Tag: names

June 28th – I had an early meeting in Droitwich, so cycled back home. I’ve always loved the stretch of canal up through Browmsgrove and Alvechurch to Birmingham, so many sights, although now, north of Kings Norton it’ a bike-commuter trunk route and one has to concentrate hard on other users, which prevents you taking in the best of it.

The way over the Wast Hills Tunnel is arduous but interesting, and I still love the Birmingham University Clock; such an elegant edifice.

In between, peaceful rural and urban waterway.

I’m curious about the growing fashion for jokey, not that funny, punny names for narrowboats. They seem to be allowed the same artistic license as hair salons and some of the worst city centre bars. Bewildering.

A great ride on a day much hotter than expected.

September 16th – Shooting along the canal to Great Bridge early doors I passed under Bughole Bridge. Can it really be 22 years since they rebuilt it? The Black Country Route – which passes nearby – was new then. 

I’ve never got to the bottom of what Bughole means, though. Anyone know? Like Bumble Hole and Devil’s Elbow, it’s one of those great Black Country names we accept without too much thought day to day, but when thought about really are quite preposterous.

April 5th – It was a long short week in Telford. Work has been heavy going the last couple of weeks, and I’m glad that today was my last working day of the week. Again returning from Shenstone for the tailwind, the day was gorgeous when I emerged from the train at about 6pm. I opted for the back lanes through Footherley in order to catch the evening sun, which after the snow of yesterday, was warm on my back. The lanes looked beautiful, and I stopped on the hump bridge one the Footherley Brook to study the inscriptions. Generations have carved their marks in the soft sandstone capstones, the oldest I think being the inscription from D Rushbrook, apparently from 1931. I’ve searched locally for the name to no avail, and I often wondered what became of him, or if Billy and Trace, who declared their love in stone on the 20th April 1983 are still an item, 29 years later. I do hope so.