Toon Army in town

Anybody in town this morning couldn't have helped noticing the singing, and the chanting, and the spectacle of young men trying to throw each other into a skip outside the museum.

This group of Newcastle United supporters are on their way back to their coach.

"Who you playing?" I asked.

"Wor on wor way te Reading." one said, or something like that.

There will be an alcohol ban at the visitors end during the match, and so they fans were getting tooned up in Abingdon before the game.

Abingdon Lions

Abingdon Lions were out in the Market Place today. Sometimes they raise money to help a local person who has a special need, and sometimes they have a big campaign. They are currently raising money for defibrillators for ambulances.

To Bridge Or Not To Bridge that is the question

This is the first example of a path ending abruptly at a river bank, just waiting for a footbridge to be built ... (at the Riverside development on the Mill Stream).

This is the second example of a path ending abruptly at a river bank, still waiting for a footbridge to be built... (at the Brewery development on the River Ock).

Builders need to add a certain amount of green space within a development, or in lieu of that provide access to green space some other way, like with a bridge.

The Riverside footbridge is currently awaiting a decision by the Vale. It will be paid for by the developer, and will not bump up our council tax. However, for one reason or another, footbridges do not always get built. It provides access for residents to the countryside, but on the otherhand it also acts as a shortcut for wanderers.

Abingdon Abbey Robbed

Not that Abbey!

Half Term

Its half-term this week, and at the start of the week I saw this expedition setting off down the river. They were going to camp overnight after about 20 KM.

I also watched this Oxford College crew picking their way carefully along Abingdon Lock. It was an education to me. Aftr that a single rowing boat went up the lock on its own.

First Frost

First noticeable frost on the windscreen yesterday morning. A soft blanket of leaves lies beneath this Ash in the Abbey Meadow.

Here too, on the river walk across from St Helen's Wharf, the leaves lay like a blanket, but these leaves are a lot more crunchy, so I'm not sure I can call it a blanket.

From Minor Road Changes to Major Emotions

The speed limit on the B4017 between Drayton and Abingdon will be set at 50 MPH. You really have to put your foot down anyway to get up to 60 MPH on this short winding stretch. I remember the motor cyclist who was killed on this stretch about four years ago. I cycled past the slowly fading flowers left as a road side memorial for many days. I remember his first name, and people complaining that something had to be done about that stretch of road.

The parking spaces opposite the Co-op development are to be lost to the builders for the next 45 weeks. I don't really begrudge them the space. We do after all want the store. But it will make it even more like a game of musical chairs for us residents trying to get a parking place. Grrr!

From the rough to the smooth

After last weeks heavy rain, the River Thames has been riding high from since before the weekend. At the Weir it looks dramatic.

Not many calm patches for the fishermen up that way.

At Abingdon Bridge the water swirls.

Only downstream could a fishing competition be managed. The green buoy lets the boats know they should keep away from the shallow water toward the far bank - opposite Wilsham Road.

The Abingdon Crafts Festival

The festival makes use of all the Old Abbey Buildings. The Unicorn Theatre is pictured here. It runs from 19th - 22nd October, and then continues with a change of exhibitors from 25th-28th October.

This stall, called Highland Games - is one of about 50 listed on the official website.

On Friday and Saturday this week, but not today, there was an Abingdon Fairtrade exhibiton and sale at St Nicolas Church. They took advantage of the increased footfall created by the Craft Festival.