Normally we have our main meal in the evening on a Sunday, however logistics dictated against this, with my son down for the weekend and wanting to make a not too late return on Sunday afternoon. I also had to fit in watching the Hungarian Grand Prix which seemed to run on later the usual. Although it might be better for viewing figures I prefer it when they start around 6am on Sunday morning - that way I can watch the race and not waste the day. As a digression the season is quite exciting this year - although I was not happy when Massa "gave way" to Alonso last week. Whilst I can understand the teams desire to orchestrate their drivers if I were a driver I would be ashamed to win in that way.
So I set off late on Sunday afternoon for a fast-ish loop around the fens. The route is below and is available on BikeRouteToaster here. It is a figure-of-eight and sticks to roads with the exception of the Lodes Way route through White Fen (a good flat gravel surface) and the route through Wicken Fen (most of which is good). The worst bit is just past the entrance to the boardwalk area of Wicken Fen. At its best this was always a bit dodgy in wet weather - it now seems to have been reduced to a single track. It is ok in dry weather - but there is competition for the track between cyclists and walkers.
The first photo-stop was on the outskirts of Swaffham Bulbeck. I detoured around the back of the village and stopped to take this picture of the freshly cut straw with Long Meadow in the background. despite the clouds I only ever felt a few spits of rain - it kept me from hanging around though.
This was taken from the Upware Road - the last time I cycled past the field had just been harvested - I can't remember what, probably beetroot, I blinked and it had been re-planted. The farmers don't hang around in the Fens.
I re-took the picture with a tree to frame it - this is what results from taking a single exposure - just point and shoot.Depending upon the effect you want this is either a nice silhouette or under-exposed.
This is exactly the same picture but made up of 7 different exposures. Actually most of the exposures were under-exposed - it is surprising how the HDR software (Photomatix) manages to "find" so much colour. Although with such a dark set of exposures it seems to have over-greened the trunk of the nearby tree.
This was taken on Lower Drove (a back road in Wicken village) and seems to neatly demonstrate the use of a headland in the way the field is drilled and harvested. Of course it might just be that the farmer ran out of time! Apparently there is also more effort to leave a larger margin of grass around the edge as well.
I went through Wicken village and down a short byway where I took a few pictures out towards Ely. This was taken at the maximum zoom of my camera, with it resting on a nearby bridleway bridge. The silhouette on the horizon is Ely Cathedral.
It was not windy and as an experiment I took this picture of a weed in front of a field. There were 7 exposures and the weed has barely shaken in the breeze - otherwise it would have looked rather blurry.
On the way back from the byway I noticed that the signpost, which had a box clamped to it the last time I looked was now without it!
Before:
After:
This is Sustrans 51 through Wicken Fen - a good cycling path with space for dog walkers and the like. It looks like some Lode maintenance is scheduled? Yes those dots further along the path are a couple of cyclists - a mum and daughter if I remember correctly. You get quite a few family groups cycling along here - a good place for kids to do a bit of cycling.
Cycling back along from White fen to Lode I noticed this field was being harvested - it was full of mayweed a few weeks ago.
The thing that really struck me about my late-afternoon cycle ride was home many cyclists I saw out and about. I counted over 30 in family groups, pairs and the odd singleton like myself. It demonstrates that there is a demand for pleasant and safe routes for social cyclists. Once again I have to say well done to those involved in getting cycling going around the Fens and let's hope it does not stop with the Lodes Way, not that it is finished yet!
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