Drivers using Cycle lanes–surely not

Another out of order Posting. I’ve mentioned this news item before  “Call for cameras to catch drivers using cycle lanes”. Well here are some examples.

When I am driving, like other drivers I tend not to take a coat with me after all my car is rain proof and you can run from the car to the building you are visiting can’t you. The trouble is this can make it irritating not to be able to park close to your intended destination. When I am on my bicycle, I tend to have pretty decent raingear and just get on with it.  I’d rather be wet than cold. Mind you it is an example of my approach to driving which probably mirrors many other drivers and leads to a desire to be able to park close to my intended destination.

The article has a truck-load of comments, many somewhat weird. The trouble is some motorists are just casually “cyclist or anti-cyclist really” without thinking about it. This is the NCN51 along Newmarket Road just at the turn to take a tunnel under the A14. I was approaching from the Quy direction, tinged my bell as I prepared to swing onto the pavement – imagine my surprise when a bl**dy great truck was parked right across the flipping shared-use path. I had to creep alongside it with cars coming at me kicking up spray.

At time like this, and to be frank most other times, my wit deserts me. All I could manage was a “not a very clever place to park”. Mind you the guy trying to pull out in the pickup was probably also not very happy with the stupid stopping place.

NCN51 – Newmarket Road, near Quy – shared-use pedestrians, bicycles and trucks

Another example – the second of its type in the week.  It is not uncommon to see car transporters stop on the road unloading or loading cars from a nearby garage. They tend not to respect cycle lanes much. Now this looked as if it was only carrying one car – but it is a bit much when they can’t be bothered to drive into the garage area – and instead make the cyclists suffer.

Cycle-lane hog – Milton Road

The trouble is no-one blinks an eye at such behaviour – this country has a long way to go before this sort of thoughtlessness stops.

Mid-week ride–Flooding along the Cambridge Guided Busway

Wednesday, 29^th November; 2012:I was thinking about calling this Post “Wide it Wednesday”, an extension of the Want it Wednesday from Following the Chainline the concept. I rather like the idea of Want It Wednesday, especially as Christmas is coming up.  I also believe in looking at fellow cycling enthusiasts ideas of what works and what doesn't – so this featured on my WIW WifC (Want it for Christmas), a Carradice Roll Bag. I have Carradice panniers and they have been excellent. Now the problem I have when cycling is I need different types of stuff depending upon whether I am touring, commuting or just going out for a bit of fresh air. I often carry more than I need, just in case, However the roll bag looks practical and stylish. So hopefully Father Christmas has taken note.

Here is another Want it For Christmas – Brompton toolkit – although The Orange Brompton is not so sure and I tend to agree. Style and function are important, but so is the cost! Here is another gadget I won’t be asking for either. – a lightweight scooter. I wouldn’t mind a laser beam on my bike though

I have not suddenly entered a time-warp and caught up on my posts, only  I decided to cycle up the (CGB) cycleway to St Ives to check out both the track damage after the recent bus crash and the flooding. Since the flooding is topical I thought I would post about it straight away. Fortunately Travelling the Cambridgeshire guided busway is more up to date than I am.

The simple summary is that I made no attempt to cycle up to St Ives, I have never seen such extensive flooding around the Fen Drayton Lakes area before.

I think that the CGB cycle way is a really welcome cycling facility – not perfect, but better than a lot of so-called cycle routes around the place. For me it is a great way to get a bit of distance in before getting out onto the byways and bridleways in the area. When you have cycled it a few times then it is a little boring – sorry, but it has to be said. As a result I tend to use it when I want to get somewhere else, such as Peterborough or Grafham Water.

So this was new to me – some art alongside the track and the old railway platform of what was Oakington Station (Check out the last three pictures.) This one shows the building looking quite dilapidated in 1980.

Art on the old Oakington Station – CGB

A close up.

