and Art Exhibition
There was the art exhibition at St Ethelwold’s House in East St Helen Street.
Water Leak and Art Exhibition
The artists were there to chat and I learned that they had produced more art than usual because of the lockdown. Claire Cross has created a lot of new Abingdon views during lockdown.
Water Leak and Art Exhibition
There was a one way system round the exhibition and so if you wanted to revisit an art work you had to go round again. There are always things you notice differently the second and third time round.
Water Leak and Art Exhibition
At the top end of East St Helen Street a water leak meant that a new hole was dug yesterday.
Water Leak and Art Exhibition
Most roads in our old town centre have had a hole dug in the last fortnight. Being the oldest continually inhabited town in England does have some drawbacks.

What are those steel beams for?

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Wharf Wall Repairs to happen
Yesterday morning a lorry brought steel beams and transferred them onto a barge at Wilsham Road in Abingdon.
Wharf Wall Repairs to happen
They ended up at Abingdon Lock. You may still be wondering  ‘What are those steel beams for?’
Wharf Wall Repairs to happen
An Environment Agency notice has a full explanation. A new steel structure is to replace the timber boat layby. There is also going to be a canoe portage.
Wharf Wall Repairs to happen
This is the old timber layby. The timbers are now broken up – discarded.

Painting the bell bollards … Saturday Country Market

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Abingdon Country Market - This Saturday
Yesterday, Oxfordshire County Council painted the bell bollards outside St Nicolas Church to make them easier to see.

Christmas cards for charities are on sale inside the church. There are a good selection of about twenty charities – not as many charities as in a usual year.
Abingdon Country Market - This Saturday
The nativity scene at St Nic’s becomes visible as the sun goes down. It also plays Christmas Carols.

By the end of next week school pupils will break up for the Christmas Holidays.
Abingdon Country Market - This Saturday
The Salvation Army have their own nativity scene – with a rainbow behind.
Abingdon Country Market - This Saturday
Over the road, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks have unearthed a large bundle of cables outside the Co-op. It has been like that for a couple of days now.
Abingdon Country Market - This Saturday
Abingdon Country Market will be on at the Salvation Army this Saturday from 10 am with their usual assortment of jams and chutneys, and cakes (including mince pies).