Saturday January 9th 2021 – I’d been busy getting financial and administration things in order and dealing with a tricky bike problem all day and slid out late on a fast, quiet circuit of town and ended up at Chasewater.
There was no moon visible and the photography was poor, if I’m honest.
But I did find the peace, fresh air and solace I needed in the quiet solitude of one of my favourite places.
Even in the dark, Chasewater captivates me.
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New Year’s Eve, Thursday December 31st 2020 – I really hate New Year’s Eve. I’m so glad it’s curtailed this year – the forced jollity and camaraderie, coupled with the ‘we will have fun!’ attitude really kills it for me.
But there is one tradition I always uphold at the year end: A reflective ride to somewhere quiet, to think about the year and in my own way, see it out.
And like most folk, I’m bloody happy to see this one out of the door in person. With bare hands, if necessary, and a large blunt weapon. It’s safe to say it’s been a terrible year.
The pandemic has been awful for us all, and the future, at least until we get the population vaccinated, looks very uncertain. Yet all most of us want, me included, is things back to normal. To be able to stop at a country cafe or pub again. To meet friends. To be with family.
In the dead, icy calm of Chasewater, we rode up the frozen snow to the top of the pit mound as night fell, and waited in the still for night to properly come in. There wasn’t a soul around apart from me and my pal: From here, we could hear the terminal seconds of this terrible year ticking away. It felt good; cleansing.
Back down at the dam, on the way back it was very cold, but the lake so beautifully peaceful: Until a raptor disturbed the gull roost which must have been several tens of thousands strong. The cacophonous taking to flight of the flock was stunning, as was the similarly swift return to peace.
My word this year has been tough – but not as tough as it has been for many, I’ve been lucky. But it has affected me and I feel it deeply. And I’m sorry, readers, that I abandoned this journal for a few months in summer. I just couldn’t cope with it at that time. I’m sorry I let you down. I promise I will not waver again.
So here’s to a new year, with maybe better prospects. Hopefully we’ll meet again this time next year – with a full year’s photos between – and recall this year as a past, distant and very bad memory.
Here’s to that thought. Happy new year to you all: Let us not dwell on the past. We must move on.
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February 25th – I raced back to Chasewater to catch the sunset as I had planned to do they day before, and although inevitably the sunset was not as dramatic, it was very beautiful and calm, but my hands were frozen. It really was very cold indeed.
I noted while there that Chasewater is now about 150mm from full, as it usually is at this time of year. It will be interesting to see what happens this year – if the reservoir is allowed to continually overtop or if the dispute with the Canal and River Trust is resolved and the water is released into the canal.
July 12th – Passing through Kings Hill Park on a much better day I stopped to take the place in for five minutes. This small, well maintained patch of calm in an otherwise harsh urban environment cannot be underestimated.
There are many species of trees and they all look wonderful at the moment. The flowers, usually profuse are between phases at the moment, yet that doesn’t seem to matter.
I love this place.
July 9th – I wasn’t particularly late back, but the golden hour seemed to settle in early, on a peaceful, mirror calm Catshill Junction. The new flats have balconies now, but still no sign of anything being done with the scrub and statue on the canal bank.
On the towpath side, the buggers don’t seem to stop mowing at the moment – I’ve never known a year like it. It’s almost as if the moment an interesting flower pops up it must be cut down.
It never used to be like this. I’m convinced it’s just so the Canal and River Trust can look like they’re pro active whilst ignoring real infrastructure issues.
December 4th – Tough day, so on the way home I hopped over Chasewater for some pictures in the dark. I really like Chasewater like this; when it’s dark in winter and there’s nobody around. The night was still, and the air cold. Waterfowl were gathered on the wake-line mast anchors, roosting out of reach of foxes, and gulls bobbed lightly on the mirror-like water.
There wasn’t a soul around.
Just what I needed to settle my troubled mind.
December 29th – I rode out lunchtime, and just rode. It was a lovely day, with gorgeous light, and a lovely winter sunshine chill. I didn’t take many photos – some days, you just don’t – but it’s a ride that will stay with me for a while. It was peaceful, the roads were quiet, and there was an atmosphere of calm tranquility.
Here at Hints, just outside Tamworth, leaning on a gate at the foot of the ancient Gold’s Clump, overlooking the Black Brook Valley, I watched the sheep grazing an the light fade, content.
This is what I’d been needing since summer ended. I felt alive again.
July 13th – The dog’s name is Veronica. This is the otherwise glass-calm Trent and Mersey river section at Alrewas. A fine dog on a fine day.
January 12th – Spent some time today making sure the bike was ready for possible bad weather – greased the gear cable, tuned the brakes, checked the wheels. The time taken to do this will ensure the snow doesn’t come…
Getting out after dark, it was very chilly are there weren’t many around. I headed up towards Chasewater on the canal, and the only living souls I saw were the rats that scattered away from my light. Through the anti-vehicle barrier on the far side of the Anchor Bridge, I stopped to look at the structure. The original bridge is in there, somewhere, but it has been widened and strengthened so many times, only the underside of the bride gives any sign of it’s history. This bridge takes a huge amount of traffic, yet just a few feet below road level it’s quiet and peaceful. For the second day running, the canal was absolutely flat.
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