A Good Year and A Great Start

   I thought it would be interesting to look back over my first year cycling around the fens a remembering some of the wonderful things I've found while doing so. The fens cover a huge area and you must understand I'm still in cycling terms a beginner and my trips range from the everyday weekly cycle of just under 20 miles to the longer weekend and summer trips of up to 55 miles, but I'm hoping by next summer I'll be heading past this mark and trying to reach the 75 mile journeys. This, in turn, will mean I get to visit even more fen villages which I hope will lead to even more weight loss.

   So the year started with some rather cold frosty and at times snowy trips but none the less these trips were the real starting point to exploring the area and the local villages such as Welney, Christchurch, Manea, Emneth and Friday Bridge, there are several smaller villages close to us here at Upwell, included in these are Three Holes, Tipps End and Nordelph.

   We had a damp Spring but it was followed by the start of a beautifully long warm summer, one in which my cycling became better and the trips were becoming further, it was at this time I really started to discover a lot more fen and marsh villages. Some of these villages held some wonderful stories such as Tom Hickathrift the Marshland giant who I discovered by accident one sunny morning. I also started to enjoy long trips along the rivers where old Victorian pumping stations stood and great water birds were a common sight.

   Along the way, I've found many unusual little fen gems such as the little tin reading room at Denver and the amazing old dovecote at Emneth, just two of a long list. The beautiful village signs are always a pleasure to see and the stunning old parish churches that sit nestled in the centre of most fen villages always mean an hour exploring their great medieval stonework and carvings.
   I've found some lovely old mill buildings, forgotten church ruins, derelict farm builds and old fen cottages that have long since felt the warmth of a family. I've met old fen tigers who are more than happy to spend half hour telling stories and tales of the old fen way of life. I've heard the local fen folk talk of "frog soup" (river water) and "fen nightingales" (Frogs) and I've watched the Welney Marshes slowly turn into one huge lake that stretches out in front of you like a mighty ocean.

   All in all the journey I'm on towards a better healthier life as produced some amazing sights that were hidden from me for so long and now in the coming year I wish to continue exploring further afield. I want to show this world of marsh and water to all that are interested here on the blog and hopefully, I hope to continue to lose more weight while doing so.
   Lastly, I would like to wish everybody the very Happy New Year.