Tag: 365daysofbiking

January 17th – Enjoying the ride to work today, I took a spin up National Cycle Route 5 from Station Road in Coalpool up to the Butts, in Walsall. This great cycleway runs mostly beside the Ford Brook, today flowing rather impressively. After passing under Walsall and picking up some tributaries on the way, the brook becomes the River Tame. Where the flow dives under Mill Lane, there’s a debris filter installed by the Environment Agency. Both they and the National Rivers Authority, their predecessors, have done much to clean up this formerly massively polluted waterway, not just here, but further south. I don’t know why, but I always find structures like this vaguely intimidating and unsettling. 

January 16th – I didn’t really feel well enough for work, but went anyway. I had suspected the cold, frosty, bright day would raise my spirits, and so it did. This is the kind of winter day I love: cold, slightly misty and sun-bathed. It took me a good 15 minutes longer to get to work today, but I didn’t mind. Wrapped up warm, it was lovely to be out. If only I had a bit more energy…

January 15th – Viewed from just below Meerash Farm, near Hammerwich, the sunset over Brownhills was beautiful, even over this normally ugly bit of the skyline known as The Chemical. Once the site of a chemical works, then the Superalloys military scrapyard, now the vents and flues of one of Brownhills’ largest employers, Castings, punctuate the factory roofs. In daytime, this view is at best, unremarkable and at worst, hideous. At sundown, though, precious. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

January 15th – Bimbling around the western edge of Chasewater, I noted the water level in Jeffrey’s Swag was rising well. The main lake also seems to be creeping up, but the smaller pool on the northern side of the railway causeway is critical. Topped up by several creeks and streams, once filled it will be key to the return of the main body of water, as all the overspill flows into it. It’s good to see the gradual restoration of this vital habitat to some kind of normality. Sadly, the replenishing of Chasewater itself will take an awful lot longer.

January 15th – I have to keep rolling. Despite feeling a bit grim, I embarked on a chilly ride around Brownhills, Chasewater and Hammerwich. The ice tyres made short work of the icy puddles and frozen track mud, and it was quite a blast. As I approached what has now been christened ‘Slough Railway Bridge’ in a sudden fit of bridge nameplate renewal by British Waterways, I noted something I’d been meaning to feature here for a while. Many folk don’t realise what the channel on the right of this flight of steps is for – it’s to push your bicycle up to the cycle track above from the towpath below. It’s only been installed in the last few years, and certainly makes the climb easier, and provides a trick challenge for the BMX kids. I see more an more of these about, and a fine thing they are, too.

I don’t care what British Waterways call it, it’ll always be the Cement Works Bridge to me…

January 14th – A cold, clear, crisp, beautifully frosty winter day. At last. Normally, on days like this I’d wrap up warm and head for Cannock Chase. Sadly, I wasn’t up to that, so settled for a sunset pootle around Brownhills and Warrenhouse. The views from Barracks Lane over Home Farm were gorgeous, as was the dusk over the canal near Ogley Junction. I really regretted not being in better condition. I bet the Trent Valley was gorgeous tonight…

January 13th – Whilst pottering down the Wednesbury Road, I noticed a curio I’d not been aware of before – a pine tree, or conifer, growing in the front garden of one of the terraces that now form the Girls School there. It’s very, very tall, and has progressively had the lower branches trimmed away. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this in an urban environment before – and why, in all the years it must have existed, have I never noticed it? A real oddity.

January 13th – it was a hectic, draining day. I had a meeting in Brownhills, then had to got to the doctor, then on to work. My infection has returned and my stomach was bad again, ever since finishing the antibiotics. It was about 11:30am as I cycled to work in Darlaston. Heading through Walsall town centre for a change, I passed this pair of Victorian semis that used to be neighbours of the now demolished Mellish Road Church. They’re actually very interesting, as they were just saved from demolition – the subsidence that caused the closing of the church affected them, too; but better construction and less weight helped them survive. They’re a very good illustration of the effects of subsidence – in this case caused by limestone caverns – as outwardly, they look straight, but when studied, there isn’t a single true line anywhere on them. A testament to the tolerance of Victorian building techniques.

January 12th – An incredible sight this morning in Victoria Park, Darlaston. Trees in blossom. I have no idea what they are (the pink one looks like it’s a weird graft from the trunk) but surely, this must be some kind of record? The evergreen at the back also has bright yellow-green blooms. This year is all out of synch. I hope if winter does come, it doesn’t do these, the most optimistic of trees, any harm. They deserve only the best of seasons for coming out so soon.

January 12th – I noted back before Christmas that following another of Walsall’s infectious arson attacks, the Miners Arms pub in Rushall was being demolished. Well, operations appear to have ground to a halt and work stalled. The formed pub sits truncated to the first floor, debris littered around it and on the lawn of the health centre next door. The people demolishing this building seem to have got bored and wandered off. Hardly professional.

What an eyesore.