Tag: Abraham’s Valley

September 28th – Up on the Chase on a balmy, sunny afternoon that apart from the colour, could have been May rather than September.

I came up through Heath Hayes and over Hednesford, over the site of the RAF base. I loved the new RAF Trail markers with the roundel.

Birches Valley was rammed, and not a hugely enjoyable ride – it’s hard to let rip when around every corner there are kids, or loose dogs… So I headed for Abrahams Valley via Penkridge Bank, and was relieved to see not just a deer fawn, but clear space with few people over there.

The pines are beginning to turn – another week or so and they’ll be gorgeous.

I hopped from Seven Springs to Stepping Stones, over Milford Common and Shugborough, where from the zigzag bridge I watched two horse riders cautiously fording the trent. 

Racing back through Longdon, a familiar patch of cyclamen I forget every year until they flower, and they take me by surprise. Such delicate, lovely flowers.

It’s good to be back on decent weekend rides after so long waiting for the foot to sort itself out.

June 22nd – Up on the Chase on a lazy, hot summer afternoon. Gorgeous – I haven’t been here for too long, if I’m honest. A great ride down Rainbow Hill, the trails are dry, powdery and challenging, over to Birches Valley where the cafe and it’s pice list has been refurbished, then up Penkridge Bank, Abraham’s Valley, over to Stepping Stones, Milford, back through Shugborouagh and on the canal to Rugeley.

A great ride. I’d love to know what’s under that manhole near Brocton Coppice – guess it must be a well or borehole – there certainly aren’t and drains around there… and they really don’t seem to want folk getting in, either.

April 13th – Up on the Chase properly for the first time in ages. I rode up through Chasewater, Cuckoo Bank and over Rainbow Hill to Birches Valley; then up Penkridge Bank, the old ranges and Abrahams Valley.

It’s a good spring up there this year – everything so green and fresh. It was wonderful, although yesterday’s punishing westerly remained, making the going very tough at times.

I think my deer magnet needs retuning. They took one look at me today from afar, and walked off…

December 28th – Up on the Chase today for the first time in ages, and oh boy, it was good, but very, very muddy and the trails were treacherous. Be careful if you’re up there yourself; some quite popular tracks are blocked by fallen trees following the high winds. It could be very easy to plant into them if not paying attention.

Take care everyone.

September 29th – I escaped mid afternoon, and didn’t have long. The sun was out, but there was a keen wind, so I headed up to Cannock Chase. The colours were brilliant, with a hint of a beautiful autumn promised. I saw 3 muntjac deer at Stonepit Green, and a herd of 30-40 fallows crossing the road at Penkridge Bank. There were a few folk about, but off the main trails, the forest was beautiful and deserted. Rainbow Hill, Wolseley Plain, Abraham’s Valley and Moor’s Gorse were all gorgeous, and topping it off, a clump of wild cyclamen at Upper Longdon. Autumn ain’t so bad when it gets going…

May 12th – I have a horrid feeling that the three glorious days of the May Day bank holiday were, in fact, summer. Today was wet, but warm, so I donned waterproofs and hit Cannock Chase. It rained steadily for pretty much the whole journey, and the light was awful for photos. There is a huge spread of cowslips at Brindley Valley, and everything else was vivid shades of green – even Rugeley Power Station was surrounded by verdant pasture. The Chase was lovely, and peaceful, and I didn’t see another soul from Rifle Range Corner all the way to Seven Springs. 

Anyone would think humans were made of sugar… the forest is lovely in spring rain.

January 19th – Out on Cannock Chase, with plenty of pictures on the main blog – but something in the current patch of cold weather is really making me smile: the art of snowman making is returning. Never used to see good ones when I was a kid. Nowadays, folks are getting creative. The little fella was sat at the side of the track down Abraham’s Valley in the middle of nowhere on the Chase. He was perfect. I loved him.

Meanwhile, at Seven Springs, another was taking a breather on a picnic table. Shame about the leg. Let’s hope the government disability assessors don’t spot him loafing with that missing leg, or they’ll have him working for free in Tesco within the week…

Seriously, loving the wit of it. 

October 21st – Up on the The Chase and over Shugborough for an afternoon ride. Autumn has really taken hold now. The pines in Abraham’s valley are a lovely yellow, and everything had an aura from the low sun. Soon, the clocks will go back and I’ll be doing this run at dusk. The year advances, slowly, inexorably… where did it go?

Boxing Day – couldn’t resist a bit of ride footage. This one runs from the top of Wolseley Plain, down Abraham’s Valley, along the A51, hopping on the canal through Rugeley, then a little of Bardy Lane, near Upper Longdon. I touched 42mph, but note I slowed right down for the horse and dog walkers. People, if you have dogs off the lead and a cyclist is coming, don’t call them. The dogs are normally too interested in the smells of the open than the cyclist and won’t cause a problem. The lady calling the retrievers here actually causes them to run in front of me…

Boxing day – Cannock Chase was an absolute blast. Great to enjoy the company of fellow bikers, I span around Birches Valley for a bit, then headed for Abrahams Valley to really open it out. There was nobody to speak of down there, and that’s quite a top speed for a downhill run on a fire-road. Exhilarating and refreshing.