November 9th – I came back from Lichfield along the backlanes through Wall. Despite a better day weather wise, it was again now drizzling and wet. I was looking for more photographic inspiration, and found it at Harehurst Hill, looking towards the twin TV masts of Sutton Coldfield. I just wish I could capture the distant lights better.
November 9th – The start and end of the rail journey to Leicester today. When I arrived for my train at Lichfield, the information sign showed that the preceding Virgin express was running very late and was due to call just before my train. For a while, the sign showed the later train as coming in first, even though the timings on the sign meant that was impossible. 6 minutes late, after the express had hurriedly called, my train limped up. In the mean time, it had disappeared off the sign completely, with the train I was to catch completely absent from the system. I think they do it just to frighten us…
At the other end, it appeared that an all night party had been occurring in the shelter at South Wigston, chip papers were scattered throughout the platform. Sometimes I think we get the rail service we deserve.
November 8th – Oddly, a few minutes later, I found myself stood in the rain and dark, experimenting with long exposure shots of the A461 Lichfield Road. I’m not really happy with any of the results, but some are interesting. It’s actually very difficult to catch the essence of traffic at night, and I’m thinking hard about ways to do it.
November 8th – another day of drizzle, poor light, mist and damp commuting. My day was again, somewhat miserable, but the trains ran almost, mot not quite, to time. It’s really hard to get good photos in conditions like these, but speeding along the Lichfield Road at Summerhill, near Muckley Corner, I spotted the Boat Pub, lit up and inviting. I didn’t pay a call, but it was very temping. It’s called the boat due to the canal that used to run alongside, and may yet do so again, with enthusiasts fighting to restore the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal to it’s former glory.
November 7th – a drizzly wet, frustrating day. I took lots of photos today, but only a couple of ones I took of Nuneaton Station came out anywhere near good enough to use. I was in Leicester for work, which necessitates two trains – one between Lichfield TV and Nuneaton, and one from Nuneaton to South Wigston. I don’t normally mind this journey at all – it’s relatively quick and Nuneaton isn’t a bad station to change at. The London Midland service down the Trent Valley line which is normally excellent has been lousy so far this week, and on my way home, wet, tired and irritable, my train was cancelled. Faced with waiting an hour for another train that may not turn up either, I thought hard and got a train into Birmingham instead, and from there another to Shenstone. Two hours late I arrived home.
Life can be trying sometimes.
November 6th – First video for a while – they’re a bit thin on the ground at the moment. The camera doesn’t work too well in the dark, an my daytime rides are confined to the weekend right now, but the Chase was so lovely last weekend that I thought we could stand another ride cam from it. I’m loving going there at the moment. This run is from Brocton Field (near the trig point and glacial boulder at Chase Road), into the Sherbrook Valley below, and then to Milford via the Stepping Stones. I love this ride…
November 6th – A warm, pleasant day with little wind saw me yet again fail to resist the pull of Cannock Chase. We seem to be in the terminal stages of autumn, and the colours are spectacular, as we’ve yet to suffer a frost. Today, the trails were a bit muddy, but great fun again, and as I sped around the trails I saw many families out and about. I came off the Chase at Milford Common planning to go to Hoar Cross; but the sunset and scenery were so spectacular that I decided to head back to Seven Springs along the canal after cutting through Shugborough, and came back over the Abraham’s Valley in the dark. A visceral, wonderful experience.
November 6th – after complaining about illegal offloading taking place on the old railway track that bisects Brownhills Common a couple of weeks ago, it was great to note that new anti-vehicle barriers had been implemented. It’s very hard to keep the abusers off the common, as there are so many access points, which fall across two authorities, but anything that makes life a bit more difficult for the vandals is welcome. It’s good to see the authorities responding to issues like this.
November 5th – it seemed quite cold today, although for the time of year, I think it was probably quite mild. The clarity of the day and it’s air made for a gorgeous sunset. It started developing when I was near Stonnall, and just got better and better until darkness fell. I headed at top speed for Wall, where I knew I could get a good aspect. It really was this vivid; I never retouch photos other than the odd bit of cropping or straightening. Theses are straight off the camera.
November 5th – inspired by Jodiesnaturewalks, I popped into Goblin Wood in Green Lane, Walsall Wood, to see if I could spot any deer. Sadly, I was out of luck; but this was the first time for ages that I’d visited this copse. I think it must be one of the oldest, and and certainly one of the last remaining oak and holly copses for miles around. There’s a real sense of antiquity here, and the wood is well loved by locals, generations of which have played here as kids. It’s nice to see this wood now enjoys protected status.
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BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 