Wicken Man And His Mill

It's National Mills Weekend so I decided to go in search of windmills to photograph. I got shots of four but my favourite is the one above because visiting it was a slightly surreal experience as I was completely alone. I drove into a very quiet no through road in Wicken, parked the car and walked through the gate. I met a man who looked like some sort of engineer and greeted him. He carried on walking so I presumed that he was a member of the public leaving. Surrounding the mill was a beautifully tidy garden with bee hives. It was completely deserted. I took some pics, spotted a man in his back yard and asked if there was anyone about. He said that the owner of he mill was probably in his shed, the black one on the left of my pic. The shed was full of old pumping engines and the man I had seen earlier was inside working in the half-light. He was very shy and it was difficult to engage him in conversation. He suggested that I should go to Burwell mill next and told me how to get there.

Lots of razzmatazz there. A big queue to get in the mill, a band playing, a museum, tea shop, children's play area, etc. I didn't stay long.

From there to Wicken Fen to see the windpump that used to stand on the edge of Adventurers' Fen. A man was capturing it in watercolours. I've added an image to extras.

On the way back when the weather was better I stopped to capture the Wicken mill again from a different aspect. (Extras) I got chatting with a man and I told him that I thought mill man was shy and he described him as eccentric.