Tag: canal

March 29th – It never rains but it pours. After a period of quite grim ill health, things became a bit more complicated over Easter, and I’m beginning to wonder if life will ever return to normal. But of course, it will – it always does.

So it was into a wet, post-rain landscape that I slipped out into at dusk after a chaotic, frenetic day. Nothing was working, I was in some discomfort and I was exhausted. I was heading for Chasewater, and had looped up through Catshill Junction along saturated towpaths. In fading light, cold and with wet legs I decided to cut the expedition off at Chase Road and head back for Brownhills.

Some days you’re glad just to make it through in one piece.

March 27th – Despite the start of British summer time and the lighter nights, I still returned in darkness. Passing through Chasewater gave me chance for some classic local night shots – but best of all was the wee toad, sat on the canal towpath. I severed to avoid squishing it on  the way back. Thankfully, I missed…

Spring is definitely here. Is it safe to take the winter tyres off the bike yet?

March 26th – Not a great day – squally, wet, windy with periods of heavy rain. It brightened up as I slipped out for the last dusk before British Summer Time commenced, and I caught the wonderful, intemperate sunset from Silver Street, looking over the canal.

For an ostensibly ugly place, Brownhills sure can take your breath away.

March 26th – Ah, spring’s escapement lurches, and the wheels of the season click forward a notch – the swans are nesting again at the Watermead Estate in Brownhills.

They seem to be in the same spot as last year, which is pretty well protected from vermin and out of reach of all but the most determined threat; I can’t be sure it’s the same birds, but it seems likely as a pair have nested here near the houses and canoe club for a good few years now. 

Last year’s brood was large and successful – let’s hope for the same this year, and mum seems to be sitting already!

March 25th – A great Good Friday ride. I slipped out at lunchtime and headed through Caldwell to Longdon, then through Rugeley, Stockwell Heath and Blithfield to a cake stop near Abbots Bromley; then over to Hoar Cross, back through the Needwood Valley and Lichfield. 

It wasn’t a very warm day, and in truth, was very breezy, but the blooming spring flowers, awakening wildlife and sun-bathed scenery made this an excellent ride.

I need more of this in my life.

March 24th – I keep seeing this fellow about the canal recently. I’m assuming it’s the same bird – I’ve seen him up by Newtown in Brownhills, and today by Clayhanger Bridge at the rear of the Maybrook Industrial Estate. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a crested grebe on the canal before. 

I suppose there’s no reason why not, but I do wonder why these delightful birds – common at Chasewater – are not seen on the canals much if at all.

A mystery.

March 23rd – The towpath resurfacing between Walsall town centre and Bentley Mill Way continues, as I noted earlier in the week, tarmac is being laid on top of compacted ballast. It’s a nice enough surface, but I’m still bemused by the pointlessness of it all.

Today I passed as they work crew were filling a butty with hot asphalt, ready to spread and roll. The ease with which it tipped from the excavator bucket and the steam that billowed suggested it was very hot indeed – and it made me wonder how it was heated – in the yard or from the place it was produced? I suppose the limestone grit it’s made from has quite a high specific heat capacity, so it must hold heat awhile.

One thing I always love about hot tarmac is the smell. It’s one of the really strong smells I recall for some reason from my childhood, and one sniff of it and I’ back in the schoolyard.

Funny how smells do that to you.

March 22nd – A cockup. I took loads of photos today on the way to work, not realising I had the camera set in some horrid artistic mode and they all came out as blurry rubbish.

The only pictures that came out reasonably where these, where I’d picked a different mode – and being handheld, neither are very good, sadly.

I had to call in to Walsall Wood on the way home, and hopped on the canal at Hollanders Bridge. The night-cap from there was  gorgeous, as were the lights of Barrow Close. I just wish I’d captured them better.

Ah well, another day.

March 21 – The resurfacing of the canal towpath between Walsall town centre and Bentley Mill Way continues apace; I noted today that sections of the route have a newly-laid tarmac surface. It’s a nice job.

I still can’t get my head around this. I’m not ungrateful – I use this route regularly and it’ll be nice to ride – but this money would have been much better elsewhere on the local canal network – like the stretch from Longwood to Rushall Junction or from Goscote to Pelsall.

The Canal and River Trust are beyond my comprehension sometimes.

March 19th – A late ride out to Chasewater, feeling a bit low. Cheered, however, to see the Newtown One, the Papillon of Brownhills, was still evading the attentions of both her mistress and Brer Fox. 

Go home, Mrs. Muscovy… there’s free food, other ducks and a warm roost in safety. And the drakes who chased you off are now in the freezer!