February 15th – Late afternoon, heading into Brownhills along the canal from Aldridge. The unseasonal warm weather seems to have returned, but the ice was still loosening its grip on the canal. As the last of it melted away, I noticed the fabulous crazing pattern it generated on the surface as it broke up and wasted to nothing. I was captivated by the fantastically complex patterns. The simplicity of nature can sometimes catch you quite unawares.
February 12th – interested to see that someone is now keeping pigs in the paddock between the canal and Watling Street near Newtown, Brownhills. They look well cared for, and happy. There seem to be some different breeds there – wondering if the ginger ones are Tamworths. This is an interesting addition and shall watch them grow. They’re in the corner of a field that’s also home to a rather impressive flock of sheep. I don’t know who’s farming here, but I wish them well.
February 12th – Another headache grey day. The chill had lifted, but the canal was still frozen as I spun out at 4pm. It had been a grey, grim, dank and misty day. It felt warm, though, and as I rode up from Brownhills and over Catshill Junction toward The Anchor it felt oddly pleasant. I noted that the fishermen had broken the ice here so that they could fish – that seemed a bit hardcore. I pottered on, darkness descended like a muffler, bringing with is thicker mist. Not the best day for photography, and I didn’t see a soul. An oddly lonely, desolate ride.
February 6th – it was a tough journey to work. After the chill of the previous week it felt almost humid, yet it was quite chilly with a constant, searching drizzle. The snow of Saturday was still melting, and there were huge pools of standing water on the roads. Dropping onto the canal at Bridgeman Street in Walsall looking for a break from the relentless traffic, the towpath turned out to present its own challenge. Not treacherous with the studded tyres, but hard work to plough through. Horrid.
February 5th – I feel sorry for the waterfowl during this cold snap, really, which is probably a bit daft. As I took a gentle spin down the canal today, I noticed lots of forlorn looking ducks, canada geese, coots and moorhens loafing around disconsolately on the frozen canal, which itself was covered in a messy layer of slush. I watched as birds struggled to land, skidding frantically along the ice. They are, to coin a phrase, like ducks out of water. I did notice something though, today. Moorhens don’t have webbed feet. I find that a bit surprising, but as these footprints show, they haven’t got the best feet for swimming. There must be an evolutionary reason for this. Wonder what it is?
February 3rd – It was a nice day today. First time I had to travel far for work this year – a meeting in Telford in the morning, and then I had to zip back to Tyseley to see someone mid-afternoon. It was very cold, with a heavy frost. As I dashed to the station at Shenstone, I was running late and couldn’t stop to photograph the gorgeous dawn. I’d already stopped to free up a frozen gear cable… Back from Telford at 1:30pm, I changed trains at Smethwick Galton Bridge. The view of the Birmingham Mainline from here is delightful, and it’s a long way up. I found myself fighting the urge to leave the station and cycle the canals of Brum instead.
January 27th – It was my turn to leave early. Relishing the chance to get a commute home in the light, I left work at 4:15pm, not realising it was raining. Again stupidly finding myself without waterproof trousers, I made my sodden way home. The roads were mad, as they usually are when it rains, so I dived onto the canal in Pleck and flipped over to National Cycle Route 5 in Goscote. The rain cleared up by the time I got to Reedswood, but I was wet and chilly. Ah, the best laid plans…
January 27th – Today was the exact opposite of yesterday, well, sort of. A beautiful but chilly ride into work, on a very spring-like sunny morning. Then it howled it down on me on the way back home. Since it was such a nice morning, I cut through Cartbridge Lane and hopped on the cycle track at the back of Ryecroft cemetery, then down into The Butts via Mill Lane nature reserve. The sun was gorgeous, going from hazy to bright blue skies. I stopped in Victoria Park to reflect on how fine the view of Darlaston was, and just what a huge amount of culture was encapsulated in one shot. All apart from that bloody metal tree…
January 26th – Awful commute. Chilly, headwind. Then the rain started – the kind of rain that’s so cold onto your forehead that it physically causes pain. Luckily, I was close to the canal in Walsall, and took refuge under the Bridgeman STreet canal bridge until it passed. As I got to work, the sun came out, just to take the mickey. Great.
January 23rd – Returning to Walsall Wood at sunset for a meeting, I hauled my bike up the steps at Walsall Wood Bridge and was immediately awestruck by the colour of the sky. Without my gorillapod handy, I stood the camera gingerly on the handrail. Not to bad for a junk shot. It seemed chilly tonight, and a proper winter sunset to boot. This is more like it.
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