Art on the old Oakington Station – CGB

A bit further along just after the Longstanton Park and Ride was the area of track damaged by a bus (driver) failing to negotiate the entrance to the track way after crossing Station Road (between Longstanton and Willingham). It would appear the the station was called Long Stanton. The village name appears as Longstanton on modern maps, but older ones do show Long Stanton. Here are some pictures of the old station. In this one you can see the buildings (on the other side of the road) also shown in the picture below. This part of the track is subject to a 10mph speed limit.

Damaged Track – Cambridge Guided Busway, near Longstanton P&R

I don’t know whether the bus jumped over onto the other track, it does rather looks as if the bus was heading from Cambridge, missed the guides and bounced over into the oncoming track. Although some of the damage might have been caused by the subsequent removal operation. It must have been pretty scary for the driver though. I wonder whether there was any assessment of the probabilities of accidents such as this one?

Damaged Track – Cambridge Guided Busway, near Longstanton P&R

You can see how the concrete has been damaged on the lower track edge.  I don’t know whether they will patch it up or replace the “rail”. I would have thought that the contract would have called for a supply of spares.

Damaged Track – Cambridge Guided Busway, near Longstanton P&R

This is another section a little further along, I guess that the buses have a fair bit of momentum. The inner edge of the far track has been damaged all along the section. There is also damage on the top of the penultimate rail.

Damaged Track – Cambridge Guided Busway, near Longstanton P&R

I didn’t look that closely, however the track from Cambridge to St Ives seems to have suffered far less damage.

Damaged Track – Cambridge Guided Busway, near Longstanton P&R

There is a fair bit of signage along the damaged area. I reckon that the buses heading towards Cambridge slowed down far more than the buses heading towards St Ives.

Damaged Track – Cambridge Guided Busway, near Longstanton P&R

Although it didn’t zoom through I reckon this one was going faster the 10mph.

Damaged Track – Cambridge Guided Busway, near Longstanton P&R

As I got closer to St Ives the flooding became more evident. Although the fields were water-logged. I didn’t hang around too much as the weather wasn’t that good and it was getting darker by the second.  This river is on the outskirts of Swavesey and is way higher than usual. You can also see that it has flooded the field to the left. If it is Covell’s Bridge then then that is Covell’s Drain. I reckon this is Swavesey Drain – it has having some work done to it – you can a little bit of the new stone reinforced bank to the right.

Swavesey Drain along the CGB

There were flood warning signs along the track and the gates were closed with a gap to allow intrepid explorers foolish people. This was the first bit of flooding I came across.  I was navigable, I cycled to the right-hand side where I assumed it was at its shallowest.

Flooded Cycle way on the Cambridge Guided Busway

The “lake” to the left is normally a field.

Flooded Cycle way on the Cambridge Guided Busway

As I arrived at the next bit of flooding – I was amazed. I have never seen such extensive flooding here before.  If it hadn’t been for the hedgerow still visible the track would have looked as if it were designed to run along the shores of a large lake.

Flooded Cycle way on the Cambridge Guided Busway

As you can see the flooding was extensive – on the other side of the track there were waves and the sound of faster moving water.

Flooded Cycle way on the Cambridge Guided Busway

I didn’t even think about having a go – the weather was too cold and it was getting dark and it was spitting. Although it rained most of the way home once you are out cycling in the rain it doesn’t seem so bad.

It must be an interesting view from the buses. Another metre and the track would be under water. I wonder if the water soaks into the foundations. I would hope that was thought about when the track was designed.

Flooded Cycle way on the Cambridge Guided Busway

This is Covell’s Drain – although it has joined forces with the nearby Trout Pond.

Covell’s Drain along the CGB

This just about shows the flooding on both sides of the CGB.

Flooding along the CGB – November 2012

The current flooding is serious, I recently cycled through a ford on the River Kym when cycling around Grafham Water. A motorist had to be rescued near Hamerton because of flooding on the River Kym.

