March 23rd – I love the soft rolling countryside of Longdon Edge, a series of undulating ridges radiating from the east of Cannock Chase to the Trent Valley, and eastwards to Lichfield. There are winding lanes, hidden holloways, little traffic and secluded tracks. Soft woodlands, open fields and beautiful hamlets.
There are few better places locally to spend a springtime golden hour.
May 5th – The weather was too good to resist. I took some industrial strength pain killers, and went for it. The ribs still hurt. But the sun, sweat, fresh air and awakened wildlife made this ride so special. I felt like I flew; powering through lanes and over hills. I have no idea what got into me. Up over Chasewater, on the cycle route through Burntwood to Chorley, over to Longdon Green, over Fradley, Whittington, Hademore, then the canal to Hopwas. Up the 51, back over the heath, through Weeford, Little Hay and Shenstone. A great run. The oilseed rape is starting to bloom, trees are in leaf and butterflies and bees flit by. All around, nature is crying for attention, from the first bluebells to the vivid green of fresh foliage.
For years, I’d noticed a mark on the map at Hilliards Cross ‘Memorial’ – I actually remembered to stop and look at it today. I needn’t have bothered. Funny the things that make it onto maps, sometimes.
October 21st – I see lots of sweet chestnut trees about – particularly around Shugborough and Longdon, yet little decent fruit, which has always puzzled me. This year in no exception. Inside these very sharp, defensive husks, the chestnuts are thin and small. I don’t know if they’re just an ornamental strain, or whether the crops need more attention than they get in the wild. Still, the windfalls are always impressively spiky.
July 15th – It was, on occasion, a bright sunny day. But it wasn’t warm, and when the sun went in, the chill was evil. I was cycling in the evening, and my journey to Yoxall, Barton and the Trent and Mersey river section at Alrewas was beautiful, but challenging. I was in shorts and cold; my energy low, and I bonked. (That’s where you need food, and you suddenly flatline. Runners call it ‘Hitting the wall’). Still, the countryside was as gorgeous as ever, and it reminds me to keep grazing and stock up with snacks before I leave for a long ride.
May 24th – Loss seemed to be a bit of a theme. I saw with some sadness that the Red Lion at Longdon Green had shut again. This pretty pub, on a lovely traditional village green, should have been rammed, the grass in front teeming with folk enjoying the summer. Sadly, it has closed in a dispute over £17,000 of rent claimed by the owners that the tenant is disputing. Recently, the Swan With Two Necks up at Longdon has closed too. It’s a bad time for country pubs, this one only having reopened last July. I love this place. Let’s hope it can reopen soon.
May 6th – A glorious but chilly ride over Cannock Chase and south Staffordshire. Find out more about my day in the post on my main blog. The peculiar arrangement od what looks like a bench with a ratchet sticking through is a sluice gate control on the canal at Rugeley. Took me a while to work out that most of the mechanism had been removed…
Boxing Day – couldn’t resist a bit of ride footage. This one runs from the top of Wolseley Plain, down Abraham’s Valley, along the A51, hopping on the canal through Rugeley, then a little of Bardy Lane, near Upper Longdon. I touched 42mph, but note I slowed right down for the horse and dog walkers. People, if you have dogs off the lead and a cyclist is coming, don’t call them. The dogs are normally too interested in the smells of the open than the cyclist and won’t cause a problem. The lady calling the retrievers here actually causes them to run in front of me…
September 25th – Another afternoon ride on and around the Chase, I again crossed Shugborough – this time in the other direction. I’d headed over Longdon Edge and through Rugeley, then from Milford Common I’d visited the Stepping Stones, Seven Springs, Wolseley Plain and Hednesford. I don’t normally cycle this route in this direction; it was a hard ride over the Chase, but well worth it. My, the rise from Milford to Stepping Stones is a hell of a challenge.
June 19th – Returning via Longdon, I spotted this rooftop I’d never noticed before. It is, apparently, Windmill Cottage, but I know nothing else about it. This is a beautiful view and reminded me of the flatlands of Norfolk. I wonder if it ever was actually a windmill?
Edit June 22nd – Reader Ziksby points out that this was indeed a Winmill. Find out more at Staffordshire Past Track.
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