Tag: Brownhills

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.

August 27th – Returning to Brownhills that evening, I stopped to look at these shrubs growing by the Pier Street bridge on the towpath. I’ve been peripherally aware of them for ages, but not studied them before.

I have no idea what they are, and the blooms – now mostly over – seem almost prehistoric.

I’ve never noticed this before and am curious as to what it is. I’ve not seen it anywhere else locally and it appears to be thriving. Is it a garden escapee?

August 24th – Fruits of all kinds from berries, to nuts to pears. All in a short section of canal from Clayhanger to Brownhills on a dull, airless journey home. Nature is bountiful at the moment, and I was pleased to find the untouched windfall hazels, as here don’t seem to be many around this year. I note also the pears did quite well at Clayhanger, and the blackberries are delivering a huge crop this year.

It’s feeling a lot like autumn now.

August 22nd – A day of unexpected jobs and delayed activity, I finally got out at dusk and span on an errand to Burntwood, so naturally, despite the oncoming storm, I headed up through Chasewater.

The skies were dramatic, but I failed to capture them well, and whilst there were flashes of lightning and the odd rumble of thunder, despite riding back in steady, warm, refreshing rain, the foreboding, brooding skies failed to deliver.

But it was actually a lovely ride.

August 20th – had o nip on an errand, and left during daylight, and returned at dusk. On both outward and return, I crossed the old cement works bridge.

I took a photo towards Pelsall on my way out, and a photo towards Brownhills on my way back.

I don’t know why, but I’m fascinated by the change in light and atmosphere.

August 20th – Much as I hate the current fad for obsessively mowing the canal towpaths, I quite like that they seem to be leaving the reed beds alone for now (although I don’t doubt they’ll be next).

Here near the Pelsall Road in Brownhills, they are little oases of disparate species, havens for insects and other wildlife. 

And they just look really, really good.

Do we have to keep cutting everything back? Put the mowers away!

August 14th – I’m told these cherry-like fruits, growing on the trees on the Clayhanger side of the pedestrian bridge at Silver Street, Brownhills, are wild plums. They are most fascinating, and ripening in abundance.

I wouldn’t eat them, considering the history of the land they’re groin on, but the are a curiosity. Wonder how they got here?

August 14th – This one’s for Kate Cardigan, who was admiring the flowers on this very boat, moored at Brownhills, as some point on the day I took these pictures.

I’ve not seen this unusual, cream-coloured craft before, but I love the flowers and tomatoes growing on it.

Just the thing when riding through a dull, wet Brownhills on a miserable Friday.

August 13th – Nice to see the swan family at the slipway next to the canoe centre in Brownhills this afternoon. They are now healthy, large birds with some degree of attitude, and long may they display it.

I thought they’d been ringed, but only mum and dad have the ID, so this brood have yet to be tagged.

They tolerated my interest with only a small amount of hissing, and they feel like good friends these days. It’s always nice to see them.