Whilst on the subject of Guided Busways there is talk of a new busway to connect a homes scheme in Waterbeach to Cambridge. They have other choices such as widening the A10 or building a better railway station at Waterbeach. Well I certainly wouldn’t vote for widening the A10. I am not sure of the relative capacities of a new guided busway versus using the existing railway line (or political sensitivities for that matter). If they do build a busway then they should build a high quality cycle way as a matter of course – and not one that suffers from flooding.

Whilst on the subject of railways one reason for not utilising the existing railway line might be the cost – rail commuters face 5.9% fare rise – although you would have though that better utilisation would have lowered costs overall. Mind you for the scheme to work then it would require the new Chesterton Railway Station to be built – although making the station easy to cycle and walk to and from doesn’t seem to be easy – Station link plan ‘would destroy our little oasis’.

If we don’t then more greenhouse gases anyone – global warming can only get worse.

Apparently the £1.5bn A14 upgrade would offer better value for money if it didn’t have a toll. That would be true for the single-driver occupied cars.  The tolls were mooted at £2/car and £4/lorry. Aren’t we running out of decent land (whether for houses, recreation or farming) so more roads – a good job that rural campaigners blast minister’s plan to rip up two million acres of countryside for new housing.

A muddy mid-week ride–you can’t beet it

Wednesday, 7^th November: Well one way to catch up on my posts is not to ride as much.  It was a busy weekend but I did manage to get out for a mid-week ride. Although the skies had once again reverted to their greyness. It was yet another ride around the Lodes Way.

Talking if cycle rides apparently “Cycling and walking ‘must be norm’ for short journeys”. This is a recommendation by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE – no I am not sure where the “H” went either.) The report calls for making walking and cycling an easier option in local communities. It misses the elephant in the room that proper walking and cycling facilities will cost money and need to take priority from and space off motor vehicles. Try going past most schools at the start or end of the school day and see just how many cars there are parked in and around the streets.

The last link was from the BBC, whilst not always the most bike-friendly broadcaster they do steer clear of too much hyperbole. The same item as reported by the Daily Mail: “Raise cost of parking to force motorists to walk! Nanny watchdog’s plan to get Britain fit”. Notice the different tone – perhaps it reflects the different readership. Are people who get their news from the BBC fitter and less threatened by such an approach than the Daily Mail readership?

Whilst on the subject of getting kids more interested in road safety and maybe cycling to school this ambassador for motoring had his say “Is this what you f* teach kids!?: Businessman’s alleged foul mouthed rant in front of primary pupils after being pulled over for speeding during school project”.

Or this “Two lollipop men patrolling Britain's ‘most dangerous school crossing’ are fitted with body cameras after being knocked down FIVE times by hit-and-run drivers”. Mental note to self – don’t go cycling in that part of Lincoln – ever. Fortunately there are some cycling routes nearby, although they do cross that road! Indeed I have cycled on that road briefly once.

The trouble is, in this car-centric world the car always comes first – people second. “‘School run is like a festival mudbath’: Parents’ fury as new £4million school opens – without a pedestrian footpath” – clever bit of planning that then. Or perhaps the muddy path gives them more exercise.

I mentioned the pressure on the UK countryside in yesterday’s post – “Two million acres of fields ‘may be lost’ to tackle growing housing crisis” – that is an area of land large than the county of Devon. The Planning minister (Nick Boles) talks about “pig ugly” houses – well he ought to get together with the Minister with responsibility for the department of Health (Jeremy Hunt) and also build proper infrastructure for walking and cycling  - not driving.

Although you do wonder quite what is going on when you get reports of hospitals prioritizing smoking over cycling – “Addenbrooke’s Hospital under fire for swapping cycle shelter for smoking hut”. You couldn’t make it up could you.

And finally – well before the ride – “Call for cameras to catch drivers using cycle lanes”. If you want a laugh just read the extensive comments. Personally I think that an inconsistent approach to upholding the law is almost as bad as an inconsistent law. Whether I am driving or cycling I do find there are a lot of arrogant motorists who seem to think that they are a special case when it comes to the bus and cycle lanes along the Newmarket Road.

