September 6th – The breath of autumn on my shoulder, as the song says. Cycling along the canal in Place on a beautiful, sunny day, it’s hard not to notice the subtly changing colours, the slight chill in the air, and the first few fallen leaves.
Technically we’re still in summer, but Autumn is now limbering up. I find this time of year so hard.
Ah well, nothing to do but ride on…
September 1st – Another evening working late, I managed to pass through Walsall Wood just as the sun was setting behind the pithead sculpture. It’s not a thing I’ve ever been fond of, as many people know, but it does make for an interesting view over the old rail line.
It was a beautiful sky and a lovely evening, but I was far too tired to appreciate it.
August 30th – Something in the climate of this day was perfect for the cats of North Walsall. They lazed in the shade of cars and lamp-posts, relaxed, just watching their world go by, making sure all was in order and nothing was untoward.
It’s nice to know they were on guard, these sunshine sentries of suburbia.
August 30th – Today was a great day to be zipping about the Black Country on my bike, seeing people I needed to see, The streets, the urban architecture, the market at Tipton.
It all glistened like a jewel in the sun.
I said there would still be fine days to come and I wasn’t wrong. Yet again, my beloved Black Country lifted my spirits and filled me with a sense of belonging.
These are the places I love.
August 26th – An afternoon off, so a long ride into Derbyshire over to Foremark reservoir.
But on the way, as I often do, I started with a run up the canal, and saw this fellow, taking the air.
Oh, for the life of a canalside cat!
August 15th – North Walsall, on a warm, sunny afternoon.
Hel-LO ladies!
July 30th – A warm afternoon run to Chasewater on the canal: even though its getting on to high summer, there are still plenty of wildflowers looking beautiful, and the wild sweetpeas are still showing well around the derelict coal-chutes of Anglesey Basin.
At Chasewater itself, wake boarding was still in full swing despite the suspected bloom of blue-green algae the week before. I’m not into that kind of thing much but that does look like the most wonderful fun…
July 22nd – A fast, enjoyable 50 mile ride on an afternoon bunked off work saw me calling at Barton and then Rosliston for excellent carrot cake on a hot, sunny day. On the way, I took in a little of the canal near Barton Marina, and spotted the benchmark in the bridge just by Barton Turn. I think that’s the first I’ve ever seen highlighted with paint and it also seems rather high.
It must be genuine, but I sense a story here. Any ideas?
July 19th – I’ve been largely ambivalent about the odd project to resurface the canal towpath between Walsall Town Wharf and the Bentley Mill Way aqueduct. It’s a decent enough job, I guess, but I don’t feel the surface is that much of an improvement, and the loose gravel and untreated under bridges are problematic. But there is something that’s beautiful.
When the contractors remade the retaining walls to the steps at the Scarborough Road Bridge in Pleck, they planted wildflower seeds down the embankment, and at other spaces on the towpath.
This has resulted in stunning little urban patches of sunshine like this, so wonderful on what was the hottest commute of the year so far.
Thank you to whoever, for the act of beauty and foresight.
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.
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