Today was a quick, (quickish), late spin up to and round Wicken Fen on my own. I had a lunch meeting and couldn't resist the steak and ale pie and chips - well you have to support your local pubs don't you. So as a form of penance I popped out for a quick ride at the end of the day. The sun was out and so it was quite pleasant and instead of just cycling I found myself stopping to take a few pictures as well. I also discovered the Google and "Street-mapped" various paths around the internal Wicken Fen paths - here is a pointer! I generally cycle around the public parts of Wicken Fen - it is managed and owned by the National Trust and for a fee or if you are a member you can explore the interior. As it happens I am a member and enjoy walking around the interior - they do not normally allow bikes in through, Google must have had a special dispensation.
So a quick ride needs a fast blog - a flooded field on the Sustrans 51 route - somewhere between Bottisham and Swaffham Bulbeck - the birds enjoy it. I am surprised that the farmer has not tried to drain the area. Actually they probably have or it is way too expensive given the returns they get from farming.
The skies were almost blue and the sun definitely looks bigger when it is setting! I took several pictures here - but there is a problem with taking multiple exposures with plants waving in the foreground - they create very odd shapes in the composite -sort of ghostly blobs.
The fields are already showing signs of plant life - apparently there was a problem with sowing Oil See Rape last year which caused a hit to the yields - so farmers are not wanting to be caught out this year. Mind you I am not sure what is being grown here. I was drawn to the picture by the lines of the plants pointing out towards the edge of the field.
I have mentioned the track through Wicken Fen a few times - well it is still pretty muddy and requires a bit of concentration to cycle through- here it is looking back up towards the cafe/entrance building.
There is still ice on Wicken Lode, it seems to lie in the shade/
By the time I got around to Burwell Lode the sun had pretty much set - but it was still so I tried a few picture (for later HDR-ing) Here is the wide-angle version.
The same aspect but zoomed in a little. There is a small bridge and I used the bridge railings to brace the camera.
The shot repeated but zoomed to the maximum of my camera. The is work on the banks taking place up here as well - the Environment Agency has been busy.
By this time it was too dark and so I was able to scurry on home - despite me stopping to take pictures a faster run than most over the last few weeks.
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