Just for the record this picture was taken at the crossroads into Lode. The main road (B1102) is certainly much easier to cross now there is a light-controlled crossing there. After crossing you then enter Lode on the side where the van is parked and have to cross to the other side of the road.  Vans parked like this obscure the view of cyclists as they try to cross  the Lode Road – thank.

Van parked on the Pavement – Lode

Although it was a Wednesday, or perhaps because it was a Wednesday I passed quite a few cyclists including this group (there are two more just out of shot. They didn’t give me much room as they cycled through!

Cyclists on White Fen, Lodes Way

I went to Wicken via Upware and after passing through Upware noticed this kite flying – an attempt to protect the newly drilled seed.

Bird-scaring Kite near Upware

As I cycled along Lower Road into Wicken there was another bird scarer.  A while back I reported that the Google map (with the cycling option) had a disconnect on the route from Wicken to Ely, near Barway.  Well I reported it and got a very nice email back saying thank you and we will fix it – well they have done. I am not a great fan of Google’s support – they tend to favour an approach that is less communicative than I would like. However this time around they have done what I might expect. Unlike the response to my report of problems along  the cycle way of the Guided Busway in Histon.

Scarecrow – Lower Road, Wicken

Lower Road showed signs of muddy traffic and pretty soon that muddy traffic showed up. It is the beet harvesting season and when you have to harvest you have to harvest. Apparently in Lincolnshire it was coming of the fields at 50t/ha. With three beet factories opening on 20^th September, (Bury St Edmunds, Newark and Wissington.)

Beet tractor – Lower Road, Wicken

Actually the road wasn’t too bad – but they peaty mud is very slippery – at night it can feel pretty dicey.

Beet tractor – Lower Road, Wicken

After going through Wicken Fen and down into Burwell (to avoid the detour along the Burwell Lode bank whilst they build the new bridge footings) I passed another beet clamp.

Beet clamp near Burwell

Not much further down was a farmer busy harvesting.

Beet being harvested – near Burwell

At this point I should mention I have bumped into MikeC and the Swaffham Bulbeck Cyclist a few times, often bird watching on Reach Lode Bridge. I can’t remember which rides though. I did see an owl and recently (26^th Nov) saw a shot-eared owl flying. The trouble is I am not quick enough when it comes to seeing them, getting my camera pointing in the right direction and zooming in – so no pictures yet.

I think it was on this ride that I had forgotten to bring a front light with me – so I had to leave the meeting of the Lodes Way irregulars (early although SBC did offer to lend me a front light – thanks).

In this picture taken from the Reach Lode Bridge you can see the portrait bench and then a little further along a water-logged field.

Lodes Way Portrait Bench,near Reach Lode Bridge

Although it was getting darker I couldn’t resist a couple of stops to take pictures of the sunsets. The processing of the picture has lifted the green of the turf growing in the field – although it is a bit noisy (speckles of red in the green) as a result.

Sunset – Lodes Way

Another shot – this time with less zoom – the contrails in the now blue sky stood out quite well.

Sunset – Lodes Way

This is with more zoom again – I like the silhouettes of the trees, a pity about the overhead cables though.

Sunset – Lodes Way

As you can see there was a little time before the sun disappeared over the horizon. Although this was the last picture of the ride.

Pylons marching of to the sunset – White Fen

And finally – now for something completely different – America’s steam engines.

Sunny Skies along Lodes Way

Friday, 2^nd November: At long last the Cambridge greys have gone away it was a bright and sunny day, with blue skies. So it would have been rude not to get out and about on my bike, especially as it was POET’s day.

