Tag: 365daysofbiking

August 9th – The herons are still ubiquitous on the local canals and it’s not hard to see why; the numbers of fish these quiet, urban waterways are host to now is quite amazing – you see shoals of them surfacing and for the comedically shabby, grey expert fishers these must be good times indeed.

This one who seemed fairly elderly was clearly annoyed at me disturbing the catch of the day, and continually flew away, only to land 20 yards further up the towpath and have to move again as I pressed onward to work.

I’ll never understand why herons do that.

August 8th – The rain came in Redditch just as I boarded the train back, and I thought it was probably in for the afternoon. I was however wrong, it seems to have been a narrow band of rain that passed the conurbation, and it approached me once more as I rode back from Shenstone. It caught me in the lanes.

The rain was sweet, warm and enjoyable when it came, following skies that would surely have won an Oscar for best supporting performance. 

What wasn’t so great however was that one more, with insufficient rain to wash it away, the roads became greasy, slippery and soppy with the road debris and wash down.

It pains me to say it but we need heavy and prolonged rain to clear this away.

August 8th – Unusually, I was in Redditch visiting a supplier and despite the (currently rare) overcast day, I was reminded of what gorgeous, surprising corners the new town has.

Redditch gets a lot of stick – much of it deserved – for dull planning and generally being a product of postwar urban design; but where it works – Lick the respectfully preserved Church Green or the gorgeous Arrow Valley Country Park, with the time hamlet of Ipsley preserved within – it’s rather wonderful.

I actually like this place a lot. There, I said it.

August 7th – Also showing a good, plump and juicy crop this year are the blackberries, so profuse at the moment, everywhere I go they’re so ripe they’re falling off the brambles. I see plenty of folks picking them, but there are just so many.

If you’re a crumble fan, get out there. These wonderful fruits are fee and so sweet and tasty this year.

August 7th – One of the surprises of the summer for me has been the surprisingly bountiful harvest of many berries, nuts and fruits: I would have thought that the dry spell would have meant fruit was more sparse.

Elderberries are a case in point. I think the fruit may eventually be smaller, but there is a huge quantity ripening in the warm sun. These are all in Victoria Park, Darlaston where the bushes are absolutely laden.

Going to be a good year for home wine-makers aI think.

August 6th – He’s been keeping a low profile this last couple of weeks, the King of Kings Hill. But today, I spotted him. Asleep in a shady under-hedge, he was dozing in his usual bit of garden and resolutely ignoring the world around him.

As is usually the case.

He’s so old is Sam the cat that I’m surprised at his re-emergence every new spring, and seeing this elderly, toothless but otherwise very well presented lad having a really good summer makes me happy every time I see him.

What more could an old fellow want than to pass his days napping, dreaming of kittenhood and being soothed by the warm sun and noises of the neighbourhood he rules around hm?

Long may he reign. Sweet dreams, Sam old lad. Sweet dreams.

August 6th – Heading along the Walsall Canal towards Darlaston Green and Bentley Bridge on a sunny Monday morning. Not a soul around, intense blue skies and just the sounds of waterfowl, birds and nearby industry.

I couldn’t be anywhere finer, to be perfectly honest. I love this place with all of my heart.

August 5th – Rding over to Screwfix in Walsall Wood, I passed the swan family who were loafing on the canal near the rear of Lindon Drive but clearly vaguely heading somewhere.

I suppose soon they’ll move into the main flock on Chasewater until next season when they return to breed again.

I haven’t seen much of the family this year, out paths haven’t crossed much, but it’s so nice to see them.

We never had this locally when I was a kid. It still amazes me.

August 5th – Boater dogs are always the best.

This one, so determinedly drinking from the canal y Silver Street bridge in Brownhills that I couldn’t distract it, was a lovely animal belonging to nearby narrow boaters. He seems to enjoy running along the towpaths while his boss is  piloting the boat.

I saw them later in Walsall Wood and boy, that dog can run!

August 4th – A weary but lovely ride out in the afternoon was hard going for the first 30 miles, but really picked up as the day cooled. 

I’d wanted to visit Mancetter and ride Salt Street/Roe House Lane for most of the summer, and possibly after a hard week at work this wasn’t the best day for it – but the sun was lovely and I headed out through Canwell, Carroway Head, Middleton, Middlon Lakes, Whitacre Heath, Foul End, Mancetter, Sheepey, Twycoss and No Man’s Heath, returning via Clifton, Harlaston and Whittington.

Salt Street was as wonderful as it ever was at sunset, and the clouds of dust drifting across the landscape from harvesting caught the golden light beautifully. 

The harvest continued well into the night after dark fell right across South Staffordshire and made for a real, end of Sumer feel although hopefully that’s a long way away yet.