Abingdon Green Gym Blog

  Riding for the Disabled, Southmoor   -   Saturday 31st January 2026 Blog by Eleanor, photos by Sally and Julio It was almost a year since our last session at Riding for the Disabled and that had been on a terribly wet day, so this time we were luckier with the weather. We would be working in two separate areas. One task was to clear one of the ditches. This would enable more water to drain away and prevent the paddock from flooding. The other task was to plant bulbs along the footpath leading to the woodland area behind the buildings. The riding centre was planning to develop this path so eventually horses could be led along it with their riders. Sue, of the riding centre gave us our tasks Briefing in the yard The riding centre seen from the new footpath The ditch clearers set off to begin their task. The ditch before We had brought waders, but fortunately the ditch could mostly be cleared from the bank.   Jim and Rhian set to work Kevin clearing the ditc...

Blog by Sally.  Photos by Henry, Julio, Michele and Sally On Saturday, 24 January, we went to a new site for us at Lincombe Lane, Boars Hill, which was bought by Oxford Preservation Trust in three lots between 1937 and 1940 from Abingdon Rural District Council and comprises a field of unimproved grassland, heath and wet flush which slopes to a wooded valley fen - a local wildlife site.  On a clear day, it offers views of Didcot and the Berkshire Downs to the south and of Princes Risborough and the Chilterns to the east, so quite a lovely spot to find ourselves on an unexpectedly fine winter's day, as the forecast earlier in the week had promised rain. The field is grazed by horses, and these had been fenced in so we could work safely.  18 volunteers turned out, including Matt, one of the OPT volunteers and we worked under the direction of Rod d'Ayala, the consultant ecologist to OPT.  We had car shared where possible and once we had all assembled, we made our way dow...