Monday, 26th November: I generally try to cycle when I can – because there are quite a few times when things don’t work out. Some of those things include how I feel, the weather and what else I am supposed to be doing.
I certainly notice that my fitness levels drop in the Winter months, I blame the weather and the shorter days (hours of daylight), but of course the real issue is how I feel. My default ride is some variation of Lodes Way, which is both rural, quiet (usually) and can be lengthened or shortened depending on circumstances.
When I have ridden the route fairly frequently I try not to take too many pictures. Although there is always something to see.
Where the Lodes Way passes along Headlake drove after the crossroads the little used road is looking pretty wet and muddy. I try to follow a line more or less through the middle to avoid having to go into any deep puddles. You never know what you might find in them. The mud along the road also needs a bit of care – mainly because I don’t have a rear mudguard on my bike at the moment and it gets thrown up.
The only traffic tends to be cyclists, tractors and bird watchers.
Headlake Drove – Lodes Way – wet and muddy
The weather is quite changeable at the moment and there were both blue skies and clouds around.
View from Split Drove (Lodes Way)
And this is Split Drove heading towards Reach Lode – which is the slightly raised bank running from left to right on the horizon. The water levels are above the fields in there parts.
Split Drove (Lodes Way)
This is Reach Lode – I find it easier to pop out for an impromptu ride when there isn’t much wind.
A Tree reflecting in Reach Lode (Lodes Way)
It doesn’t happen that often but every now and then we get fast jets doing large circles, slowly in the sky at what seems like full blast. Although it isn’t really because their after burners aren’t glowing.
I am not really that good at telling planes apart. My interest in such things stopped when I gave up making Airfix models in my early teens. We often used to go to Scotland for our Summer hols and an Airfix model was an ideal way for us to wile away our time on rainy days. As I grew older my interests turned to putting bangers in them – a misspent youth.
This is an F-15 Eagle or maybe a Strike Eagle. Apparently although the first version of the plane entered service in 1976 the final variants are expected to be in service (with the US Air Force) past 2025. There were a couple at least and maybe more in the skies.
F-15 Cruising the Skies over Lodes Way
After the noise in the air I also had to stop for traffic. To be fair they would have let me go. This is where Lodes Way crosses Newnham Drove. This might have been working on the new Burwell lode bridge footings or perhaps at the top, where Reach Lode and Burwell Lode meet and there is supposed to be a source of water to flood the bund area.
Congestion – Lodes Way/ Newnham Drove
I am not sure quite what this truck was there for – it looks as it it carried the diesel supplies.
Congestion – Lodes Way/ Newnham Drove
As I got closers to Burwell Lode the skies got darker.
Dark Skies above Burwell Fen
There was certainly plenty of water in the newly re-routed drain at the site of the Burwell Bridge Works.
Burwell Bridge Ground Works
A full drain there – well not full exactly – but carrying a decent bit of water.
Burwell Bridge Ground Works
One of the attractions of the new bridge will be a ski and mountain bike jump – it will take a fair bit of speed to leap the Lode.
Burwell Bridge Ground Works
It would seem that the Environment Agency are feeling a bit left out and have been doing some bridge work of their own on the electrically operated bridge just down from the footbridge.
Electrically Operated Bridge on Burwell Lode
A view of the “ski-jump from the foot bridge.
Burwell Bridge Ground Works
There was also what looked like a huge clump of week in the Lode.
Burwell Lode
Although without the aid of the zoom lens it was further away than it looked it the previous picture. The water surface was remarkably still though.
Burwell Lode
The other bridge seems to be having a thorough overhaul – although I have not actually seen any of the work taking place.
Electrically Operated Bridge on Burwell Lode
Although the skies darkened I managed to avoid any rain. I also think I saw a shot-eared owl – although it was too fast to even think about taking a picture. On the way back through White Fen I took a picture of the information board – showing what sort of birds to look out for.
White Fen – Information Board
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