365daysofbiking – Page 361 – BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking

April 24th – A long ride today. I had an early meeting in Leicester, so I decided to take advantage and ride home – via Derby. I followed National Cycle Route 6 up through Leicester, Mountsorrel and Loughbourough, through Shepshed and Belton and from Worthington up the old rail line to Swakestone; from there, short hop on the canal, then up the old canal line that’s now a cycle trail right in to Derby.

I left Derby on route 68 through Mickleover and Mackworth, to Etwall; from there to Burton, then Barton and Lichfield. A bit shy of 100 miles, but the wind was punishing and I’m not yet back to peak condition.

I loved the whole thing. Route 6 is ace and I saw lots of places I need to go back to – not least Mountsorrel which looked gorgeous. Derby was as wonderful as ever.

The sun disappeared at lunchtime, but it was a nice enough day, and the ride reminded me of places I’d forgotten and needed back in my life.

Enjoyable, but tiring, I was glad to get home.

April 23rd – A waiting game. Still she patiently sits on her nest, secluded in the safety of the disused canal basin in Pleck, Walsall. Her mate patrols the canal on the mainline nearby, and today she had mallards for company.

It’ll be interesting to see if she has eggs, or if this is a dry run. Quite safe in there, the nest is surrounded by fences all round, inaccessible to the public.

I love watching the swans.

April 23rd – Stopped at the lights in Darlaston, I realised a happy face was watching me from the tailgate of the van in front.

I whipped out the camera and snatched a picture before the lights changed. I love found faces.

April 22nd – A spin around Stonnall on an errand on the way home, and it’s getting to late spring, early summer, or at least it feels that way: warm air, surrounded by flowers and greening hedgerows and trees. I seems a world away from the scene here a few short weeks ago.

It’s also hard to imagine that on April 5th, 2013, there was still snow on these fields.

One of the most charming and frustrating things about cycling in Britain is the weather. You never know quite what’s going to happen next…

April 22nd – I spotted this striking red and green shrub in a border just in the backstreets of Pleck. It’s rather stunning, and brightened my day. Anyone know what it is?

April 21st – A tradition, now, like the waste ground at South Winston Station, is the flowerbed at Telford. Pretty much all year round this planter is a joy. At the moment, gorgeous tulips, lobelia and primroses.

Just the thing to perk you up waiting for yet another delayed train…

April 21st – Another bitingly cold morning, but in Mill Green, the early sunlight – obscured the day before – caught the light, rising mist and rendered it precious.

It made up for the frozen fingers. Second day running I’ve awoken to ice on the grass. Cast n’er a clout…

April 20th – And in Telford, all along the cycleways from Stafford Park to Hortonwood, blossom – of all varieties. A horrid job today that I really didn’t fancy, but brightened on the way by the most beautiful spring flowers, azure sky and warm sun.

Not bad for a Monday, really.

April 20th – A shock this morning. I had a train to catch so left as the sun rose. It was very, very cold with a light ground frost, inadequate a significant mist. Still, it shrouded Grove Hill in Stonnall beautifully, and gave the pylons at Mill Green an other-worldly, sinister presence, and the sun soon burned it off.

April 19th – I still wasn’t feeling great, and added to which I was having trouble with the computer, so I slid out on a changeable, but mostly sunny afternoon for a scoot over to Chasewater, Lichfield, Wall, Chesterfield and back home. It cheered me up no end – the oilseed rape was just coming into flower, and it was one of those high-contrast days that make for dramatics skies and nice photos.

I love how the tulip looks like it’s got a tiny, tarantula-type creature inside.