Tag: dam

#365daysofbiking It doe matter

October 27th – It’s nice to note the rabbit population on the dam at Chasewater seems to be booming again. They were here and down in the basin for years, but myxomatosis swept through a couple of years ago and the warrens dwindled to nothing.

Now, the bunnies are back and I watched this apparently elderly doe feed for a while. He companions scarpered, but she was made of sterner stuff, keeping an eye on me but not being distracted from cropping the turf.

Can’t help wondering what they might be doing for the structure of Chasewater’s largely earth dam, though…

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#365daysofbiking Kinda blue

April 6th – At Chasewater itself, it was also quiet, and no sign of the annual insect cloud I’d heard about during the day – they must have settled for the evening.

I love how every time you go, the light at Chasewater is different. Tonight is was sort of grey and china blue, the peace only disturbed occasionally by the honking of geese and the the odd mallard or grebe scudding along the water.

A beautiful evening, despite the dullness.

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#365daysofbiking Hair and gone

March 23rd – Meanwhile, over with the red deer at Chasewater, the seasonal moult has started, and the ladies who looked so healthy and fine a week ago now look like threadbare old rugs. They are also covered in dried mud, which they roll in to try and liberate the irritating cold weather coat.

It’s natural of course, to lose the winter coat, and the scruffiness will soon pass; but my favourite ladies always look so grim at this time of year.

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#365daysofbiking The colour of spring

February 22nd – I just new the sunset was going to be good – so with an errand to run in Chasetown, I hopped up to Chasewater, the better to catch it.

I wasn’t disappointed.

I love the deep blue skies we get at dusk at this time of year, and catching the golden light over the dam was a real treat.

This early spring is really refreshing this year. I hope it doesn’t;t come to an abrupt end…

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#365daysofbiking Peace and water

February 16th – A miserable day spent fixing things and not feeling well. I finally went for a ride after dark, and soon felt a bit better: The bike was riding better than it had done all winter thanks to my afternoon’s work and I think I solved a niggling, recurring issue. As I sped along the canal, I decided to have a go at some long exposure photos at various places along the way and at Chasewater.

What you can’t tell here is that Chasewater was far from quiet: There seemed to be a very large gull roost making a huge amount of noise. It was fascinating.

These images didn’t turn out too badly.

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#365daysofbiking The rising

 

February 10th – A real four seasons in one day experience, with rain, snow, hail and bright warm sunshine that made for a great afternoon at Chasewater. From the snowdrop glade near the derelict dam house to the view over the fields from the canal to Hammerwich, they day was just bursting with spring.

The water level is rising fast now too, with Fly Creek and the feed from Jeffrey’s swag now enlarged by recent rains.

This spring thing. It’s happening. And most welcome it is too.

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#365daysofbiking Orange delight

January 19th – Over at the dam, it was very dark indeed – but 30s exposure photos picked out the mist and light pollution from sodium streetlights beautifully.

It’s hard to appreciate but there was almost total darkness when these were taken.

I’m loving long exposure stuff at the moment.

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365daysofbiking Ladies, please:

October 7th – I was also hacked off I was without a functioning camera when I witnessed this – something I’ve never seen before. Female deer, arguing.

At Chasewater, my light scared a group of red deer off the dam path down on to the dam itself. They were all females of varying ages, and there was some jockeying for position as they hurried away. 

In these three photos you can see the two deer of the left square off, one refuse to defer to the other, then they both buck and kick each other.

It was over in an instant, but the sound of their feet clattering against each other is something I’ll not forget.

Neither is the spectacle of two female red deer, bickering.

#365daysofbiking Falling slowly

September 2nd -I’m under the impression that water is being released from Chasewater at the moment for a dam inspection; but usually the water in recent years has been low at the end of summer. 

With the reservoir being kept so high these days generally, it seems to worry people when the level drops, but this was perfectly normal for years when I was younger.

It might not be great for the Watersport folks, but for lovers of the mini-beach at the north end of the dam it’s a real boon…