There was a Farmer’s Market on Abingdon Market Place today.

The Church in Abingdon had their traditional Good Friday Procession from the library . The procession stopped on the Market Place to sing “There is a Green Hill Far Away.”

They then processed to St Nicolas Church where there was a United Service led by Reverend Paul Smith.

It was a lovely sunny day, and so not only St Nicolas Church , and the Market Place were busy. Nags Head Island was busy, as was the Abbey Meadow Play Park. It was also the busiest day of the year so far in terms of passing boats for Abingdon Lock. There is currently quite a narrow navigation channel, with red buoys, below the lock, and I saw a boat getting stuck on a shoal (accumulation of sediment) for a few minutes.

At 7pm this Thursday evening the bells of St Helen’s Church and St Nicolas Church, in Abingdon-on-Thames town centre, rang in solidarity with the people of Paris because of the fire that destroyed the spire and roof of Notre Dame on Monday night.

On Sunday, at the Abingdon Cycle Festival, the Town Crier announced the rides as they set off every quarter of an hour through the morning and early afternoon.

The first rides were the fast rides over 40 or 50 miles. Then followed a range of different rides for all abilities.

Traffic was diverted down East St the Helen Street and West St Helen Street so the Market Place and High Street were dedicated to stalls which registered cyclists, provided food and refreshment,cycle products and safety, and different bands played.

There was also a challenge of three static bikes trying to do an enormous distance without moving.

The event wants to encourage people to get on their bikes and enjoy the outdoors. During my canvassing in Caldecott (to try and get on the Town Council as an Independent) I hear the message that more people would use their bikes, and let their children cycle, if the roads and cycle ways were safer.

The Abingdon Head of the River Rowing event saw nearly 400 boats rowing from Culham Reach, 1850m upstream on the River Thames, to the finish line across from Wilsham Road.

Head racing takes the form of time trials. Crews set off one at a time and are timed from start to finish. The boats started off in groups of nearly 100 in four divisions.

The first boat from the first division to come in was competing in the Op 8+ event and came in with a time of 7:03, the fastest time all day. Op 8+ means Open 8 rowers + cox (I think). The team was from B T C (Southampton) Rowing.

The Oxfordshire Lowland Search and Rescue were to be seen along the course to help and keep rowers safe throughout the day.

After competing crews rowed back to Rye Farm Meadow,

passing town landmarks like the Old Anchor Inn.

This is crew 143 from Wallingford Rowing Club in event Op J16 2x, which probably means Open Junior up to age 16 with 2 crew.

There is a lot involved in getting the boats from the River back to their trailers without bumping into anybody. Stewards guide this as well as the rowing.

All the oars seem to be kept like a big wigwam near the landing stages.

Competitors and spectators could then enjoy a BBQ, local beer, tea, cakes and Morris Dancers. There was also the WWII event from yesterday’s post nearby.

The event was organised by Abingdon Rowing Club.