Tag: canal

March 13th – Not far today, as I had other things to do, but I did get in a circuit of Chasewater and Brownhills at sundown. I optimistically approached via the canal, hoping the barriers had not been replaced, but sadly, they had. I did notice something interesting, however. Bob the boat, which reader Roger ‘Ziksby’ Jones had noted a few weeks ago up by Longwood Junction was now at Anglesey Basin. I’m sure I’ve seen the narrowboat at Hopwas and maybe Shugborough too. It certainly gets about a bit.

March 12th – Half at work, half not. Just doing a few bits and pieces that matter, then going my own way for a few days. Today, I popped to Darlaston for an hour or two at lunchtime, then headed off on the canal to Birmingham. The sun came out, and Birmingham and the Black Country performed beautifully. Anyone who says this place is ugly hasn’t looked. This is a gorgeous place, and I want to shout it from the rooftops. Up yours, London…

March 8th – At the far end of the Tame Valley Canal, bisecting the M5/M6 interchange at Ray Hall, it meets the Birmingham and Rushall Canals and the somewhat inaccurately named Rushall Junction. This is a wonderful spot, even though it is surrounded by the roar of traffic… Maybe because it’s so tranquil. To the west, the twin spires of Wednesbury are clearly visible along the valley, and to the south east, the inviting cycleway to Birmingham, which soon diverges from the canal and cuts through the green lung of the Sandwell Valley nature reserve. To the north, the canal is arrow straight through the nine uphill locks to Longwood Junction, from where it winds it’s contour route through Aldridge and Walsall Wood to Brownhills. I love this stretch of canal, and just wish the towpaths were better. In places, they are in awful condition, and in damp conditions can be a real trial.

March 4th – Somebody switched off spring. It had rained all morning, and as I slunk out of the house for a spin before tea, it was cold, windy and an eternity away from the sunny afternoon of the day before. I cycled towards Chasewater, but wasn’t dressed for the cold conditions I was experiencing, and headed back to Brownhills. I ended up looping through Clayhanger and took in yet another sunset – this time from Clayhanger Bridge. Hope the spring returns soon…

March 4th – I noticed whilst passing Ogley Junction the dredger which had sunk in Chasewater Basin the week before had been hauled out of the water and placed on blocks. All was clearly not well with it. The odd thing is that behind it, with the yellow arm, is a virtually brand new dredger that’s been stationed there for at least two years, without ever seeming to get used. That’s a valuable piece of equipment to be left doing nothing…

March 3rd – The traditional thing after the bike jumble is to have breakfast at a local cafe, and then drop onto the canals under spaghetti junction, to explore Brum. Today, the sun had come out, and I started by exploring Erdington, a place I’ve always loved. In this one suburb there is a huge amount of splendid architecture, and the streets are peopled by a diverse mix of people of a whole range of races. Still villagey, Erdington has a fantastic atmosphere. Later, I hit the canal to the Jewellery Quarter and central Birmingham. The day was gorgeous and, after the drizzle of the morning, spring was back. Man, I love this place.

February 29th – I left work in the light, which steadily faded as I approached Walsall. Another lovely sunset was trying to grab the Black Country’s attention. The trouble with good urban sunsets is finding the right view to set them off. Just as I turned into Scarborough Road in Pleck, I glanced over the canal bridge wall. Beautiful.

February 26th – It was a day of discarded objects, but this was odd. A single, high quality aluminium crutch, in the scrub on the inaccessible side of the canal near the aqueduct on the Anglesey Branch in Brownhills. I don’t know how it came to be there, or why. It’s vaguely unsettling. One possible explanation is that a miracle was performed here, whilst the participants were walking on water. Yeah, that’ll be it…

February 25th – Another public service announcement. The hedge clipping season continues – this time, British Waterways have flailed the hawthorn Hedge beside the canal through Catshill in Brownhills, from the Anchor Bridge to Ogley Junction. This hasn’t been done for a while and the towpath is covered with thorns. If you don’t have thornproof tyres, my advice is to avoid that bit of canal if possible for a week or two.