Wicken Fen at the Weekend - Combining (as in Harvesting) almost finished

The weekend was actually quite pleasant for cycling, now that I am getting used to daytime temperatures of less than 35C after my Summer Holiday. In the main it was quite warm, not too sunny but no rain - the only minor downside was that it was fairly blustery. When it is very windy out generally plan my route to head out into the wind and then get pushed home by the wind - it was not that bad.

Most of the fields have been cut though - farmers have indeed been making hay whilst it has not rained. There are quite a few fields with hay bales stacked awaiting collection and also quite a few tractors pulling one or two trailers stacked with hay. I've always found the farmers around these parts to be friendly (make that considerate) towards cyclists on the roads and to encourage that view I generally always pull off onto the verge so that the tractor driver does not even need to slow when passing - they always give a wave of thanks. Although not often you do see bales that have been shed onto the roads. When I was a boy I would sometime help the local farmer stack bales - the reward being a ride on top of the trailer loaded with bales as it was pulled through the fields. definitely not the sort of thing that would be allowed nowadays.

This picture was taken looking the other way - a bit darker for emphasis but the weather was changeable.

Off in the distance I could see a large smoke plume. My first thought was that it was a stack of hay going up in smoke - but it was too large and black really. In the end I cycled up to Ely to find that the fire was still of int he distance. It turned out to be a fire in a tyre recycling plant close to Litteport. For more pictures here is a link.

The next day the clouds seemed to have moved along with a few contrails from passing aeroplanes.

The farmers do not get much rest though - they have to plough up the stubble and then prepare the fields for drilling. (planting the next crop)

I am always impressed just how fine the soil is around the Fens.

I am not sure what this is - but it looked good blowing in the wind almost like a green pond.

By Monday the weather whilst still warm was much cloudier and dull, a few spots of rain where felt in places but not by me when cycling.

One good thing, the wind had dropped though.