Tag: Burntwood

#365daysofbiking Still amazed:

November 9th -One thing I never take for granted is my biking technology. From disc brakes to LED lights to tough tires, things are very much better in the saddle these days than the four decades or so ago I started to ride a bike.

One thing that would have blown my mind even in the 1990s is the current GPS bike computer technology available to me. I ride down darkened lanes, with the soft glow of a device on my bars indicating my position on a scrolling Ordnance Survey map. Overlaid on this are street names, and I get warnings of sharp bends and hazards. 

Of course, I know these lanes like the back of my hand, but when off-piste, it’s a godsend. If anyone had shown the young me this device, it would have blown my tiny mind.

Old hands scorn the modern technology, but not really is a wonderful thing.

#365daysofbiking Farewell wellfare:

September 16th – The rain steadily increased, and I headed up the gorgeous Cross o’ th’ Hand lane to Farewell, where I called in at the church in steady rain.

Farewell church, possibly dating back in part to the 1400s (some say earlier) is gorgeous and the rain enhanced the sad beauty of the roses in the graveyard.

A sad day punctuated with great beauty.

#365daysofbiking A short run

September 2nd – I’m always amused to note the very British thing of Prince’s Park in Burntwood – theoretically the smallest park in the UK, although in fairness it’s a grass verge with three mature trees, railings around and a park bench.

I spotted the sign advertising the World’s Shortest Fun Run event here on Sunday 9th September at 12:30pm when the organisers will stage a mass run around this peculiar landmark for charity, hoping to break a world record.

It doesn’t get more British than that. I wish the participants well, and hope for a few record times for the purported 56 step run.

You can find out more here.

#365daysofbiking 1000 shades of grey

August 27th – I was not really any better, and with a keen wind and grey skies I didn’t go far, just a loop of Chasewater.

The North Heath is beautiful at the moment and I don’t spend nearly enough time up here these days: The heather is beautifully purple and despite the murk, there is a lot of greenery and colour.

But still, the day was damp and grey.

February 17th – Out just as the sun went down on an errand in Burntwood, hoping to catch a decent sunset as I returned via Chasewater, and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed. The day hadn’t been great and a number of things had gone wrong for me, but this was a really uplifting thing and I was glad to witness it.

With sunsets this good, can spring be far away?

December 25th – Happy Christmas. My goodness, that was a long time coming…

I was away in daylight at a family do and didn’t get chance for the traditional Christmas Day Ride; this wasn’t really to bad as my shoulder was still stiff and the weather was wolfish and blustery.

I returned in the evening, and went for a spin in heavy rain. I don’t know why, perhaps it was a reaction to the enforced socialising, but I had on waterproofs and just rode for all I was worth; out via Ogley Hay, up Chasetown High Street, over to Sankey’s Corner, back over Chasewater and up the canal back to Brownhills via Catshill Junction.

Obviously, the photography opportunities were not copious, but I thought the lights of the Sankeys Corner Christmas tree in aid of Stephen Sutton were beautiful in the wet night.

December 8th – As I approached the supermarket at Burntwood, there was a sadly short but very enjoyable whiteout. The snow was heavy, fast and think, and all of a sudden, my ride was transformed from a normal shopping errand into an adventure.

The snow stopped pretty quickly, but left a decent enough cover that made a familiar night-time view at Anglesey Basin beautiful and gave e an interesting and challenging ride back to Brownhills.

November 35th – I passed through Chasewater in a splendid, cold golden hour, hoping maybe to catch some red deer. Sadly, the deer were elsewhere as there was a rugby match on over at the club, so they’d probably wandered to more peaceful environs until the shouting and cheering was over.

What I did find, however, was a beautiful north heath which, as Ian Anderson would have put it was ‘Glowing in the evening cool’ – and the view of the Paviours Road footbridge in low, golden sun was gorgeous.

Not a bad ride at all today – but bitterly cold and still with the treacherous, slippery conditions.

I have a feeling we’re in for a sharp winter this year.

November 5th – Returning via Longdon and Burntwood, the moon, rising through a cloud of firework night fug, was a lovely orange colour while still low. From a fence-post in Cold Well, it didn’t make a bad image. Apparently it was a super moon or something, but every moon seems special these days, and I hanker for the days when we just had a normal moon that was just as beautiful but few noticed.

Crossing the M6 Toll at Brownhills this time, I was interested in the way the lights caught the smog, but the photos didn’t turn out so well. The change to LED lights on the toll road has certainly made it more ethereal at night.

October 28th – A busy day, and I returned at dusk through Chasewater – where the deer were still loafing on the Rugby pitch and seem to have taken up permanent residence. This is remarkable, and not 20 yards away, the clubhouse was as active and noisy ars a busy social club can be, and the deer clearly weren’t bothered at all. The ability of red deer to integrate seamlessly into urbanity is astonishing.

The sunset on the canal, returning to Brownhills, was also beautiful, but dramatic, and the wind was biting. It was good to be near home.