Tag: 365daysofbiking

August 28th – A slow 40 mile bimble on a windier, but very hot August Bank Holiday Monday – it’s not many years you can say that about. I rode out wearily, late afternoon for cake and tea at Great Haywood. On the best afternoon for a long time, the Lock Cottage cafe was inexplicably closed, but the Canalside Farm one was open, were I enjoyed good cake and earl grey watching the boats go by.

A run back down the canal and over the Chase was very hard though. I’m certainly not as young as I was and 180 miles in a weekend is a lot these days.

August 27th – I did a 75 mile ride out beyond Tamworth into Leicestershire. I hadn’t rode this way for a decade or more – and I headed for Barton in the Beans and Newton Burgoland through beautiful, sunny countryside on another warm, still day.

A great ride.

But those place names? Go home, Leicestershire – you’re drunk.

August 28th – I’d heard there was going to be a a canal festival/floating market thing at Alvecote Marina in Tamworth, so I took a spin out to check it out – it was a fine event, with what must have been nearly 100 boats, floating traders, food, drink and entertainment. 

It was very crowded and a very hot afternoon, but it was a lovely do.

As ever, the dogs made it. Boater dogs really are characters.

August 27th – The sunset from Salt Street overlooking the motorway and Austrey was gorgeous. I rode into a falling darkness, reminded of the advancing season and how this weekend always has a feeling of conclusive end to it, although summer rarely ends here, of course.

I’m not usually happy this weekend. This evening I was very content indeed.

I loved the bewitching weathervane on Cope’s Lodge at Fisherwick. Particularly the cat. How fab is that?

I needed this rest. So nice to be in the places I love, in good weather, even if the bike squeaks.

August 26th – A day that should have been terrible by rights, but worked out wonderfully in the end.

Not many photos, as I was too busy riding!

I needed a part for the bike which has developed an annoying creak. So I booked a click and collect for an extortionately priced replacement part at a national cycle chain in Sutton for collection same day. I set off and when I got to the shop, it was all a big error, and they hadn’t got the part, couldn’t refund me and couldn’t understand why I was in the least bit annoyed.

Desperate to end the mechanical whinging, I did some of my own and headed to Birmingham to score a part somewhere else. This robbed me of the ride I had planned. At 5pm, having the parts, a coffee and some stodgy comfort food, I peered at the departure boards at new Street for inspiration – if I was to get a country ride in, I had to select carefully. 

Nuneaton won.

Arriving at Nuneaton 30 minutes later, I headed for Higham, Stoke Golding and Sutton Cheney through gorgeous sun-dappled countryside, pushing for Market Bosworth along a lovely road I’d cycled 10 years previously. It was gorgeous. I headed back home through Congerstone, Builstone, Twycross and down the long, cross-country green lane of Salt Street into a terrific sunset. No Man’s Heath, Clifton, Harlaston, Hademore, Whittington and Wall made up the return. 

It was a beautiful, English evening ride. Warm, little wind and beautiful scenery. 65 miles.

The firethorn (Pyrocanthus) is beautiful along the Birmingham canals, and the newly thatched cottage in Market Bosworth with the two foxes – how on earth did the thatcher get such expression into bundles of reeds? Stunning.

August 25th – Travellers of a different kind in central Walsall. Still feeling grim even for the sun and fresh air, my burning of the candle at both ends was finally catching up with me, so a breather and a brew watching this narrowboat negotiate the locks at near Smiths Flour Mill in Walsall was in order.

I love to see the narrowboats – and this was a good one, in a scene hugely transformed in the last few decades. Once, the boat would have been grubby, in even blacker, heavily polluted surroundings, perhaps carrying coal to the power station, but now we’re surrounded by green and modern urbanity, and the cargo is not coal, but travellers, holidaymakers or boat enthusiasts passing another once industrial town.

How times change.

August 25th – The morning following another late night of a different kind, and a little fragile, I’d lost contact with online events the night before. I returned in the early hours to find online outrage about travellers having encamped at Oak Park.

Passing the site that morning, the unauthorised encampment was large, and I understood the community shock and outrage.

Thankfully, the authorities acted quickly and they were gone again that evening in the continual game of arrive and evict that’s been plaguing the authority this year.

August 24th – Very tired, I trundled into work along the canal and spotted this heron hunting from the reed margin  at Bentley Bridge.

I still can’t quite believe that these shambling, slightly mad-looking birds frequent such an industrial, urban space – but there are so many and they look so healthy it’s wonderful. There must be clean water and plenty of fish to attract so many.

A joy the morning after a very long preceding night.

August 23rd – I worked stupidly late into the evening, but the office was way to hot, so enjoying a breather I took a walk up the road at sunset with a cup of tea.

Such a gorgeous sky and sunset, and I was lucky to catch it as I never noticed it. I really must ease off on the work: there will be time enough when the weather is poor…

August 23rd – I’m also really enjoying Victoria Park in Darlaston at the moment. Still to pull on it’s autumn jacket, the greens are still bright and the mystic bridge looks as gorgeous as ever.

I keep banging on about this but Darlaston and it’s parks are gorgeous. If you live nearby and have never been, why not pay them a visit?