Tag: Ogley Junction

#365daysofbiking A new posse


August 3rd – I’ve always loved how the growing Canada geese clutches move into adulthood and still stay in loose family groups as they mature.

I encountered this particular group of beaky blinders at Ogley Junction, but they hatched near Catshill Junction and have been pottering around the local canals ever since. They are notable for being particularly intimidating, with mum (or dad, I never thought to ask) once leaping on my back as I was riding and pecking my head furiously.

This aggression has been passed to the next generation and one or two always take a lunge and hiss defensively at passers by, whatever their mode of transport.

Now in adult plumage, I’m fascinated by the one that appears to be suffering premature greyness and wonder if I should get it a bottle of Grecian 2000 or maybe just a black sharpie pen…

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#365daysofbiking Quiet and still

April 6th – Nipping up to Chasewater after a day of bike maintenance and cleaning. It was a dull but clear afternoon that felt more like late October than April. Still cold, at Ogley Junction it felt very quiet and still.

I note the factories were quiet too – unusual really – they used to run right over the weekends. I hope this isn’t a sign of trouble ahead.

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#365daysofbiking Peace and water

February 16th – A miserable day spent fixing things and not feeling well. I finally went for a ride after dark, and soon felt a bit better: The bike was riding better than it had done all winter thanks to my afternoon’s work and I think I solved a niggling, recurring issue. As I sped along the canal, I decided to have a go at some long exposure photos at various places along the way and at Chasewater.

What you can’t tell here is that Chasewater was far from quiet: There seemed to be a very large gull roost making a huge amount of noise. It was fascinating.

These images didn’t turn out too badly.

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April 7th – An awful, terrible horrible day in which little went to plan and I just gradually lost the will to try. A spin out in light drizzle late wasn’t so bad though, and did make me feel a little better.

As I headed up the canal towards Newtown, I realised that things are greening up well – the fields of Sandhills and Hammerwich are bright green, but have had little chance to shine as yet.

The mist and murk would ordinarily have been depressing, but for the fresh air, solitude and speed I was grateful. 

Life can be tough sometimes.

March 10th – Another drizzly, grey day but thankfully the rain was more intermittent. I had much to do, and slipped out mid afternoon. Hearing the covers had come off the Ogley Junction footbridge, I spun up to take a look. It’s looking fine indeed.

The work on the deck has been far more extensive than I expected, and the paint job is lovely. I just hope they attend to the poor state of the abutment brickwork, but other than that, top job.

Beware though as the footpath hasn’t been made up yet and voids and tops exist both sides that could catch the unwary.

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.

May 10th – Going stir crazy, I escaped again at sunset, and headed up to Chasewater, just for the hell of it. I was captivated by the colour of a late-spring sunset, by the huge, yellow moon over Sandhills and the mist rising off the surface of the canal due to an inversion.

It’s a long time since I caught a sunset and dusk as lovely as this. After a very trying few days, it was lovely to be out in the dead calm and still, to feel the night chill encroaching and hear the soft sounds of Chasewater at dusk – calling birds, lapping water and the chatter of ducks and geese.

Recovery needs many things, but one thing that really does help is peace and beauty when you least expect them.

July 10th – Thanks to a reader for alerting me to this, as it’s quite hazardous. Due to the heavy rains we’ve had of late, the footpath has eroded on the northern side of the Ogley Junction footbridge over the canal at Brownhills, near Lichfield Road. Just where the asphalt ends, there’s a growing cavity about 3 inches deep, ready to swallow bike wheels or trip up walkers. Coming from the other direction it’s nasty, too.

I shall get on to the Canal and River Trust tomorrow and see if they’ll come and fill it.

January 17th – We had snow. Not much, maybe half an inch, and it was very, very wet. It was enough though, to be beautiful, and so I headed out into it as soon as I could. The light was pretty poor though, and the photography didn’t work out so well, but it was a nice experience apart from the endless mud.

Still, it’s better than the endless rain, and seeing the gorse flowers in the snow was lovely.

July 5th – From Ogley Junction footbridge, long range shots of rabbits in the rain, grazing on the long grass beside the canal basin and just doing their thing.They look healthy and no sign of the Myxomatosis that ravaged the warren at the back of the Terrace last year. The scruffiness in their coats appears to be just where they’re wet from the rain.

A pleasure to watch, and so enthralling I completely forgot it was raining.