Another 15 miles today. I took Bob’s advice and went down to Sutton Park via Hobs Hole Lane and then up onto the Roman Road. I should have used my brain and realised that Little Aston Church is in an elevated position and that riding up past there on the Roman Road and up the road itself would involve a climb! I hate climbs. I’m much better at them than a few months ago but I slow down to such a crawl that I could literally walk more quickly. I plodded on though.
I stopped to photograph St Peter’s Church just as a plethora of local ladies driving their 4x4s (tricky off road driving in Little Aston) parked up on the car park and went into the church rooms. I said a cheery hello to each and everyone of them and got not one reply. Perhaps it was my helmet hair?
I haven’t been along Roman Road for 30 years and it’s changed. Most of the side roads are now gated off as are most of the individual houses with enormous electronic gates in front of each property, each surrounded by tall, thick shrubs, fences and walls. I suppose something has to be done to keep out anyone in need of a fix of skunk as this is the road that became a little notorious a few years ago. There are a lot more houses now too. I suppose that over the years bits of garden have been sold off and new homes built. How the other half live.
I entered Sutton Park via Streetly Gate and to my delight an ice cream van was parked by the Jamboree Stone. I treated myself. I then rode down to Longmoor Pool and then double backed and made my way to Four Oaks Gate taking a little diversion along the way to take a peek at a house where my Grandmother worked for many years when I was a child. Back then it was my glimpse into a world where parents took foreign holidays in the winter for a little sun and left their children behind in the care of responsible people like my Grandparents. Their son was always away at boarding school, something else outside of my own experience and for goodness sake they had central heating!
The ride back up to Aldridge was a slow climb but I made it without walking!
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 