Contrasting Cambridge, Bristol and Wiltshire
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2009-10-08 18:59:13 - Graham Ellis
When I'm in Cambridge, I try to stay as close as I can to where I'm working - and that's measured in driving minutes, rather that in miles. There are some places that are less than a mile apart as the crow files, but 20 minutes apart by road, with one way systems in place and uncrossed rivers and railways. I made note on Wednesday ... 12 minutes for a mile and a half ... an average speed of less that 8 m.p.h. and I wonder if it will get worse in a month's time when the guided busway opens and spews all its (err) guided buses onto the same road. There *is* a bus lane for part of the way. I passed in in 10 seconds of my 12 minutes.To be fair to Cambridge, I have averaged just 11 m.p.h. in London before now, and a truly appalling 1.5 m.p.h as the crow flies from J19 of the M4 in Bristol to Great Stoke, behind Parkway Station.
So it was a joy to be able to drive home in the day light ... taking country roads as I got back to the area that I know well in Wiltshire and to see some of the autumn colour and move at a speed that the road, and not the other traffic, dictated.This is a view of the lanes between Membury and Ramsbury, on the Berkshire / Wiltshire border - showing some of the lovely scenery in Wiltshire even on what was, weather wise, quite a nasty afternoon.
It's only 50 miles from Bristol to this lovely spot in the country. And only 100 miles from Cambridge. And there are lots of lovely spots like this for you to see if you visit us ;-)