Tag: Black COuntry

April 26th – Another cold day, but not quite as bad as the day before; but it still feels like it’ll never be warm ever again. This is a most peculiar season.

Zipping about the Black Country on errands, wrapped up in woolly hat and scarf despite the bright sunshine it felt most odd. But there are spring flowers in abundance and every other element of spring is here. Just not warmth.

In Wednesbury, the tulips don’t seem to mind. Perhaps I’m going soft in my old age.

March 30th – The wolfish, windy days continue, but at least it was warm and sunny. After battling the wind from work into Tipton, I returned with it thankfully behind me. Crossing the Black Country Route near Moxley, I noticed the hint of spring in this favourite view of the church.

Just a hint of green. Soft sunlight, A blue sky. This’ll do.

March 21st – I noticed this lad hopping about the yard at work, looking for scraps of food and collecting nesting materials. I don’t see many sparrows at work, so I took a photo of him.

He likes this old cable drum so I’ve made it an impromptu feeding station – I only had a bit of stale fruitcake to put out today, but I’ll bring some seed and stuff tomorrow.

I like to see the birds in factory yards and around industrial estates, it’s a reminder that even in the most harsh of environments, nature is around us, doing it’s thing.

Just like Mr. Sparrow here.

March 16th – Also bursting forth now, a whole tranche of spring flowers in parks and gardens. I’ve no idea what these red and white globular ones are I spotted in Wednesbury, but that are absolutely gorgeous.

Despite not feeling well, the weather and nature have been doing their damnedest all week to cheer me up – which is welcome!

March 6th – Spotted in great Bridge, in an alleyway just off the high street, these two likely characters, although only a handful of yards apart, studiously ignoring each other.

I love how now the weather is warming up, the flaneurs of the summer are starting to awaken from their cosy spots indoors, yawn, stretch and take the outside air now that the sap is rising.

When the cats are out, you know summer isn’t far away.

February 21st – Unfortunately, I forget my camera so just one picture for today, and that’s not brilliant, sorry.

I had to nip into Tipton on a day with an evil southwesterly, and crossing theBlack Country New Road at Moxley, I was once again captivated by that marooned, beautiful church – like Wood Green, and a host of others in the conurbation, urban churches are often extant on odd islands or spurs as road systems grow around them.

Thirty years ago, this view would have been completely different.

I love that these wonderful buildings are preserved and they’re like lighthouses to the past in the changing landscape.

February 20th – I passed through Wednesbury late, a town I often pass through but rarely stop in, which is a shame as it’s a great place. On this dark, mild evening it was still busy, and the lights and interesting buildings made for an inviting, busy urban scene.

I must explore this place more.

February 19th – It was a warm day with an insistent wind and occasional sunny periods – but a fine day for a ride. I covered 63 miles, the first big ride of the year, and the towpaths were much easier going than I thought, apart from a couple of rough patches at Stourton and west of Wolverhampton.

The canals showed themselves beautifully, and the sound of church bells and sight of daffodils, snowdrops and other spring flowers gladdened the heart.

Of course, the architecture stole the show – the viaducts, aqueducts, bridges, locks and associated houses are gorgeous. 

The Black Country is wonderful and I’ll always love it.

February 19th – I had to be in work on a Sunday, unusually, early in the morning. After spending a few hours there, I decided to make the best of the day and head on to the canals of the Black Country. I shot over to Tipton, then through the Netherton Tunnel, wound around Brierley Hill to Stourbridge, out to Stourton and then all the way up to Wolverhampton on the Staffs and Worcester, heading back home on the good old Curley Wyrley to Bloxwich.

I love riding the Netherton Tunnel – at 3036 yards it’s a long one, and the effects of water seepage and time make it an interesting and dramatic journey. 

Those air vents still remind me of something out of Doom or Quake.

Didn’t see another soul down there, either, which was odd. Bumble Hole at the far end was busy, though.