Tag Archives: OPIGtreat

OPIG Retreat, 2026: Heatwave Edition

Last week, a sizable fraction of OPIG headed to “The Plough” near Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire for our OPIG Retreat (a.k.a. “OPIGtreat”). Some of us travelled on Monday by train, encountering a biblical deluge, a darkness resembling a train tunnel but with pelting rain and bath-tubs of water washing the train windows, and lightning strikes every 30s while changing in Bath Spa…

The red monster storm with black eye is what greeted us as we were arriving in Bath Spa. (Credit: UK Thunderstorm Updates: “This is what the satellite imagery is currently showing from the storm affecting Somerset/ Wiltshire. Cloud tops on this monster have exceeded 40,000ft….”)

Undeterred, and either shuttled by the fabulous Anita from Bradford on Avon station, or walking on foot, we arrived at our lovely destination and home for the week.

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