April 21st – At the other end of the day, I had to run an errand up to WAlsall Wood. The sunset was gorgeous, but there weren’t really any good vantage points where I was headed. Still, red sky over Bullings Heath, and then over Shelfield isn’t too shabby, as things turn out…
April 21st – This is momentous – the canal feeder sluice from Chasewater to Anglesey Basin has been opened again. This has caused a drop in lake water level of about an inch. It’s been a few years since that valve was properly opened. It was good to see.
April 21st – These two 18 month old border collie brothers were having fun at Chasewater. One was scared to swim, whilst the other couldn’t get enough. Every time the plastic bottle was thrown into the water, one dog would swim to get it, bring it ashore, and give it to his brother, who took it to their master to throw again. Teamwork. Gorgeous dogs.
April 21st – It was nice to note that Brownhills Canoe and Outdoor Centre seemed to be busy this morning. They were holding an open day, with free 20 minute introductory sessions for those interested in pursuing the activity.
I love to see the place in use, and folks out, enjoying the canal. Their presence made things feel quite summery, despite the overcast weather.
April 20th – One aspect of Birmingham that’s improving lots is its bicycle culture. It’s huge now, and growing all the time. It was actually a tough call today to find space in a rack – although the good weather will have bought a lot of fair weather cyclists out.
That Plug fixie is a modern classic – note the hardcore lack of brakes – and is clearly ridden a lot. At the other end of the scale, the classic 80s Dawes Kingpin folder was an eccentric delight. Not so delightful was the cannibalised Giant frame, left to bleach in the sun like dead animal bones after the vultures had stripped them clean.
A salutary warning about locking your bike up properly there…
April 20th – Today, I cycled into Birmingham to meet a friend. I used to know this place like the back of my hand, and loved it as my hometown, but these days, not so much. I mooched around in the gorgeous afternoon sun, but Brum is a little bit lost to me now. All the shops I used to love have gone, and the crowds were dense and impenetrable. The city has moved on, and not taken me with it.
Some things are changeless, though. The gems of architecture hidden in dark corners, or the bold terracotta of the Citadel, or Methodist Central Hall. The view from the Bullring is as wonderful as ever, and Hancock still scornfully watches Priory Circus over his cuppa.
Still there too is the little old fellow who walks endlessly around town all day. He’s been doing it for years – I recall him doing this endless loop 2 decades ago – always immaculately turned out, coat slung over one arm.
When I saw him today, I realised that some old Birmingham features never fade.
April 19th – I saw them fleetingly in the distance, and thought they were horses. Stopping to take a better look, I realised there was a group of at least 4 red deer in the middle of Jockey Meadows, between Green Lane and Lichfield Road, Walsall Wood. Crossing the wetland to get a better shot, it was very, very boggy, but I discovered there was quite a large, mixed group; largest I’ve ever seen here. Half the group disappeared from view as I approached, I’d say the total was maybe 20-25 animals. I can see why they like it here; open watermeadows for browsing with low scrub for cover when eeded. So wet, they get little disturbance (I was wading through marsh 6-10 inches deep), no dogs and plenty of fresh sedges and other greens.
I love the deer. They’ve probably come up from Brownhills Common, scared off by the noise of all the anti-heathland protestors…
April 18th – The landfill at Highfields South, just over the Lichfield Road from Jockey Meadows, is notable for a number of reasons. It’s pretty well managed, and is being filled in a very controlled way. It’s now generating electricity from the landfill gasses it produces, and it has a very diverse selection of gulls, and attracts birdspotters from far and wide.
I noticed as I passed tonight that the bulkheads bored into the mound were now all connected. Like the former Vigo Utopia landfill a mile away, this one will generate electricity by burning the methane it produces for some years to come.
Don’t kid yourself that this is green, however; it’s still burning fuel, it’s not renewable and merely utilises gas that would otherwise be lost. But it’s still a neat use of an unusual resource.
April 18th – The evening sunlight was gorgeous tonight. Late home from work, I’d been blown to the station in the morning by the most incredible tailwind, hammering 40+ miles per hour down Shire Oak Hill and making Shenstone a whole 5 minutes quicker than usual. My return from Walsall in the evening was similarly assisted, but to a lesser degree as the wind had subsided somewhat.
It was a beautiful ride, even if it deal feel a little chillier than the last few days.
April 17th – I returned home late enough to catch the sunset – it was great tonight, although the winds were somewhat tempestuous. Thankfully, they were mostly behind me, and the warmth of them is still a pleasant surprise to the system. On cue, roadsides are a riot of daffodils, and everything seems busy with springtime.
It’s been worth the wait.
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