Tag: boat

September 7th – An early escape from work, so I went for an afternoon bimble in the sun. I hadn’t got long, so just up to Chasewater, then up through Burntwood to Farewell, over to Lichfield and back through Wall and Lynn. 

A lovely day with beautiful light. Could this be an Indian summer? I do hope so!

August 27th – It was a clear, bright moonlit night and I had an errand to run so I blasted down the canal and looped around Brownhills. I’m really getting used to the Nikon now, and I enjoyed taking these pictures immensely.

The camera has odd foibles, but it’s a great little thing for sure.

I was amused to note the boat – complete with cushions and electric motor – tethered near the Anchor, clearly someone’s beer buggy of choice. Most excellent.

June 23rd – A lovely commute, and at last, on a warm, sunny, almost wind-free day. And I was cheered as a rode along the canal in Pleck to see the Canal and River Trust rubbish collection boat operating. The chaps on board had long poles and grabbers and were hauling debris out of the reeds, off the embankments and from the water.

It wasn’t until I got closer that I realised from their Hi-Vis that the lads doing the graft were volunteers. Well done to them, and thanks. True public spirit right there.

November 2nd – Up to Chasewater for the first time in a while. The day was more settled, but still with the grey skies, and at times, spotting with rain. Nice to see the cows back on the north heath, and the boaters and water-skiers were enjoying a day on the water.

At the railway, utterly inexplicably, a whole bunch of classic vehicles with no clue as to the reason for their presence; a real mystery.

The water level is still seemingly somewhat low; but the valves are now closed and it’s just a wait now for the rains. I’m not really relishing that thought over much.

October 11th – Still not feeling great, to be honest. Still sleepy and tired, I headed out at lunchtime to get something to eat, and do a little shopping. I needed to pop up to the Orbital in Cannock, so went via Pelsall, and up the Cannock Extension Canal.

It was a lovely autumn afternoon.

I particularly liked the boat with the unintentionally smiling face near the boatyard, and the golden hour as I returned through Pelsall was gorgeous.

If you’re out an about on a bike this weekend, do watch out for the twin hazards though: it’s hedge-flailing season and the roads are dotted with thorns, and following the inclement weather, many are coated in slippery mud. Beware, folks – both can wreck a good ride.

August 17th – If you listen to many opinions in these parts, Brownhills is ugly, a lost cause; everything is broken and we’re descending into oblivion.

But if you open your eyes, and look around, it’s not quite like that.

How I’ve managed to not notice the old wooden rowing boat filled with beautiful flowers before, I’ll never know. It’s placed wonderfully by the Canoe and Outdoor Centre on Silver Street, and captivated me. My compliments to whoever thought of it and planted it. It’s gorgeous.

Compliments are also due to the local schoolkids who planted sunflowers on the open space between the High Street and Short Street; they are  absolutely beautiful, and can’t but make you smile.

Brownhills has more than 99 problems. But a lack of beauty isn’t one of them, oddly enough.

March 14th – This is for Richard Burnell. Last autumn, he was exploring the canals of Birmingham, and he happened upon these boxes, mounted either side of the canal in Ladywood. He asked what they were, and I told him – to some incredulity – that they were a traffic counter. I vowed that next time I passed, I’d take a picture or two.

In the tall metal box is a mains power supply and a counter. In the long, flat one next to it, two photo electric beam switches (made by specialists Sick), which detect a light beam reflected from a target in the box on the opposite side of the canal. When both beams are broken together, it’s most likely by a boat, so the count increases. By using the two beams, this filters out false signals from curious hands, waterfowl etc.

Measuring boat traffic is important. Similar systems on cycle routes count bikes, and we’ve all seen the temporary ones that count traffic.

May 3rd – This is an interesting one. Just by the Pelsall Road bridge in Brownhills, a lovely bed of daffodils, tulips and other spring flowers, where once there was just grass. The odd thing is that the triangle forming the bed is inaccessible, except by boat, or maybe by ladder from the road above.

Ingenious, perplexing and lovely. Beautiful.

May 3rd – As I spun around the canals at dusk to get some exercise and food in, I noticed there were a lot of narrowboats moored up – I passed at least 5 that weren’t regulars. I guess it must be the sudden onset of good weather and a holiday weekend. It was chilly, but the air was clear and hard, and in the dying light, living aboard one didn’t seem like a bad idea.