Last weekend I forsook the lure of the South Downs – I was recoving from a lurgy – and pootled along some roads and muddy bridlepaths in the middle area of Sussex.  Not as challenging as the hills but the ground was plently wet enough.  Not half a mile from my start I cycled across a playing field and almost all I could hear was the water squelching under my tyres.

The  fields all the way were awash with water from the heavy rain of the previous week. needless to say the traction in the mud was varaible – I reckon my rear wheel did considerably more revolutions than my front.

It had been some time since I had ridden these paths and was caught out by the amount of new housing on the southern side of Haywards Heath –  “Little Boxes” sprung to mind – houses just crammed in far too close and cars parked all over the place – the price of a growing poulation and high land cost (maybe greed by some).  But once out in the open – bliss!