Tuesday March 9th 2021 – It’s a little bit warmer, a little bit lighter later, and it seems to have finally stopped with the continual drizzle.
As a consequence, the towpaths and trails are drying out, and the riding is getting a little bit easier, and less messy.
This stretch at Catshill has been swampy, mushy and slippery all winter. Good to finally see some improvement.
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Tuesday March 2nd 2021 – I was at work, and ended up working late. It’s really curious how working from home seems to mean you often doing pretty much the same hours in work, just squashed into less days…
I was heading home weary on a chilly night with a barely perceptible mist of the kind that catches street lights and renders a ghostly hue upon familiar scenes.
As I hopped off the canal at Anchor Bridge, I noticed it through the trees, and capturing it was irresistible.
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Saturday January 30th 2021 – I had to nip to the shops on an errand, but wanted to miss the worst of the lockdown queues, so went as late in the day as possible, and then headed up to Walsall Wood to get some bits for a DIY project, I realised it was still just about light at 4:45pm.
Spring really can’t be far away now, the light is flooding back.
Even on this grey, chilly winter day, it filled my heart with joy.
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Sunday January 17th 2021 – Riding hasn’t been great this winter, if I’m honest. The lockdown and pandemic notwithstanding, the weather has been consistently wet and unpleasant, and this is reflected in the muck and mud on every towpath, off-road trail and minor country lane. Everywhere is saturated, even on dry days.
We really have had some wet winters in recent years, that’s for sure.
On an evening ride out before a difficult Monday, I planned to head to Chasewater along the canal – I got on near Silver Street, headed up over Catshill Junction and got as far as Anchor Bridge, before giving up and riding back down the High Street. It was just too muddy to be enjoyable.
I hope this weather breaks soon.
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Friday January 8th 2021 – A warmer day, but not much: The snow was mostly melted and the frost slight as I headed home from work.
Between Catshill Junction and Anchor Bridge I opted to leave the muddy canal and hit the High Street.
I always like the end of the first working week after Christmas. The festivities seem an age away, it’s now not really dark until well past 4:30pm and things seem to be heading toward spring. Of course, the pandemic is a huge worry, as is Brexit and problems it’s causing at work, but I think we can endure.
It’s actually nice to be back in my routine.
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Monday January 3rd 2021 – Back to work, with the country seemingly in limbo, with a government unsure whether to put us in full lockdown or not. Another year, more dire politicians.
I came home on a wet evening along a very wet canal, and hopped off the towpath at Anchor Bridge. As I rounded the corner onto the High Street, it occurred to me to try a photo of the canal – another semi-regular night photography muse I hadn’t tried with the new camera.
I love how the colours are strong here at night, and never really fade. It’s one of those timeless views I guess.
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Saturday, October 10th 2020 – A dreadful, wet autumn day of the kind that makes you want to hibernate for the whole winter. Everything was wet: Doing jobs about the house meant walking muddy water in and it was best just staying put and plan for better days and decent rides out.
Hopefully Sunday would be an improvement.
I escaped late in a lull in the deluge and did a short loop of Brownhills, yup to Anchor Bridge and back through Clayhanger. At Anchor Bridge you’d be hard pressed to spot the effects of the rain – – but the towpaths were too sodden to ride and a telltale sheen on the tarmac belied the all-pervasive damp.
I picked up a curry and headed home: Even on this short ride I felt grubby and wet. Hopefully better days will come soon.
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Sunday, September 20th 2020 – The closing in of the evenings means that there will be more night shots here as the season advances, and there are a few favourites I return to, for no other reason than I love the images they make.
At the top end of Brownhills, on the border between there and Walsall Wood, the Anchor Bridge is lovely at night. I adore this view.
The colours and light of a night shot can, counteiintuitly, be gorgeously vivid.
Quiet, contemplative scenes like this moor me through the winter until the light returns. Therapy, I think.
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April 27th – A brief loop around Brownhills, and I spotted this charming floof on a garden fishing platform just near anchor bridge.
Peacefully watching life go by, this gorgeous tabby would not turn to look at me for ages, so engrossing was it’s neighbourhood watch shift.
Always nice to see a puss when out and about. And this was a very gorgeous one!
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April 5th – An exercise spin out at dusk unusually took my mood down. I wasn’t feeling great and this one scene made my mood nosedive.
I love the view of Anchor Bridge at night from the canal. It’s magical and beautiful and the light is normally gorgeous. Tonight, though, something was missing.
The incidental light from the adjacent Anchor Pub was absent: The pub lights normally add a warm glow to Anchor Bridge night photos.But the pub is dark, silent and closed in accordance with lockdown rules.
I hopped up the ramp to the pub. This normally welcoming place was in darkness, and looked forlorn.
My heart sank.
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