A bike ride, breakfast and an urban sketch

Most mornings, weather permitting,  I go out for a 3 or 4 mile cycle ride before breakfast.  With the warm weather we've had recently, I decided to combine my trip out with some sketching at a local park, taking a yoghurt and a piece of fruit to keep my energy levels up.

The only seat which provided the best view of the house within the parkland was a tree stump - in full sun and shared with a colony of ants - so my picnic and sketch were rather hurried.  However, it was good to get back into plein air sketching and I was able to enjoy a leisurely wander through the rest of the grounds before heading home (and a second breakfast).  Later in the day, temperatures of over 30 degrees were recorded so I was glad I took advantage of the slightly cooler hours.

Lydiard House (approx. 8" x 4")
Pen, watercolour and gouache in the Hahnemuhle Cappucino sketchbook