Tag: missing

#365daysofbiking Milling it over

November 7th – A better day than the previous, but only really for being shorter, sadly. I had business in Chasetown so left work while it was still light and headed up there on the canal passing through Brownhills on the way.

It rained lightly most of the time. This weather is getting beyond a joke now.

Approaching the old steam mill at Ogley Hay, Brownhills, the view is lovely at the moment, even for the very poor weather and light. With the bracken and leaves turning, the hedgerows and woods are a beautiful mixture of burnt yellows and reds, with a smattering of green to boot.

The mill, of course, is now private flats and rather splendid; and it of course gave it’s name to the nearby Millfield school, which also backs onto the canal. One mystery, though: The former narrowboat the school had as an outdoor classroom – Tucana – seems to have been missing two or three weeks now.

It has no engine, so it must have been towed somewhere, to do something…

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#365daysofbiking Park up

February 27th – I’m sorry to bang on about this, but Kings Hill Park in Darlaston is getting more magnificent by the day.

Alive now with a veritable carpet of spring flowers, it’s a beautiful little spring oasis, and I love it so much.

On a side note, I spotted that the flat where I think the old cat Sam lived has been vacated, and was being refurbished. I spent a lot of last summer admiring that king of Kings Hill. In this sunny weather, I’ve not seen the puss about at all.

I hope I’m wrong and he’s made it to another Kings Hill Summer: If not, I hope he’s gone somewhere where there’s a sunny garden with comfy shady spots, passers by to talk to him and a world to watch go by.

I hope you haven’t left me old lad, but if you have, I’ll miss you so. Sweet dreams, puss. Sweet dreams.

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February 18th – A call in to Ogley Junction to see how the renovation of the footbridge is going, and it’s looking really good.

The shot blasting has finished, and the metalwork is being painted in black and white, and it looks splendid, I must say. Nice to see the approaches either side have been concreted too – the voids on either approach have been quite a challenge on a bike for some time.

The only thing bothering me is the missing bolt from the one repair plate brace – I do hope they fix that, but otherwise looking very good. It’s nice to see this historically listed bridge getting some love.

February 22nd – Also in Kings Hill Park, I found this stripy fellow watching me with his one eye. I’ve never seen him before, and although he’s clearly been in the wars with the sight deficiency and the battered ear, he was a very proud, lithe chap whom I don’t think was very old at all.

I took this blurry photo, which although not well focussed gives you an idea of the cat. I instantly fell in love with him. Just look at that magnificent tail.

He didn’t hang about, and clearly had business to attend to. I do hope we meet again, hopefully when he’s feeling a bit friendlier…

March 30th – The vehicle entrance to Shire Oak Park – which was formerly the main access to the quarry, and the route used by rangers to get into the lower are of the reserve – had the gate damaged and/or stolen about 12 months ago. It was never replaced by Waslall Council’s Greenspaces team, instead being haphazardly blocked with three light planks nailed between the gateposts.

A couple of weeks ago, the one remaining plank was smashed by a truck reversing through it, which then proceeded to flytip a large quantity of refuse.

This is the state of the ‘repair’, one good tug and those planks will be off. The previous, broken one still lies cast asunder in the ditch by the fence.

I support the Greenspaces team and have fought their corner many times. But come on, this is piss-poor.

This really needs sorting properly. If it had been fixed properly previously, the council probably wouldn’t have had to pay for the rubbish removal of the previous week, either.