There were a lot of people walking round by the River Thames and down to Swift Ditch today. It did feel like a Bank Holiday Monday with people out getting some exercise and fresh air.
River levels have not gone up too far yet.
Some people will be returning to work after the extended Christmas holiday. The return to school could take a little longer for some with the need for tests to be done before children return.
There was a lot of rain this afternoon which left standing water on many roads and paths in Abingdon. At the top of East St Helen Street the run off from the Punchbowl and adjoining shops helped to cause a flash flood. The drainage never seems that good at that water juncture.
At Nic’s church water gushed out of the spouts of the gargoyles and so avoids splashing the building. There is the chance it will hit anybody not looking.
‘Oyey Oyez Oyez! … God Bless the Queen and God Bless Abingdon.’ The start and the end of the Town Crier’s cry is always the same. It is just what goes in-between that changes. Today he said ‘Happy New Year and welcome to the walk of the ancient Abingdon bounds.’
The Abingdon Boundary Walk began on the Market Place at 11 am, just as the rain began. Minutes before, there had been sunshine from over the river and a grey sky everywhere else. The Town Crier accompanying the walk rang his bell and cried at a half dozen stops on the walk. At the Ock Valley, however, he said ‘I won’t ring the bell here. I’m just spending a moment listening to the birds as we can hear them over the sound of the traffic.’ He has a west country accent. More Bristol than the pure Berkshire once spoken by Abingdonians.
Information on the walk was provided by Councillor Helen Pighills who described the original boundaries and told us how a town official once swam over the River Thames from near St Helen’s Wharf because the boundary runs along the far bank. In another place we took the scenic route rather than sticking strictly to the route – in order to avoid a narrow pavement and the busy Drayton Road.
There was no group Christian Aid walk today. Instead walkers can make their own way round.
There was a rainbow this morning in Bridge Street – a sign of hope on the last day of 2021.
In 2022, some of the long standing problems in Abingdon Town Centre should get resolved. They include the cause of this queue of traffic.
The arches under Abingdon Bridge need strengthening, and this meant reduced traffic access. The lights have caused tail backs up Bridge Street and Stert Street and possible air quality problems.
The leaseholder of the Upper Reaches leaseholder closed and boarded-up the hotel in 2015. Since then the site has become a blot on the river entry to Abingdon. The owner, Vale of White Horse District Council, will hopefully get the leaseholder to put forward acceptable plans for the sites future in 2022,
or take back the lease.
Most of the Charter Carpark has been closed since early March 2021. The closure did cause problems for people going to the charter vaccination centre in 2021.
There are other carpark available but the new civil parking enforcement, introduced from November 1st, has increased demand for public carparks.