#365daysofbiking Better than expected:
September 23rd: On the canal on the way to Chasewater, I stopped to admire the view. It was a lovely autumn day and the colours of the dying back vegetation in the golden hour were gorgeous.
This is a lovely stretch of canal, particularly at this time of year for obvious reasons, and it gives great views of the Anchor Pub and Bridge.
Considering the weather forecast today was awful, it didn’t turn out too bad in the end.
#365daysofbiking The softness of the hour:
September 14th – Passing through Walsall in the late evening, in a rain-soaked golden hour. Just after a heavy downpour, the light was lush, soft and suffused with gold.
The merest hint of a rainbow over St Matthews reminded me why I love this town so much.
August 24th – I nipped to Stonnall on my way home, and the view from Shire Oak was a gorgeous as ever when I passed: I’ll never tire of that view of the Ladies of the Vale over the quarry and rolling countryside to Wall.
On my return to Brownhills, dusk was falling, and the new flats at Anchor Bridge glowed well as the dying sunlight caught the damp tarmac.
August 21st – My late commute homeward bound collided with the start of the golden hour, a sign that the nights are closing in now, although I was unusually late, so no need to panic yet, I guess.
Passing the trees on the edge of Grange Farm near the Black Cock Bridge, the golden light fell through the edge land and was magical.
After a dull, damp, uninspiring start to the day, a welcome dose of sunshine.
July 15th – It was a gorgeous, mellow golden hour that caught the dry grass, hedgerows and crops safely afire. I was interested to see the sun rays from behind the clouds as I laboured back up over Barracks Lane. They put one in mind of a child’s drawing of the sun. I’ve never seen that before.
We’re having some remarkable weather lately.
Monday 9th – One of those days when you get disheartened as you took some great images but didn’t realise until late that there was a smudge on the camera lens that ruined them all…
After realising and wielding the lens pen, coming back from Lichfield late in the evening as I came up Shire Oak Hill the sunset was coming on well. This is the second time in the last few days we’ve had insteresting sun/cloud interactions, and it looked great in a gold-suffused hour.
It felt much fresher, and the building cloud is making me wonder if the weather is soon to break… but after the worst, latest spring I can ever remember, if it rains until l December now, we’ve had a terrific summer.
May 4th – At last, the canal at the Black Cock Bridge, basking in warm, still air and the beginnings of a lovely golden hour.
This is what I’ve waited for and I aim to enjoy it.
So nice to be back in the light again.
March 13th – I know I featured this the other day, but it is a view that’s quite short-lived and one I love lots. Having been to a meeting in Birmingham in the afternoon, I came back to Shenstone as usual and hit there in a sort of pink, gentle golden hour. I was only about 15 minutes from sunset, and the pink cast was from a dying sun, but it flattered the dark sandstone of St John’s church tower beautifully, it’s gargoyles proud and prominent as ever.
Also worth noting in these shots are the rooftops, gables and chimneys of Shenstone, a wonderful array. How lovely that a village should grow around the hill in that remarkable way, with the remains of an early church, and a still functioning Victorian one immediately adjacent.
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 7th – It was a very cold afternoon as I set out, not feeling 100 percent. Black ice lurked in the country lanes around Stonnall and Shenstone, but I felt secure on the ice tyres. I pottered through a very decent golden hour and pressed up through Weeford to Whittington as a very frosty night fell. I was cold, my shoulder was aching, and in the dusk, I suffered a puncture.
It wasn’t a bad ride though, and I did enjoy it on the whole. After all, it was still fairly light at 4:30pm so the night really is on the run now.
There was that, at least.
I noticed that the Ivy House in Shenstone had had some love since I last looked a few years ago and now was looking in excellent condition after several decades of neglect. That’s a huge, rambling house. I bet it’s interesting inside.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 