📷 Photo by Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Just a short walk from Shippon village, you'll discover the Abbey Fishponds, a nature reserve with genuine medieval roots.
The ponds were originally constructed as a fish farm supplying food to Abingdon Abbey during the Middle Ages, when monks managed the waters as part of their daily monastic life. These days, the site has been carefully preserved as a tranquil nature reserve that protects its varied habitats of water, reedbeds, and damp meadows.
The footpaths here invite you to wander at a leisurely pace and really observe what's around you. Summer brings dragonflies skimming across the water in bright colours, and if you're patient and quiet, you might catch sight of a water vole or hear the sharp call of a water rail. Kingfishers are regular visitors too, and when spring arrives, wildflowers dot the meadows with colour. It's the kind of place that encourages you to simply sit and watch rather than rush through.
The location makes it easy to combine with other activities. Shippon village itself is just nearby if you fancy exploring further, or you can drive a short distance to Abingdon-on-Thames, a proper market town with additional historical interest and plenty of places to eat and drink after your walk.
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