The only trouble is with all the rain and flooding around the country  we have been having recently sunny skies seem a distant memory.  Fortunately the Cambridge area doesn’t seem to have had it as bad as some places. However as you might expect the Cycle way alongside the Cambridge Guided Busway has become impassable. – Travelling on the Guided Busway: Flooding on the busway (26^th November) 2012, they also have pictures of the track damage (and patch up) caused when the bus failed to enter the busway properly and crashed. (The alternate route from St Ives around the flooded area of the Cycle way was also flooding as well, Low Road was partially blocked and noted by JamesBarlow300 in a comment on this blog. I wonder if anyone is keeping track of the number f days the Cycleway has been flooded this year.

The other problem is it was so long ago that I seem to have forgotten where some of the pictures were taken so I have had to check out my Garmin GPS log to refresh my memory – oh the pleasures of ageing eh.

Basically this is a loop around Wicken Fen, using bits of the Lodes Way and some of the other tracks that exist in the general area. After cycling down White Fen Drove/ Sandy Road to White Fen I cycle left up the track before heading back to White Fen. (Note I still can’t drag the OSM map around in the Chrome browser. Whilst it might be an issue with Chrome I can’t find an easy way to report if to the OSM community. The accuracy of the map has increased with the addition of buildings at least in this area.

I took this picture because the trees were looking bare – autumn is well and truly upon us.

Bare trees just of Lodes Way near White Fen

After crossing Swaffham Bulbeck Lode I was struck by just how much Spindle there was growing in the hedgerow  (Spindle (Euonymus europaeus)) and how many berries there were. It was first pointed out to me by the Swaffham Bulbeck Cyclist and although it is not that widespread there seems to be more of it about this year. Or perhaps I am getting better at spotting the pink berries.

Spindle in the Hedgerow, Lodes Way near Swaffham Bulbeck Lode

Here is the road and there are several Spindle bushes along it.

Spindle in the Hedgerow, Lodes Way near Swaffham Bulbeck Lode

The field also seems to be coming along nicely. Although my Son tells me that the farmers have been finding the newly drilled fields a bit patch in places. It is a combination of the rain and the seed quality.

Spindle in the Hedgerow, Lodes Way near Swaffham Bulbeck Lode

At the end of the lane as it met Whiteway Drove there was a peacock (a male peafowl) in the verge.

Peacock on Whiiteway Drove (Lodes Way)

As I write this the detour around the new bridge footings works on Burwell Lode has been shortened and a gravel track put in over the last bit. Here are some rather good drawings and plans on John’s Blog (Wicken Fen Vision Warden) – An update on Burwell Lode Bridge showing what is planned. It is going to be a people and animal bridge to allow the Wicken Fen ponies and cattle to roam more freely.

This is the banking that you had to detour along. That grass is quite soft, as is the peat soil on the bank and it made for very tiring cycling.

Burwell Lode banking – scene of the detour (but no longer)

And if you can’t be bothered to look at the plans here is one of the nearby signs explaining what is happening.

New Bridge plans Burwell Lode

Talking about Lodes – here is a piece written by someone who dwells on the river – “Living off grid”. It discusses the challenges of living without mains electricity. It is a reminder of just how blinkered we have become to the use of electricity. As I sit here tapping away on my computer my cycle light is recharging, along with my MP3 player. The lights are blinking on my router. I sometimes moan about how we burn money driving our cars around. It is a timely reminder of how we burn money for our convenience (and safety) without a moment’s thought’ The article reminded me of my cycle ride through Cambodia where in the remote areas it was usual to see a small generator running to charge up 10 or 20 car batteries which then provided energy in the evening for small TVs or lights or radios.

Here is some riverside housing in Cambodia – not at all unusual we cycled past many villages that looked similar to this one.

Riverside Dwelling Cambodia

And this sight was not at all uncommon –  a generator charging the a bunch of lead-acid batteries.

Electricity in the villages – Cambodian Style

We have a more centralised supply of electrickery in the UK. Which utilises an electricity transmission network with lines of pylons running around the countryside. A countryside that is under pressure to supply homes for people to live (1,500 homes on the outskirts of Cambridge) and Northstowe (which needs a multi-million pound boost). Although how much demand is there if it needs a boost.

