Tag: Brownhills

#365daysofbiking Hard of herring

September 26th – Crossing the Parade in Brownhills near the Fullelove Memorial Shelter, there had been oddly enough, a landing of herring gulls, presumably on their way between local water and one of the several landfills where they feed.

These really are huge birds, and quite aggressive in appearance.

It’s hard not to associate these surprisingly complex birds with the sea – but with abundant food locally and planty of water, this one has probably never seen the sea.

An odd feature of local wildlife.

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#365daysofbiking Quick change

September 26th – All of a sudden, the leaves are turning. In a matter of days, what was the odd tree turning is now spread throughout, and autumn is kicking into gear.

Hear near Anchor Bridge on the Brownhills-Walsall Wood border is a great place to admire the season’s palette.

The nip in the air, the fading greens and darker evenings mean we really are heading fast towards year’s end now.

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#365daysofbiking Autumn on my shoulders


September 25th – A better day after all the rain. On a soft morning with light, hazy sun and the smell of the canal and wet earth, the grim trials and disappointments of the previous weekend seemed a million miles away.

It was still warm, and I have to keep reminding myself that we’re only a whisker from October, and The Suck, the season until Christmas of night-time commutes where the conditions and driving are a nightmare.

Autumn is certainly on my shoulders but today, with my sleeves rolled up and the waterfowl chattering, I could kid myself I had a few more weeks yet…

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#365daysofbiking Sky gazing

September 21st – And as I neared the canal by the Victorian rail over bridge near the Pelsall Road, the hitherto rage sky caught fire.

I wasn’t in a good place for a skyline, but what I could see was beautiful.

Being outdoors – even for the shortest time – can really perk you up.

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#365daysofbiking Home signal

September 21st – A rough day. I’d been hoping to make it to the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Huddlesford Heritage Gathering, the biannual canal event near Lichfield, but had to work instead. It had been a nice day and Sunday, when I was free, promised to be awful. I was really low.

Arriving home late, I slipped out for a spin up the old rail line that used to run through Brownhills on it’s way from Walsall to Lichfield, now a lovely walking and cycling trail restored by volunteers and christened the McClean Way.

There’s now a bench been created looking out over Clayhanger Marsh by the restored signal post, and I took advantage of it to feel sorry for myself a little. But the view, the peace, the sight of foxes and herons soon cheered me up.

This is home, and a landscape I love and feel part of. I can’t be downhearted in it for long.

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#365daysofbiking Crosstown traffic

September 20th – That evening, coming up from Stonnall as dusk fell I was, as I usually am, held at the lights.

There are few homecomings more significant to me that this small, triumphant wait – having climbed a large hill, all that’s left between me, a mug of tea, home and family – and often, the food in the pannier – is a long, pleasurable freewheel down the hill, over Anchor Bridge and into Brownhills.

Just got to wait for the lights, and I’m nearly there…

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#365daysofbiking Picture this

September 20th – An old favourite but a new camera, well sort of: The new iPhone is being touted as having the ‘best camera in any smartphone yet’ and having a new one, I’m interested to try it.

Over the years, as the technology improved, more of this journal is phone images – either by convenience, of because the phone was immediately to hand. But they’re no substitute for a decent camera – the physical limitations of a phone camera are just too great.

There’s no doubt that the pictures this device takes are excellent. But the seem a little harsh – since the physical mechanical constraints of a small camera in a thin unit are so great, the real art of this thing is in software. It’s goo, but I think needs softening a little.

It’s still absolutely remarkable though, have to say.

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#365daysofbiking An Indian summer lover

September 18th -The unusually fine, warm autumn weather meant probably the last public appearance for Mr. Miyagi, the local feral yellowfins belly slider turtle who lives in the canal near Clayhanger.

He was sunbathing happily in his normal spot with admires passing by gently as not to scare him.

For a discarded pet, he certainly has many fans. He’ll soon retire to the deep mud where the cold doesn’t get, before re-emerging in spring.

An unusual local celebrity.

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#365daysofbiking Darkening skies

September 14th – I left in the afternoon after a bad morning at work and a day of family errands and hassle.

Heading up to Chasewater on the canal, the skies were overcast and dark and matched my mood beautifully.

Autumn is starting to come now to my favourite local views over Home Farm to Sandhills, Hammerwich and the local canal. Nothing can stop it, and as usual, after the initial horror of summer’s end, I’m getting to love it.

But some peace and quiet would be nice…

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#365daysofbiking The boys with the black stuff

September 13th – A day working from home, and I didn’t get out until late, so I went to investigate the road resurfacing taking place overnight between Ogley Road and Anchor Bridge on the High Street.

These operations always make for great night photos and I find the combination of lights, busy, coordinated people, noise and huge machinery being carefully marshalled captivating.

I wasn’t disappointed. The elegance of that curve of road plantings into the tipper truck is superb, too. Felt sorry for those living nearby with the noise, though – especially the elderly folk in Knaves Court. But still, has to be done.

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