Tag: golden hour

February 27th – Another wolfish day, but with a softer wind. A horrid morning commute – into a headwind with driving rain – was not a great start to the week, and through the day, the yin and yang of rain and shine battled across the sky, even resulting in one point at a fall of snow.

I had to go to Lichfield on an errand and I successfully dodged the rain, returning fortuitously in a gorgeous semi-golden hour through the backlanes of Wall.

The fields are emerald green now, with fresh crops growing well; the sky was pleasingly azure between the clouds, even at gone 5pm and spring does seem to be ready to assume her throne.

Not a bad end to a day that didn’t start with a great deal of promise…

October 18th – Another lovely golden hour, this time as I came through Walsall Wood and the Black Cock Bridge. The sun reflected off the golden leaves beautifully and rendered the farmhouse precious.

As the sun receded further, the skies were dramatic over Clayhanger, too. 

The sunsets at this time of year are fantastic.

October 17th – I made it back to Brownhills in a glorious sunset golden hour, and as I passed the overflow at Clayhanger, I noticed a grey wagtail skitting about. I love these gorgeous, busy, bobbing little birds, and this one was having a ball hunting late bugs.

The skies were beautiful too. A wonderful evening.

October 2nd -It was a gorgeous autumn day – chilly, but still and the  the sun shone, it was warm on the face. I finally solved a pressing technical issue on the bike, then headed out to Middletn Hall for tea and cake, then up the canal to Tamworth and back through Hints and Weeford. 

It was the kind of ride that makes you realise autumn isn’t that bad after all, and in the golden hour travelling through Shenstone, with the church occupied and a service ongoing, even the looming dusk seemed magical.

September 20th – It was so beautiful on the way home that I decided to take a spin around Stonnall and Shenstone, just to catch the golden hour.

Although Autumn’s feet are well under the table now, there’s still plenty of green with freshly planted crops in the fields and leaves not yet turning.

But oh, it gets dark so early now…

July 18th – A pootle up the canal to Walsall Wood on an errand in a glorious golden hour. The hottest day of the year so far, the water bubbled as unseen creatures walled in the cool water, and grasshoppers, bees and birdsong filled the air.

An absolutely wonderful evening that shows that while people seem to think this area is ugly, it’s actually beautiful.

July 17th – In spite of some grim mechanical problems and slow initial progress, I made it to Rosliston for tea and cake, and then pootled back through Coton in the Elms, Lullington, Clifton Campville, Haunton and Syerscote, calling at Hints and Weeford in the golden hour.

The villages glowed in the summer evening warmth, and even though I was battling a keen westerly, my England was right here – in a view familiar to Peter Cutler, in the flower-adorned villages, and in the sad but tranquil churchyard at Haunton, with it’s ranks of gravestones to nuns from the nearby convent.

It doesn’t get much better than this.

October 7th – After the last couple of days of wet, grey commutes, one in a decent light was welcome. The light – particularly in the evening – is precious to me right now, as I know it will soon be gone and replaced by evening darkness.

As I shot down the canal near Clayhanger, the golden hour was particularly lovely. There was a cold edge to the wind, and the leaves are now falling well. This time now is on the edge, the cusp. Soon, it will be winter.

Not looking forward to it this year, if I’m honest.

October 1st – Although the wonderful Indian summer continues, each day seems to be getting noticeably colder now. Mid afternoon in the sun, it was warm on my back, like April; but move around and autumn chilled the air. It’s making for some divine golden hours, though, and the scenery around the canals is gorgeous now. Trees are turning, and soon everywhere will be golden.

Autumn is OK once you accept it.