August 25th – I loped back from Alvecote through Seckington, Clifton, Darlaston and Whittington. It was a lovely evening ride marred only by my stomach troubles.
At Haunton, the beautiful little Catholic church there remains a hidden gem, the rows of graves of nuns from the local convent still sobering and very sad. Here I noted cyclamen, another sign of Autumn, and darkness fell what seemed to be cruelly early bit with a gorgeous orange moon.
Autumn is tapping me on the shoulder now…
August 29th – Another day, another reservoir, this time Staunton Harold, a wee bit further east than Foremark, but in hillier country.
My trip this time took me though Whittington, Edingale, Lullington and Linton, then over to Calke, and touched Melbourne. After visiting southern and northern tips of the lake, back home through Ticknall, Milton, Repton and along the Trent home through Burton, Drakelow, Croxall and Huddlesford.
I note canalside cat was still on duty at Brownhills, and again the quirky little things stood out; the free cooking apples at Harlaston, the cyclamen at Lullington, the wooden bike planter at Linton.
All in all, 79 miles and a return in another great sunset. It doesn’t get much better than this.
September 12th – Another great ride on a sunny, beautiful transitional day. In some ways it was late summer, but in others, autumn, and there was a keen wind, but the loop around Whittington, Rosliston, Coton in the Elms, Lullington and Harlaston was gorgeous.
The cyclamen at Lullington were breathtaking, and having to stop for a flock of ducks in Coton was lovely – especially since once clearly had a bit of Elvis in him.
Really enjoying being back in the saddle for more leisure rides. The weather is lovely at the moment, too.
September 28th – Up on the Chase on a balmy, sunny afternoon that apart from the colour, could have been May rather than September.
I came up through Heath Hayes and over Hednesford, over the site of the RAF base. I loved the new RAF Trail markers with the roundel.
Birches Valley was rammed, and not a hugely enjoyable ride – it’s hard to let rip when around every corner there are kids, or loose dogs… So I headed for Abrahams Valley via Penkridge Bank, and was relieved to see not just a deer fawn, but clear space with few people over there.
The pines are beginning to turn – another week or so and they’ll be gorgeous.
I hopped from Seven Springs to Stepping Stones, over Milford Common and Shugborough, where from the zigzag bridge I watched two horse riders cautiously fording the trent.
Racing back through Longdon, a familiar patch of cyclamen I forget every year until they flower, and they take me by surprise. Such delicate, lovely flowers.
It’s good to be back on decent weekend rides after so long waiting for the foot to sort itself out.
September 2nd – one of the joys of Autumn, once I’ve got over the shock and low mood created by the end of summer, are cyclamen. To me, these autumn flowering plants are the last gasp of floral joy. I’m not sure if they’re native or not, but delicate shades of purple, blue, cream and pink will dot the hedgerows, verges and churchyards for the next few weeks. Beautiful, delicate little flowers. This is the first I’ve spotted this year, growing in the hedgerow at Forge Lane, Little Aston.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 