Of course all this requires more roads and infrastructure (well the way we live our lives at the moment – A11 development plans exhibited in Elveden). Apparently “Living near a busy road may double the risk of autism, researchers warn”. Is is remarkable that there is a general unease about say Nuclear power Stations yet we tolerate the invisible pollution that comes from motor vehicles.

Not to forget sources of sustainable power like Wind Farms (£12n wind farm with nine giant turbines will light Bronte country) and of course for food. As energy costs increase so does the cost of transporting food from country to country.  I do think we need a greater focus on sustainable energy – if only to deal with the strategic uncertainty of getting energy from overseas. So do the Tories apparently – although I might find Tim Yeo’s position more reasonable if he wasn’t getting paid for advising green energy firms.

And last but not least we have the wildlife – 44m nesting birds ‘lost since 1966’ and RSPB investigates the mysterious deaths of thousands of migrating birds lost as sea.

Don’t get me wrong I like my gadgets as well as anyone – I don’t really need a GPS with me when I go out cycling or an MP3 player for that matter. But we do have some choices to make, the trouble is who has got the plan. At the moment we just seem to have various groups clamouring for attention – build more homes, don’t built in the green belt. don’t build on flood plains, more sustainability.

Pylons Marching across the Cambridgeshire Countryside

To some extent we rely on Science to sort things out – but given the seeming ignorance about what is and isn’t possible I do wonder sometimes if we are stumbling on with more hope than judgement.

Meanwhile for some it is business as usual – whilst the yields of the winter crops might be patchy this field looks pretty good and very neatly drilled. 

Autumn Crops – freshly drilled “springing” up

And finally I listen to a podcast – The Naked Scientists currently broadcast by the BBC at a cost of next to nothing. The trouble is the BBC seems so hung up on its introspection that it wants to axe the program from January – so it needs your help.  Campaign launched to save The Naked Scientists. If we are going to rely on science to save us then lets save science.

I can’t resist mentioning this item – “On your bike! Children driven to school are slower learners than those who walk or cycle”. So Mum and Dad thank you for making me cycle to school in all weathers and for the times I had to sit with soaking wet trousers – it was  worth it in the end. Although it is not clear that the cause and effect has been proven. It might just be that enlightened parents also encouraged more learning.

And finally pictures – a frozen wave – 50ft tall.  Why does the DM still use feet and inches I wonder.

A picture– a thousand words or some number of questions

Thursday, 1^st November: I like taking pictures, although there are times when you just have to take the picture in front of you. There are photographers who plan in exquisite detail want they might want in a candid street scene and wait for the moment having pre-focused and decided upon the framing.

Now I know that I could make a better job of these impromptu pictures, either quicker focusing and framing, but whilst some might say a picture is worth a thousand words, sometimes it is more the questions it raises.

Here is mine. This group turned up on the road opposite the window where I sit slaving over a hot computer. I struggled to focus through the window or to move away from the window to get a shot that wasn’t obscured.  Three young people setting up a tripod to take a picture that of something. It might be a video recorder, but rather looks to be a large format film camera – but the picture they seem to be taking is of cars coming down the road.

Also they seem to be carrying a lot of kit and three to take a picture. In hindsight I could have popped out and had a chat or even take a better picture myself. In case you were wondering I have also “processed” the picture a bit with a bit of “zoom-focus” courtesy of Picasa. My motto is “if it isn’t in focus then de-focus it even more”.

And whilst on the subject of pictures – here is one of a cyclist passing a Polling Station in Victoria Road as part of the recent elections. What elections you may well ask. The Police Commissioner ones where in Cambridge the turn out was 14.7% or less than 1 in 7 people. Now that wasn’t me on my bike – but I did cycle to my Polling Station – another advantage of a bicycle – it makes it easier to participate in the democratic process.

Here is another impromptu picture – a person riding his bike, with a toddler riding on his shoulders. The comments on the article do point out it is a bit of a storm in a teacup. When my kids were small I would tramp up and down mountains using the odd shoulder ride to keep us moving. (The Old Man was a good one.)

