Tag: Church Hill

#365daysofbiking Light and shade

August 29th – I passed through Kings Hill Park twice during the morning – once on my way to work, when it was dull and overcast, and once at lunchtime, when the sun was out. 

The appearance of the twin sisters – the Catholic and C of E churches at Wednesbury differed markedly, and not just because they were taken from either end to he park.

The sun shows the gathering autumn, and the brightness of the verdigris on the one church roof. I like the way it picks out the coin tiles and clock face, even though the clock is currently stuck resolutely at one o’clock.

I never tire of this view. I hope the timepiece is fixed soon – few things speak more eloquently of urban decay than a stopped public clock.

I must say, the Canon G1X really does show it’s chops when pushed.

April 3rd – The day had been beautiful, but the late afternoon was punctuated by frighteningly intense rain and hail storms, and riding back home tentatively in light drizzle, my tenacity was rewarded with one of the finest rainbows I’ve ever seen.

Wednesbury was a great place to catch it, and it was worth the soaking.

The weather doesn’t have to be good to have a beautiful day…

February 8th – Passing through Walsall and running some errands, I crossed Church Hill in a golden hour. Always a bit conflicted about the view from here these days – it’s obscured by tree growth now which is a bit of a shame, but the trees are lovely in summer.

A bit of a trim wouldn’t hurt I guess. All the better to se a town glowing in winter sun…

January 29th – Kings Hill, my workaday home. 

Light is just edging into my evening commute again. I am nearing the season of the early spring sunset. Tonight, I caught the dying light on the twin sisters, and saw the Kings Hill communication tower trading it’s secrets with a glowing, clear ether.

It’s been a cold, grey, horrible month: With the shoulder injury and that awful bug, coupled with atrocious weather riding a bike has been a battle since before Christmas. But tonight, I was fluid again. Speed, like the light, is returning.

I hope this darkness has reached it’s end.

January 10th – For the first time this year, a pleasant, dry, almost tropical morning commute; sadly, it wasn’t to last and the journey home was cold and damp with a return to mist.

Cycling up the canal over Bentley Bridge my eye was caught by a flash of verdant green – a plant of some variety has clearly seeded into the rotting cavity of an old bench, and is growing well – truly life from death.

Crossing Kings Hill Park purely to catch the day, I tried the twin sisters and liked what I saw; The clock on St. Bart’s is in fine detail and all we need is some green on those trees. 

I know it’s way too early, but come on spring!

October 31st – Lunchtime, and recrossing Kings Hill to the retail park I stopped and reflected on the change here, and then noted that whilst change is good, it’s also good that some things are apparently changeless – like the twin sisters, the two churches that top the hill in the centre of Wednesbury.

I love this view, now going golden in the shortening autumn days, it looks stunning particularly in the sun, but is still remarkable even on this grey, textureless day.

They saw the factories beneath them come and go – lesser, but more dramatic temples to hot metal, oil and graft, and they now witness silently the march of the warehouse, distribution centre and retail park.

I have a feeling they’ll be seeing those out too.

June 30th – Spotted near Wednesbury, this lovely black cat that I’m sure a passing witch must have left behind. Prowling the perimeter of it’s territory, it peered at me cautiously before settling down to stare me out through the railings.

A lovely puss that clearly takes security duties very seriously indeed!

March 16th – Also bursting forth now, a whole tranche of spring flowers in parks and gardens. I’ve no idea what these red and white globular ones are I spotted in Wednesbury, but that are absolutely gorgeous.

Despite not feeling well, the weather and nature have been doing their damnedest all week to cheer me up – which is welcome!

September 7th – The weather is fine and warm at the moment, with little wind. Commenting this week has been a joy, and nowhere better to enjoy it than Kings Hill Park in Darlaston.

I took a detour just to see it – from the wonderful view of the twin sisters of Wednesbury to the lovely sculpture and tree-shaded, sun dappled walkways it’s a lovely calm oasis on the border of two great Black Country towns – Darlaston and Wednesbury.

Sad it’s not better known, really.

February 26th – Really not well at all, I did a few hours of necessary stuff at work and crawled home mid-afternoon. I wanted a change, so I came over Church Hill, and stopped to take some photos while up there. 

Church Hill is one of those conundra that I find troubling. St. Matthews is as beautiful as ever, and the views would be splendid were they not obscured by mature, beautiful trees. I want rid of some of them for a better view, but I also don’t…

No sign of the peregrines on the bellcote, but this is the first time I realised you can see the Workhouse Guardian’s offices from up here – and they look better from such a distance, and also, terribly out of place. Marooned.

St. Matthews itself is suffering the rogues of the weather, and desperately needs some love. I hope the CofE can get around to giving this venerable old church a bit of love soon.