April 10th – Returning home late as the sun set I turned into Scarborough Road, Pleck, and caught the sun over the Walsall Canal to the west.
You wouldn’t;t think you were in the heart of a densely populated, down at heel urban area.
Our canals are like green veins in our towns and cities. They are wonderful, and part of me.
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April 10th – My second home Darlaston is looking splendid in it’s spring jacket at the Monet.
How many people hear the name and think of grimy, angry industry, smell, grim urbanisation and pollution? The reality is way, way different.
Darlaston is a beautiful little Black Country town, with astounding architecture, great parks right in the centre, and a phenomenal history.
Go look – there’s no better toime than spring.
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April 9th – Another welcome sight indicating the ever-rolling season’s wheel are cowslips, my favourite flower in the whole world.
Cowslips were very, very unusual when I was a kid. These days they grow everywhere like weeds – and I collect the seeds when they go over and spread them anywhere I think needs a bit of yellow in the spring. And there are very few places that don’t benefit from a bit of yellow.
These hardy but delicate looking members of the primrose family are scattered over Clayhanger common – many from the result of my guerrilla seeding – and are truly divine. I love them.
Welcome back.
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April 9th – A run on the canal through Pleck and Bentley Bridge to check on the nesting swan couple at the former Anson Arm. I needn’t have worried. She was fast asleep in comfort and he was on patrol, threatening to peck my feet on the opposite bank.
This pair usually have small clutches. When the long wait is over, it’ll be interesting to watch them develop this year, as ever.
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April 8th – Returning home at gone 7pm in grey light, I spotted this elderly lady watching me from the open space in North Street.
I suspect she’d been having a standoff with a factory cat from the yard over the road.
She looks in good condition and wasn’t fazed by me at all.
Beautiful animal, and a pleasure to see.
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April 8th – Although the weather is improving with a change in wind direction (although still quite breezy) and sunny days, it seems the temperature is still staying stubbornly low. Perhaps it’s the early spring, but it feels like it should be way warmer at the moment to me.
Meanwhile, in Kings Hill Park, the deep red tulips are out and looking superb, with the rest of the park greening up beautifully. At least the chill should preserve the flowers for longer!
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April 7th – I came back up Albutts Road and down the old rail line to the old cement works bridge at The Slough. On the part of the track between Engine Lane and the A5 which isn’t an official cycleway, there are several fallen trees making riding fun, necessitating an array of ducking, weaving and bunny hops.
Great stuff.
The fallen wood also may have the added benefit of chinning some pillock on a quad or scrambler who illegally terrorise these woods scaring wildlife and walkers.
We live in hope.
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April 7th – The group of deer that have been loafing around the spillway and dam for the last couple of weeks were hanging around the south shore when I returned from a ride out at dusk.
The day had promised decent weather – it was much warmer than it has been which was a good start – but it was hazy and grey and not inspiring at all, which was sad.
As I rolled up to take their picture, three ladies ambled out of the scrub to my left, which was a surprise: A sign to be a bit more careful with deer numbers increasing, I think.
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April 6th – At Chasewater itself, it was also quiet, and no sign of the annual insect cloud I’d heard about during the day – they must have settled for the evening.
I love how every time you go, the light at Chasewater is different. Tonight is was sort of grey and china blue, the peace only disturbed occasionally by the honking of geese and the the odd mallard or grebe scudding along the water.
A beautiful evening, despite the dullness.
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April 6th – Nipping up to Chasewater after a day of bike maintenance and cleaning. It was a dull but clear afternoon that felt more like late October than April. Still cold, at Ogley Junction it felt very quiet and still.
I note the factories were quiet too – unusual really – they used to run right over the weekends. I hope this isn’t a sign of trouble ahead.
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