Healthy Abingdon are holding the next in the series of their health-related information evenings. This one, is about the health benefits of walking – whether to the shops, or as part of a group (when that is again within the regulations!).

All are welcome to attend. More details at
http://healthyabingdon.org.uk/events.htm#walking

The speakers are:

• Viv Boorman – Abingdon Health Walks. Viv will give us an overview of Abingdon’s Health Walks; what they are and how they work, as well as describing a little about what participants particularly enjoy about this local group.
• Steve Ellis – British Nordic Walking Association.  Steve will explain more about this increasingly popular activity, how it differs from basic walking and what additional benefits it can provide.
• Frankie Chesterton – Chartered Physiotherapist. Frankie will describe the lesser-known physical benefits of these easy, cheap and accessible activities.

You have no need to register but it would help them to know who is expected. email healthyabingdon@aol.com.

Questions will be taken afterwards.

During the lockdown there continue to be more people out on most walking routes, that includes quite a few walking to and from the Marina Park. It had been out of bounds for a couple of weeks and is now just about accessible without wellington boots.

Instead of the group of five swans there were just two when we arrived. One of them, probably the adult male, was splashing about furiously.

Two other swans swam over, and instead of a family welcome the adult male chased one of them away. He did not seem to worry about the other youngster. So perhaps one was looking rather too adult, while the other still looked young enough not to worry about.

There is also a boat run aground off Marina Park.

If anybody gets the Cumnor Parish News then they will know a lot about the goings and comings at the Marina Park. There is a piece written by one of the boat owners about life on a boat in the marina. It is very well written.

Nowadays an old wooden style near the Wootton Road roundabout makes one end of an old right of way between garden fences. The footpath bypasses the obsolete style, and may have previously gone further.

The path is behind the houses of Bourlon Wood, one of a number of roads in this area named after WWI battlefields. It also passes an area of green, half of which is surrounded by a fence with a notice saying ‘No Dogs’. There is no play equipment.

The right of way comes out near a footbridge over the A34 that heads over to Shippon. Crossing the Copenhagen Drive can be difficult at this point as it is part of the Abingdon outer circular way.

The footbridge also connects Abingdon to the Wildmoor Allotments, owned by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council.

I believe the council lease the allotments from a local farmer.

The footpath runs between fields

and comes out on the drive of Stowford House Care Home in Shippon on the Faringdon Road.

The Faringdon Road connects Shippon and Abingdon by way of a bridge over the A34 and Copenhagen Drive.