Tuesday 25th January: Well despite my moaning and groaning last night after what was really quite a modest cycle ride I am pleased that I don't have any aches and pains the next day. What's even better is that there are some Snowdrops popping up in the garden - always a welcome sight, even though Spring is still some way off. And what is more - I had a reason to cycle again. I met with a friend for lunch, we discussed business things, but it turns out that we have also gotten to know our Local British Gas HomeCare Manager - he has also had problems with their service. Where to go for lunch, no contest the Dyke's End - Reach. It is a pleasant cycle ride from Cambridge and a very pleasant pub with nice food and they have their own beer back on tap and delicious it was too. (I had a Steak pie - also delicious!)
One of the reasons we need to support our village economies - "50 bus routes facing the axe as cuts bit". The more we make villages rely upon cars the more they become ghost villages during the day. When you need transport, it drives the "need" for multiple cars in the family and once you have the car you might as well use it, after which makes it difficult for local shops and Post Offices and Pubs to since quite understandably people tend to use out of town supermarkets or head to the town centre for entertainment. I have moaned for a while about how all the motor vehicles on the roads have increased noise levels which can't be good, well it is official "The stress caused by living near a busy road can raise risk of stroke".
Still there is a "Chink of light at end of busway" apparently "the end of the guided busway saga might be in sight" with the bridge near Addenbrooke's Hospital due for completion this week. Mind you it could be that "'Stupid' cyclists are risking lives - right outside A&E". Although from the tone of the article perhaps it Cllr Heathcock's blood pressure that is at risk. A poor cyclist generally risks his own life, whereas a poor driver risk the lives of others. I know which I think is worse. This article does not come across as concern for cyclists, in fact all it seems to do is raise the level of animosity against then - not constructive in my view.
Back to more peaceful things, a gentle ride in the Fens. I didn't have the time to greatly extend my ride there and back (to the Pub) and didn't even wear proper cycling gear. Well apart from my yellow gloves. I cycled out via NCN51 which takes you straight from Cambridge to the Dyke's End in Reach, well straight in a Sustrans meandering way, but pleasant. However on the way back, since it was early afternoon I thought I'd detour via Newnham Drove and then back along Lode's Way. I was planning on taking a few more pictures of the drove, but it as drizzling slightly some my best of intentions was slightly compromised.
Here is the start of the Drove, straight ahead is the "back way" into Burwell . The road to the right is Weirs Drove and the road to the left is Newnham Drove - well signed to the Lodes Way, although no indication of distance. As you can see it was a wet and grey day.
Whilst bumping up the Drove the desire to stop and document the state if the road left me and I didn't stop until I got to the Lodes Way. This is the view looking back down towards Burwell. The Electricity Sub-Station is to the right of the Drove. Just by the clump of bushes the road has been dug up and turned into loose rubble and a bit of hard standing rubble added to the edge of it. I am not quite sure why, perhaps it is a speed trap to slow down the huge numbers of cyclists. Actually I don't think I have passed any cyclists on the road, only a few cars/4x4s and one person jogging in the 30 or so times I have cycled the road.
Looking out from the Drove towards Burwell Fen as the NT have signed it although the Streetmap map shows is as Hundred Acres you can see the Pond works MikeC commented on yesterday. It will be interesting to see how this develops in terms of wildlife. Hopefully it will do its bit in helping to arrest the decline in farmland and woodland birds (well farmland anyway). Although there appears to be some dispute as to the actual reasons for the decline.
And that is the lot in terms of photographs, and the good news was I didn't ache when I got home either.
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