Tag: canal

March 31st – At Clayhanger Bridge on the canal near Brownhills, there’s a sluice that allows the waterway to be drained into local sewers if necessary. I noticed today that it had temporary fencing around it, and that micropiles – stainless steel rods inside sleeve tubes and packed out with expanding foam – had been fitted around the sluice and along the adjoining canal bank.

This is clearly a stabilisation job, and I’m intrigued as there’s not real outward sign of such a thing being necessary – except for the fact that I suspect the bank and culvert may be subject to destructive erosion if used, which these piles may relieve.

The tops currently stood proud will be chopped off at ground level later.

Meanwhile, closer to Catshill Junction, the embankment has been falling away into the canal for over a year, and nothing has been done despite drawing it to the attention of the Canal & River Trust.

Most peculiar.

March 28th – Another type of life entirely, and one for the cat lovers out there. I don’t know who he is, but this large, affectionate and charming ginger lad was sat on a canalside fence near Pelsall Road. He said hello, let me fuss him, and tried to lick the camera.

A gorgeous cat whom I sure someone loves lots. I certainly fell for him!

March 28th – Even on the greyest days, Brownhills has signs of life at this time of year. I set out for a short spin on a grey, showery afternoon, and was rewarded with a herd of red deer at the old clay pit, a nesting swan just by the canoe centre and watered, and a delightful grey wagtail at Anchor Bridge.

It took me a while to work out why the young stag’s coat was grey and oddly textured. He’s been rolling in clay mud. I know deer like to mud bathe, but that seems a little extreme… anyone seen this behaviour before? Is it harmful? 

I noted the deer were in moult, and wondered if the mud-rolling was a way of accelerating the shedding.

March 27th – Sunset over the Tame Valley canal, looking from Rushall Junction at Ray Hall, out to Wednesbury, with the twin spires of Wednesbury clear on the skyline.

People say that pylon ruins this view. On the contrary, I think it makes it. What built the Black Country – canals, power and church. All in one shot.

A great ride and beautiful, but chilly evening. 

March 27th – Another afternoon escape, and I hit the canal again, up to Wolverhampton for a meeting, down to Coseley and round the old line through Tipton, Dudley Port and Oldbury, back up to Toll End, then up the Tame Valley to Rushall Junction, and back home. A pleasant 45 miles, in decent conditions, but the towpaths are still very muddy and heavy going.

I nipped to the shops in Wednesfield for a snack, and the primroses around the church there are a stunning sight – it really is quite a lovely High Street they have there.

March 26th – It was a tough ride; the wind had been forged on Satan’s back step, and blew relentlessly from the southwest. My route had it behind or across me mostly, but the stretch from Gas Street Basin to Smethwick was ceaseless.

But all the while, the sun shone, and otherwise, it wasn’t bad. Birmingham and the Black Country showed itself well, in all it’s diversity.

I noted the cormorants at Sandwell Valley just for Phil. Soon, Phil, soon. I, for one, welcome our new midnight black, long billed, fish-breath overlords…

March 25th – As it happened, I never got to a place where the sunset was that good today, which was probably just as well as I was reduced to the phone camera with the main one flat. As I rode down the canal to central Brownhills, I saw a large dog fox run up the bank onto Clayhanger Common. Grabbing the phone, I crested the bank looking for a fox picture to go with yesterday’s heron.

Sadly, he disappeared into the thicket. 

The sky wasn’t too bad though, so I took a quick picture, and headed home.

March 25th – Cruising down the canal, a great sunset seemed to be building up, and near Bridgman Street in Walsall, I stopped to capture the view towards Birchills. I was interested to note the colour balance change between the tow images, and that soon after taking them I discovered what happens if you forget to charge the camera properly the night before hand: it goes flat.

Ah well, never mind. That’s a great view, and you’d never think it was right in the heart of Walsall. Roll on spring and let’s have some leaves on the trees, then it’ll be even better!