Here is a rather nice one of a chap and his mother, who sadly suffers from dementia. He has built a tandem bicycle specially to allow her to cycle around Cambridge.

A Christmas tree made up of around 350,000 Lego bricks. Talking of trees – pictures of some of the world’s tallest trees with people climbing them.

And finally pictures of Paris in 1914.

Halloween–Herbert Peregrine Pumpkin

Wednesday, 31^st October 2012: It is funny how doing stuff on Halloween’s night has become more popular over the years and home Firework parties have become less popular. I am probably more keen on fireworks than many and yet I have no plans to let any off this year.

 

However although my kids are growing up and only one lives at home part-time (although Uni hols are pretty long) I still enjoy carving my pumpkin. (Both my kids also carved pumpkins where they live as well.)  Although I didn’t so much carve it as cut great holes in it. Around here a pumpkin advertises that you accept trick or treaters.  We do and they were all polite and well behaved with parents in close attendance and dressed up. We did get one older group of kids – but although they were more trying it on than entering into the spirit they were polite as well.

This year I have not gone for the cyber-tear (think Dr Who, Cybermen) – rather a simpler set of bold and easier to cut shapes.

Herbert Peregrine Pumpkin

With the wonders of modern camera technology – well actually a tripod even though it was dark I was able to use a long exposure – if you look closely you can see that one of the candles has gone out in the pervious picture.

Herbert Peregrine Pumpkin

Low Fen Drove and Lodes Way in the Autumn

Tuesday, 30^th October 2012: If I am ever going to catch up I either need to go world-lite or start missing out Posts. Well I am going to try the word-lite approach, which means the trials and tribulations of dealing with my Desktop Computer – some mega patches arrived and the BSOD and British Gas and British Telecom will all have to wait.

Although it wasn’t the weekend I sneaked out on my usual Sunday cycle, not to catch up with the Archers, but to catch up with my rays. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and it wasn’t very windy.

Lessons learned – well it is the season for fly-tipping, there is an awful lot of mud around because of the sugar beet harvesting and although it is autumn new crops have sprung up in the fields.

There were also quite a few people out enjoying the fine weather and now the clocks have changed the late afternoons really do get dark quickly and I will have to remember to take lights with me from now on. The early evenings also mean more opportunities for sunset photography.

Fly-tipping on Low Fen Drove Way/High Ditch Road

Winter Crops already up in the fields along Low Fen Drove Way

Autumn Leaves sprinkled on the Low Fen Drove Way track

Blue Skies and a Line of Clouds – Low Fen Drove Way

The last time I was here the field was only just being drilled

An even drilling

Low Fen Drove Way – muddy times

As a complete aside I have just discovered that between then and now I can no longer move the OSM map with my mouse. I reckon it worked last week.

An Autumnal Biggin Lane

Cyclists on the Fen Ditton Horningsea Cycle Way

More green in the Fields  and Blue in the Skies near Horningsea

A Cyclist heading back to Horningsea

The old railway line behind Anglesey Abbey – looking rather muddy

The old railway line behind Anglesey Abbey – looking rather muddy
beet collection is the answer

The old railway line behind Anglesey Abbey – looking rather muddy
A protest group?

The old railway line behind Anglesey Abbey

A Very Muddy Harvey’s Droveway Lode
So muddy there is a less muddy diversion

New Signage along Lodes Way (the disc on the top)

Still harvesting the spuds – Lodes Way

Ideal Ballooning Weather – Lodes Way

Long Shadows on Great Drove

Hot Air Ballooning in the Fens – time to land?

Smoke drifting across the green “autumnal” fields – Upware

The setting sun – Wicken Fen

The Sun Setting over Baker’s Fen (Wicken Fen)

The Sun Setting over Baker’s Fen (Wicken Fen)

My bike was pretty clogged up by the tie I got home – it is a good job there isn’t a hosepipe ban.