Holly and I went cycling in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire this weekend. It looked like rain and my back had been sore on Friday so we didn't do the planned Colchester to The Wash ride. Instead we headed out on Sunday from Cambridge.
Sunday night was spent in Welney, the town from which my great-great-great grandfather came before heading to Australia on the Second Fleet. Was great to check it out.
The whole region is an incredible piece of engineering, dating back hundreds of years. Naturally it's a relatively useless swampland. Drained, it provides the most fertile and productive farmland in England. The enormous drainage system keeps the lands relatively dry and also protects against tidal flooding.
Of course all this man-made change to the environment comes at a cost. The swamps form an important ecosystem, particularly for migratory birds. Some efforts are being made to rectify the situation.
Disaster struck on Saturday after we left Ely when my rear wheel buckled very badly. This was my first ride on a new "extra strong" wheel I had made. I'm most annoyed and will reconsider letting these clowns get any of my money in future, based on their response to this shoddy work.
The problematic wheel meant it took us far longer to get to Welney than normal, and also meant we had to curtail our trip for safety reasons. The wheel is absolutely screwed. Grrrr.
Anyway, we had fun and even got a bit sunburnt, as well as rained on. Photos here.