August 29th – I don’t know if this is the result of a natural process, a disease or a parasite but all the sycamores I’m seeing at the moment have these brown/yellow scabs on the leaves. This one was on the canal at Hopwas Hays Wood, but I’m seeing it everywhere. I’m aware of the leaf miner problem with horse chestnut trees, but didn’t think that affected sycamores. Any ideas, anyone?
August 29th – The ford at Hints, where the Black Brook crosses Rookery Lane is highly seasonal and is currently dry as bone. In dry weather,the brook ru s in a series of culverts around the site of the former mill and forge, remnants of which can still be seen from the beautiful pedestrian footbridge nearby. As I stood on this bridge, a Kingfisher flew under the arch. Far too fast for me to catch on camera, the cobalt blue flash is still a heart stopper.
August 28th -This is one of my favourite canal runs anywhere – from the junction by the ICC (Old Turn junc.) to Aston junction. Fast, technically tricky (cobbled sections very challenging, to say the least), often busy with people and other cyclists. When relatively unobstructed, as on this quiet, sunny Sunday Evening, it’s a joy to the heart. Only brief edits of the boring bits – whole journey only takes a little over 7 minutes if you crack on.
August 28th – I’ve noticed that social media has been rather quiet on the subject of the Overstrand being demolished since the deed was done. The hated former restaurant, crossing High Street, Walsall, blocked the view of the church for several decades, and we all hated it. The demolition was awaited and much talked about. However, after the work was complete yesterday, I realised something – as did most of the observers – that removal has only highlighted the poor town planning that gave birth to the aberration in the first place. The view of the church is only unblocked from a few very specific angles, and from the church itself, just reveals more concrete. The view from the bottom of the marketplace is unchanged, with the staggered nature of the street still blocking what would be a fine aspect. We’ll need to wait longer for that to change, as there’s a new Asda shed in the way of that one, amongst other things.
August 28th – Urban riding can be surprising to people who’ve never considered it before. Our towns and cities are surprisingly green, and even concrete jungles can be fascinating places. The panorama of Paddock, from Church Hill, Walsall, demonstrates this, as does the one from under Spaghetti Junction. So much to explore, even in the depths of the city. All joined together by our fantastic cycle network.
August 28th – Afternoon saw me again investigating national cycle route five, cycling into Walsall to see what the marketplace looked like without the Overstrand, then down through the Sandwell Valley and onto the canals through Brum. For a lark, thought I’d try my hand cycling up the treacherous cobbles of Church Hill to St. Matthews. Hardly Paris – Roubaix, but I was fairly pleased with myself…
August 27th – There are things in life that you only really notice when walking or riding a bike. This mailbox stands in the driveway to a house in the hamlet of Edial, near Burntwood, and for some reason it makes me grin every time I see it. I think it’s the wee satellite dish on the chimney – whoever made this had a sense of humour.
August 27th – A slightly windblown day of showers and patchy sun. The harvest now mostly complete, the fields have got their autumnal cloak on; bare earth, stubble and huge straw bales are the order of the day. Even the potatoes, formerly lush and verdant, are dying off and yellowing. Here at Home Farm, Sandhills, summer’s cauldron seems to be distinctly off the boil now.
26th August – Proof that the people who design cycle routes never bloody ride them. This, at the junction of The Broadway and Delves Green Road, in South Walsall, isn’t just unusable, it’s taking the sodding piss. That’s all.
August 26th – It’s been a while since I did a gratuitous heron post. Followers of this journal will know that I adore herons in all their dishevelled, scatterbrain glory. I find them comical, beautiful and fascinating. Yesterday, I saw five, mostly around Aldridge and Park Hall. Delightful birds, including the juvenile, which I suspect is the same one recently observed by top wildlife togger Zksby.
A poster on my main blog recently claimed that you couldn’t get close enough to a heron to throw stones at one – a practice I’ve sadly seen some anglers involved in – which must be evidence of an ingrained fear of fishermen at work. I was within a few meters of all of these fine specimens.
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