Abingdon - whats to do

McKneff

hello all:hello:
my husband and i are going to abingdon to see family on Saturday
not coming home till wednesday. We will probably go into Oxford for the day.
Is there anything worth seeing in Abingdon. How far away is London and is it worth going on the train or the bus for the day

Thanks in advance for any help

CravingSaving

I used to live in Abingdon! If the weather is nice, take a trip to the Abbey Meadows, with a picnic and your swim stuff! There is a lovely open swimming pool there. If you have kids, they will enjoy the water jets. You can have a lovely walk along the Thames.... very pretty.

As for the town itself, other than a pretty standard shopping centre, I can't think of much. Oxford has much more to offer and is only 10 minutes away.

Have a great time.

dzug1

London is a good day trip if you normally live further away. Best way is probably to drive to Didcot from where it's under an hour by train with reasonable off-peak fares. The nearest station is Radley - only a couple of miles - but only slow trains stop there.

waggys

You could try going to Millets farm (about 10 mins away) it is a large garden centre with a pets centre and a very good maize maze.

McKneff

thanks for such a fast response, will try them all, not sure about the swimming though - going to see son, daughter in law and my very precious grandaughter aged 18 months so i think the first thing will be a walk along the pretty Thames. We live in North Yorks, so looking forward to a day in London. Keep posting please

Blue264

anniehanlon wrote: »

How far away is London and is it worth going on the train or the bus for the day

Lonodn is roughly 1hr 15mins away by train and, if you buy the tickets 7days in advance, they're available for £4 each way on Network Rail. I just did a quick search for 17th August. The 08:38 and 09:38 trains take just over an hour and are available at the £4 rate returning on the 20:42 from Paddington for £4 also.
If you should choose to go on Monday, 19th, the outward journey is £6 but you can still get the return for £4.

Having said that, I had one of the best weekends ever in Oxford. It's a beautiful place and I would choose to spend a lot of my time there.
You might also like to visit Waddesdon Manor... http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/

McKneff

:hello: thanks blue264, cant believe people are so kind and you have taken the time to do this for me. i am about to get onto the network rail site as you suggest and probably visit London on Tuesday, giving us Sunday with Family
Monday in Oxford and home on Wednesday

McKneff

its sods law eh, i spent a bit of time getting the raileasy tickets, filled inall the forms, got to "get tickets" and then get the Raileasy site is temporarily unavailable any way, ne'mind, i'll keep trying. Rang my son and he couldnt believe the price of £4 each for Oxford to London. Thanks again for your help

Blue264

Sorry but I believe the £4 tickets were only available 7 days in advance.
Just had a quick look and the £6 return journey ones are still showing but not the £4 outward.
Keep trying.

davidlizard

I used to live there before I escaped. In addition to the stuff already suggested.

1. Take a steamer on the Thames up to Oxford on the odd occassion they run, or take a boat out.
2. Abbey meadows - in the park there is the ruins of the old monastery from when Henry VIII trashed the monastories.
3. There is Abingdon Museum (in the market place) - about 1 floors worth of old pots and thats about it.
4. Sit in one of the 20 or so pubs. The Morlands brewery went about 10 years ago.
5. Leisure Centre (just of Audlett Drive) - there is an indoor play centre next door.
6. Look at where the MG factory once was.
7. Err... thats about it

In the surrounding area:
1. Oxford (say no more!)
2. Blenheim Palace (just north of Oxford)
3. Didcot railway centre (steam trains and stuff, usually working).
4. White horse at Uffington/Dragon Hill/Wayland Smithy - great views.
5. The Cotswolds.
6. Dorchester on Thames - pretty village full of antique shops and Londoners.
7. The Cotswold Wildlife park at Burford.
8. Milletts Farm may have the maze again.
9. George Orwell is buried in Sutton Courtney, Churchill is buried at Bladon.

There is (or was) a bus from Bridge Street to London, but now most people get one from Oxford (park for free in the park and ride at Headington) - it takes about an hour.

A word of warning - since the local council mucked around with the one way system, the centre of Abingdon is a nightmare for traffic.

Have fun!

dzug1

anniehanlon wrote: »

its sods law eh, i spent a bit of time getting the raileasy tickets, filled inall the forms, got to "get tickets" and then get the Raileasy site is temporarily unavailable any way, ne'mind, i'll keep trying. Rang my son and he couldnt believe the price of £4 each for Oxford to London. Thanks again for your help

Maybe for the best - raileasy charge fees. First Great Western, for example, don't and sell the same tickets.