June 26th – Another hot and sunny day, and on the way to work, it was clear that fish has been breeding successfully in the canal at Pleck: Looking into the green water under Scarborough Road bridge, tends of thousands of tiny fry had had hatched. Further up the canal, larger fish were heading in that direction, one presumes fo lunch.
Who’d ever have thought these canals would be so green, beautiful and full of life?
June 14th – On the way to work on a warm but windy and wolfish Thursday, I stopped to look back down the canal I’d just ridden along. It’s so green and verdant now, sow beautifully limpid and peaceful. Hard to imagine that a few short weeks ago this was barren and grey, and soon enough it will return to the dormant, winter state.
Bless the summer, bless the green, bless the weather.
June 6th – One of the lovely, accidental features of Clayhanger Common is the well-worn pathway through the green thicket arch behind the Cala overflow at Clayhanger Bridge.
Every year it forms again – it’s like a portal to a green netherworld.
It always makes me smile when I see it.
May 17th – Again,in the ‘what a difference a few weeks make’ department, the cycleways of generally unremarkable Telford are returning to their leafy, shady but sun dappled summer state.
You would not know here you’re but feet from a motorway, and the colour and Arcadian effect is stunning, and a joy to ride along.
Telford faces much derision, not least from me, But some things it does really, really well. Telford, take a bow.
May 16th – The late return was hurried, and I didn’t take many pictures. But the pause for a drink and a few minutes recovery at the new pond in Clayhanger was well worth it.
A few short weeks ago there was little green here, just shades of brown and grey. Not so now, just a lovely peaceful, sun-dappled view over the treetops, accompanied by a soft, fading sunlight and the sounds of wildfowl rubbing along on the pond.
A lovely spot for a rest. I was glad to get home.
May 12th – And talking of spring and summer colour, nestling in green nowhere, as Vivian Stanshall put it. Just tens of feet form factory yards, a cycle train on a short bit of old railway in Brownhills between Engine Lane and the old Cement Works, or Slough Bridge.
One of those moments where you stop, look and catch your breath it’s so gorgeous.
Even though I felt like shit, I was happy and honoured to see this.
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.
May 3rd – On the way to work on a sunny morning, the canal in central Walsall was beautiful.
All the weeks and months of riding in the rain, cold and dark, dreaming of rides like this.
Yet again, another winter is survived and the warmer, longer days are here: Nature is greening, the weather is good and the light is upon us.
Always worth the wait.
May 2nd – Further up the canal, at the new pond in Clayhanger, the pear blossom is very strong and fulsome this year – since we’re now hopefully too late for a frost, we might have a decent crop this year.
The canal itself is beautiful at the moment in shades of bright green – with the rare glimpse of blue sky and such gorgeous blossom it’s possible to convince yourself that this morning had to be the last of the bad weather and summer might finally be coming…
April 25th – The weather is still quite intemperate, but improving. Temperatures climbed at the weekend, then sank again, but on the whole it’s been a drier week – but windier – although the sun too has been welcome.
This improvement has meant trees are now well into the greening phase and it’s starting to look like summer is coming.
With blue skies and emerald embankments and hedgerows, the canal is looking gorgeous again.
It’s a pleasure to see.
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