Tag: good weather

September 2nd – With autumn looming large, and the forecast being good, I got in a good hayride to The Roaches, taking in Uttoxeter, The Weaver Hills, Marriage, the Roaches themselves, the Dane Valley, Wildboarclough and Macclesfield Forest, returning on the train.

It was a fantastic day, with great weather and a 100 mile plus ride.

I won’t elaborate too much on that as there’s a post hopefully coming on my main blog in the next day or so.

However, as with any long ride, it’s the quirky things that were great, particularly this elderly border collie at The Roaches Tea Rooms near Hulme End.

A great day. Stay tuned for more.

August 28th – I suppose inevitably, the forest is gearing up for Autumn which does seem to be encroaching a little early this year, with early examples of fungi making an appearance. I was particularly surprised by the red fly agaric – the classic spotted toadstool – which don’t normally appear for at least a month yet. The sulphur tuft (thanks, John!) were particularly pretty.

But the sun streamed through the trees, the bugs buzzed and it was quiet – and on a day when I normally feel that summer is over, I had a great ride.Perhaps it’s not over yet.

August 27th – I did a 75 mile ride out beyond Tamworth into Leicestershire. I hadn’t rode this way for a decade or more – and I headed for Barton in the Beans and Newton Burgoland through beautiful, sunny countryside on another warm, still day.

A great ride.

But those place names? Go home, Leicestershire – you’re drunk.

August 28th – I’d heard there was going to be a a canal festival/floating market thing at Alvecote Marina in Tamworth, so I took a spin out to check it out – it was a fine event, with what must have been nearly 100 boats, floating traders, food, drink and entertainment. 

It was very crowded and a very hot afternoon, but it was a lovely do.

As ever, the dogs made it. Boater dogs really are characters.

August 25th – Travellers of a different kind in central Walsall. Still feeling grim even for the sun and fresh air, my burning of the candle at both ends was finally catching up with me, so a breather and a brew watching this narrowboat negotiate the locks at near Smiths Flour Mill in Walsall was in order.

I love to see the narrowboats – and this was a good one, in a scene hugely transformed in the last few decades. Once, the boat would have been grubby, in even blacker, heavily polluted surroundings, perhaps carrying coal to the power station, but now we’re surrounded by green and modern urbanity, and the cargo is not coal, but travellers, holidaymakers or boat enthusiasts passing another once industrial town.

How times change.

August 19th – I was having a terrible day: I had plans to get out early, but the wind and weather were grim, and everything I did seemed like wading through treacle. 

After miserably writing blog posts, messing up dates and publicity schedules, I finally got a grip and went out, to find a bright periodically sunny late afternoon in which harvest was being completed and the fields of stubble were golden delights over towards Sandhills and Hammerwich.

The sight of that lovely church and converted windmill cheered me, as did the bright, surprisingly warm if short-lived sunshine.

A nice pick me up on an awful day.

August 12th – An run out after a busy day saw me investigating a few things I’d been meaning to locally. It was a bright but slightly hazy evening, and I took the opportunity to try some familiar zoom shots from near Fishpond Wood above Stonnall, and the perennial favourite Lichfield from the quarry gateway.

It was a bit too muzzy for Lichfield, but Wall came out beautifully, unlike the familiar towers of Shenstone. I suppose the mist and haze must have been sitting in a depression or hollow between us, unlike Wall.

Wonder what the science is here?

July 25th – On an unexpectedly sunny afternoon, travelling between Tipton and Darlaston at 3pm, this gem looked splendid indeed.

On the island at the bottom of Owen Street – Tipton’s High Street – just by Coronation Gardens, Sandwell Council planted the centre with wildflower seeds. This is the result.

It’s gorgeous, captivating and a joy to the heart. Thank you to whoever did this, it’s a real act of beauty.

The Black Country: It ay all chimmocks and grime these days…

July 7th – A trip to deliver a vehicle to Telford from work presented the opportunity to ride from the new town into Ironbridge Gorge, then after breakfast at a lovely cafe, up through Coalbrokedale to the Wrekin. After riding and climbing to the top, a ride down, and then around the town in the surrounding countryside, through Wrockwardine, The Dukes Drive, Kynnersley Moor and Lilleshall. The ride onwards took me through Wheaton Aston, Pekridge and Bridgtown to home.

An excellent long ride with some challenging climbs (not least the Wrekin itself) and some great countryside and weather. 

What summer is all about!