More History

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Weather Report

Fine and sunny at dawn - overcast by 9am
Occasional sunny periods from mid-afternoon.

Although ready to depart at 7am the sky was unpromising so ….. anyway by 8.30 with some suggestion of the sun coming through I decided to set-off. In case you are wondering, then yes sunlight is rather critical for this project. Villages, churches and other attractions look rather uninteresting in a dull light. I do not need complete blue sky and indeed prefer a backdrop of the classic ‘fluffy white clouds’ (cumulus to the uninitiated). Past few days have been mostly stratocumulus - not a lot of use.

Made for Devils Ditch which is similar to Fleam Dyke seen yesterday although more recent as it probably dates from the seventh century. It would have been built by one tribe of Saxons to keep out later arrivals although you would have thought that like the Maginot line the enemy would simply have passed around the end. Maybe they were not that bright. Perhaps their military intelligence was not that good …

Anyway had an enjoyable wander along the top of the Ditch (it is actually a bank) following the path which is part of the Stour Valley long distance path. Also found the point where the ‘Ditch’ crossed the line of two Roman roads.

Following my exploration of the Ditch I passed the remainder of the day exploring the villages in this eastern corner of Cambridgeshire lying to the south of Newmarket (which is in Suffolk, as I am sure you realise). This is stud country (horses, if you please !) - there must be a score or more separate studs in this small area so it is quite an industry - Newmarket being one of the leading British racecourses.

The sun came and went throughout the afternoon - you could guarantee that it would go when you stopped to take a photo and reappear the minute you turned off the camera. Frustrating !

Forecasters are promising a wet morning (Monday) followed by an unsettled week. Cambridgeshire is going to take longer than I would have hoped.

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