Tag: Brownhills

#365daysofbiking Fifty shads of bloody grim

January 26th – The weather didn’t improve at all, and considerably worsened. It was windy, grey and grim. I slipped out briefly for a circuit around a wet, muddy canal at the fall of dusk and got wet and felt miserable.

The weather at the moment is warm, but not pleasant. I hope this isn’t a portent of a bad summer, but I guess we might be due one.

The only brightness was my favourite tree, the majestic horse chestnut at Home Farm, Sandhills, still looks wonderful and will soon, hopefully, be in leaf.

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#365daysofbiking Just ice

January 23rd – The journey home was not so enjoyable. The snow had thawed, but it had gone cold again, and there was a lot of ice. I made an awful decision to try the canal between the Black Cock Bridge and Brownhills, and the towpath was barely ridable: The thawing snow had frozen hard and the problem was not the ice, but the ruts in it which were numerous when they took your wheel.

Almost worth it though for my regular muse Clayhanger Bridge at night, with a very different appearance for a change.

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#365daysofbiking The grey way

January 20th – The McClean Way, the trail that follows the former South Staffordshire Railway out of Walsall and is now being extended by volunteers up through Brownhills is beautiful, even on a cold, grey Sunday afternoon.

Clayhanger Marsh, which the trail is embanked above, was brooding and deathly quiet, and I didn’t;t see another soul. The only colour was from the graffiti on the old railway over bridge at the Wyrley and Essington Canal near the Pelsall Road.

This is a fairly unique bridge and is actually a listed structure. I note it’s had it’s number re-stencilled recently, indicating that Network Rail, the ultimate owners, still regard it as an asset.

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#365daysofbiking A positive signal

January 20th – A belated trip on another awfully grim day to see the restored signal beside the cycleway at Clayhanger Marsh, that the lovely people from Back the Track have painted and restored to its former glory.

These guys do a brilliant job of creating and maintaining the semi-official cycle path and walking route along the old South Staffordshire line – now called the McCLean Way – and this is a superb little project.

I love the trail logo fontal on the top. A lovely touch.

Thanks to all who work on this great project!

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#365daysofbiking Hard surfaces

January 19th – A late run out for exercise on a cold, murky night took me to Chasewater. Unusually, I entered the park from Brownhills West of the spooky, Peter Saville-esque M6 Toll footbridge, the enclosed crossing with the streetlight shining through it.

Init is a hard, hostile, unwelcoming space that makes for remarkable photos.

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#365daysofbiking Downhill carefully

January 16th – I was tired, it was late and cresting the Black Cock Bridge wearily I suddenly realised there was a hazard about: Hitting the higher ground towards Brownhills coupled with the semi rural nature of Green Lane, I could see in places the familiar sheen of frost.

The road was gritted well. But towards the kerbs and in places the grit hadn’t yet reached, ice lurked.

A warm winter has made me complacent. Time to be careful.

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#365daysofbiking Glow now:

January 15th – Long exposure photos continue to fascinate me, and at Catshill Junction the night sky looked a gorgeous, reflected-sodium oranger in these 30 second images taken by popping the camera on timer and sitting it on the bridge rail.

This is a classic and favourite local view of mine but I never tire of photographing it.

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#365daysofbiking Bridge to my heart

January 14th – And on my return that evening, it was similarly cold but still.

The ‘new’ Silver Street pedestrian bridge fascinates me. I love the shapes in the framework, the views it offers and even the sound it makes as you walk and ride over it.

Although it’s. 11 years old now, I never tire of photographing it at night.

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#365daysofbiking Go with the flow

January 13th – For some reason the overflow at Silver Street was running heavily, which surprised me as we haven’t had that much rain and I don’t think the Chasewater valves are open at the moment.

It made for an interesting 30 second exposure over the canal surface though, looking a bit like ice.

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#365daysofbiking A surprise in the dark

January 13th – A windy day on which I hunkered down, slipping out for a circuit of the town after dark, hoping the wind had subsided. It hadn’t.

On the cycleway between Engine Lane and the Slough (Old Cement Works) bridge, I encountered a fallen tree and was glad for my powerful front light. It was passable, but posed a danger to others, so I posted this pic on Facebook as a warning.

To my delight and huge gratitude, volunteers from Sustrans and Back the Track saw the picture, and went out and cleared it away the very next morning. You can read the story here.

Fantastic service to the community. Thanks so much.

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