Tag: fallen tree

June 14th – The rest of the ride was periodically odd and awe-inspiring. My energy levels were poor and I was suffering badly from hayfever, but throwing the bike down that incredible woodland downhills was a terrific as ever. On the other side of the canal south of Tamhorn, a fallen tree blocked the way in the most beautiful, vine-draped manner. 

It’s clearly been a good season to for foxgloves, which are currently showing wonderfully in the hedges and canal banks. 

Returning along the A51 and heading for Waitrose, I spotted two practicing unicyclists – these lads were great, and made for a very unusual sight. I could have watched them for ages; they were confident and good riders. I could never attain the balance required to master one.

Later, I emerged from the supermarket to see the adjacent bike stand taken by two clearly well-loved road bikes; a very popular Apollo TDF, and a B-Twin; both looked ridden well. These are low end, but very popular road bikes representing good value for money. The interesting thing about them is that they were both small steeds, and had been very creatively locked using a D lock and cable. 

The threading of the cable lock could have been better, but it was clearly thought about. I don’t know who the riders were, but I wish them well.

Hopefully in the next couple of days my hayfever will subside…

February 14th – Valentines Day, but not much love from the weather, which was back to wet and windy. I ’d been to Darlaston early again, and left in the mid-afternoon lull before the winds really got up. Unlike the ride in, the ride out was again wind assisted and fun. 

The traffic was a bit frantic in the wet and I chose to hit the canal again in Walsall Wood. An interestingly wind-cleaved tree near the Black Cock, and cutting across the new Pond and Clayhanger Common the landscape was again sodden and dripping. But there was a kind of peace to it too, which I appreciated. 

Crossing the bridge back into Brownhills, the moorings at Silver Street are busier than I’ve ever seen them before (except during a canal festival) – I’m curious as to why. The waterside has been unchanged for a good few years, now, and it seemed to take the boaters ages to discover us. Is it just a pure shortage of places to moor, or the fact that there’s no charge?

Really curious about it.

May 15th – It was a dreadful commute on the way to the station this morning – driving rain, cold, windy. When I got to Redditch, the rain had lessened, but conditions were still challenging.

What a difference, then, when I emerged in the afternoon sunlight. The rain had gone, skies were blue and apart from an unpleasant westerly wind, it was a joy to cycle the backlanes home. Beware, though, if using Forge Lane in Little Aston tomorrow. There’s a tree fallen over the road near the old mill. Most cars would pass OK, but if you’re in a 4WD or van it might be difficult.

May 29th – in the seemingly unnamed, orphaned strip of woodland that lies wedged between the River Tame and the canal just north of Hopwas Wood Bridge, the largely disused southern driveway to Tamhorn Park provides a nice green route for walkers and cyclists. Vehicles used to come through here, but not for a few years and the wrought iron gates remain locked, rusting and blocking the track to most motorised traffic. This fallen branch – surely snapped by the weight of the parasitic creepers bound around it – now provides an additional obstacle. 

The cyclists and walkers, however, just wore a path around it…