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Abingdon Floods – River Ock and Thames today + Video footage

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Abingdon floods
The Ock Valley Walk is largely under water because of the floods.
Abingdon floods
People living near Chaunterell Waya have been putting sticks in the ground to track the high water mark of the River Ock. The water is going down again after peaking last night. The houses are above the floods.
Abingdon floods
Tesco is also above water even though one of the roads is flooded.
Abingdon floods
The footpath from Chaunterell Way to Tesco is under the waves that are sweeping through surrounding trees.
Abingdon floods
Meanwhile the level of the River Thames has been rising but at a slower rate.
Abingdon floods
The splash pad is the only thing currently above water in the splash pad area in the Abbey Meadows.
Abingdon floods
Abingdon Weir and Abingdon Lock can be reached with caution from the Abbey Meadows, but you cannot go far when you get to the other side.
Abingdon floods
The Environment Agency have graphs to show the water levels at https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/station/7081 and https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/station/7073?direction=d.

Ice and Birds

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Ice and Birds
Temperatures have not gone much over freezing since Sunday’s snow. There are still places where it is icy and slippery under foot and where caution is required. I have had many unexpected slips on ice in the past, starting with a broken arm falling off my tricycle – aged four.

Yesterday we walked through the Abbey Gardens and along the Mill Stream and beyond.
Ice and Birds
There were two swans near the concrete bridge near the swimming pool.
Ice and Birds
A heron was stood further along, partly hidden.
Ice and Birds
At Barton Fields there were lots of small birds on the bird feeders.
Ice and Birds
Robins were singing along most of the route. One at Radley Lakes stayed long enough for a picture.
Ice and Birds
Most of the birds were some way away at Thrupp Lake but the ice did mean the very muddy parts were not quite so muddy.

Coming back along the cycle way, a red sign indicated Abingdon as 1.75 miles away. So that made yesterday’s walk about 4 miles and we got home without falling.

Abingdon Peace Group celebrates UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons

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ban nuclear weapons
Last Friday the first-ever UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons came into effect. The day was marked on Abingdon Market Place by the Abingdon Peace Group.

The treaty prohibits signatories from producing, stockpiling, selling and using nuclear weapons. The treaty was passed by the UN in 2017, with 123 countries voting for and 38 voting against. It has so far been ratified by 52 states and others are in the process. Signatories are mostly from Africa, Latin America and Asia.
ban nuclear weapons
They include some European nations including Ireland. Will the UK follow? The archbishops of Canterbury and York, and many bishops of both Anglican and Catholic dioceses have publicly called on the UK government to sign it.

There are an estimated 13,400 nuclear weapons worldwide. Such weapons are overwhelmingly owned by the USA, and Russia. Other countries with nuclear weapons include: China, France, UK, Pakistan, India, North Korea and probably Israel. Signatories do not include any countries that own these nuclear weapons or any Nato members.

Thankyou to Feng Ho for the pictures.

More Snow in Abingdon

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More Snow in Abingdon
Daniel has taken more amazing aerial views of Abingdon.
More Snow in Abingdon
Tim sent me pictures of a lot of the snow people in his street. Some melted before he could get to them. This one appears to be supported by the wheelie bin.
More Snow in Abingdon
Michael visited the Albert Park and sent one of the more exotic snow people