November 26th – Out for an early spa and an errand to Aldridge, I passed through a grey, millpond still Catshill Junction. With it nearing December, and nobody around, this is a quiet, if bleak spot to take five minutes and contemplate the day ahead.
Still astonishingly plenty of colour in the trees from the late autumn, though.
November 20th – A dreadfully great and damp afternoon saw me head out with a heavy heart – but hitting the fresh air, I took a spin over Brownhills Common for the first time in ages. it’s looking good, despite the autumnal decay; the heathland restoration here has clearly been beneficial, and it’s lovely to see so many self-seeded deciduous trees like oaks and sycamores growing well.
On to Chasewater, a circuit around the lake was wet but rewarding; the huge number of birds on the lake were mesmerising and the gull roost was massive. Fly Creek is flowing well with the recent rains and the area of the boardwalk crossing is as enchanting as ever.
As dusk fell, heading back to Brownhills, the blue light caught the canal at Catshill, and for a moment at least, was magical.
Sometimes, you set out for a ride in miserable weather and it turns out to be better than you’d ever imagine.
September 9th – A ride into Birmingham mid-afternoon along the canal was enjoyable, but the wind a little harsh. Despite the dullness of the day there was plenty to see, but as usual in darkest industrial Birmingham, the wildlife stole the show: this time, herons.
I clearly caught the one in Smethwick napping; perching on one foot with everything tucked in, he watched me grumpily as I took his picture, whilst the one in Ladywood was far more active, but just as suspicious of the human on the bike.
I love to see the herons, almost unthinkable a few short years ago that they’d be in such urban environments.
September 4th – A short run out on a day that didn’t go well and on which I felt groggy and ill with a bad stomach, with the exertions of the previous days taking their toll.
So just a spin on an errand to Walsall Wood, but I did finally get to meet the Chandler’s Keep eyebrow cat, who was sat on the bridge embankment and came to say hello.
I was also interested in the dozing grey and white tabby in a canal garden in Walsall Wood. He looked very inscrutable.
Any day in which you see cats at leisure is a good day.
August 6th – Today’s ride was, oddly, mostly observed by cats. Dozing cats. Strolling cats. Stalking cats. Cats taking the air, the afternoon off or the initiative. From Brownhills to Croxall and back, it was all about the felines.
I saw all these fine examples on the same rife, and more I didn’t manage to photograph. No idea what drew them all out this afternoon, but I hope it happens again.
March 19th – Chasewater matched my mood, grey, flat and dull… But of course, it had a certain desolate charm. I noted the reservoir was still overflowing and the flowing water in the spillway was attracting a variety of wildlife – early bugs were circulating in the air, which in turn were catching the attention of wagtails and other small birds. As I took photos, a kestrel hovered, searching the wetland for anything small, squeaky and edible.
Oddly, while I was there, I didn’t see a solitary soul.
February 27th – A grey, murky day with little merit, which was OK really as I was so unwell I could barely make it out until late afternoon. I potter in the usual canal loop from Pier Street up to Wharf Lane and back down the Parade. I barely saw a soul. It was very cold, and the light terrible.
I’m so unused to typical February weather this year, when it happens, it’s an unpleasant shock…
February 21st – Another grim, grey and periodically wet day that had started reasonably well, but by the time I was able to escape, had descended into grey intemperance. I headed out to Chasewater and found the water level still rising, but the place was largely deserted and the lake very choppy indeed. This place was hostile today.
The only bright thing here was the gorse, which is strongly in flower all around the park. Such vivid, bright yellow. A real joy.
January 31st – It’s been a hard weekend. Technology hasn’t been working well, and I’ve not been well with a cold. Today I was better, but felt low, and the grey, inclement weather didn’t help. I decided I needed physical activity, so I turned the computer off and went in search of some colour.
Thankfully, I found it.
In St. Anne’s churchyard and cemetery opposite in Chasetown, spring has arrived due to the unseasonably warm weather. A single daffodil bobbed in the wind (such that my photos of it were nothing but a blur); easter primroses and calendula were bright and cheering.
Despite the terrible light and encroaching dusk, I think it can be seen that the usual carpet of purple and white crocuses in the cemetery is just coming into flower.
It’s the last day of January, and I’ve still to see a single solitary snowdrop.
The seasons in the last two years have been mad – I have no idea what’s going on. But thanks to them, my mood was lifted on a very dull last day in January.
December 13th – Chasewater was grey, foggy and very, very wet when I rode through near dusk. In a curious nether-world at the moment, there isn’t the optimism here of the new year, and with the wakeboard guys all packed up, there’s an out-of-season, end of the pier feel to the place, which I rather like.
Of course, not much was visible today, it was all just shades of grey fading into the lake.
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