February 15th – There were a number of trees brought down by the ongoing storm at Chasewater.
Thankfully rangers are quick to remove them.
Sad to see, but a reminder of just how grim the weather is, and how unsound the root of a conifer generally is…
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March 6th – On roads across Cannock Chase, an experiment is underway. These wooden staves with white bags on top are a trial to see if they reduce vehicle-deer road collisions in the area.
It was discovered accidentally in the US that deer were apparently deterred by the sight of a white bag on a post, although nobody knows why, deer experts who’ve tried this have found it appears to work – it will be very interesting to see if the tactic works here, too.
My overriding feeling is the deer will probably get used to it, and they have to cross the roads somewhere, so I can’t see much long term benefit, but it’s a very interesting experiment and I salute the rangers for trying it out.
May 4th – This is, as they say, boiling my piss.
Pardon my language, but these signs have been put up recently by Sustrans rangers (who are volunteers) maintaing the cycle route through Brownhills. The aim is innocent enough, I guess.
The cycleway runs along Wharf Lane, onto the canal at the old bridge, then as far as Anglesey Wharf (fifty yards or so), then alongside the new bypass on the embankment, and on to Pool Road at the top of the dam. As a route, it’s crap, frankly.
Far better is to ride straight up the canal, past the basin and up the slope to the dam. It’s a fifth of the distance, on wide, well made tracks, and makes perfect sense.
Likewise one can head to Brownhills along the very good towpaths and find a much better route than the Sustrans National Cycle Network one.
These signs only indicate that the route beyond this point is not part of the National Cycle Network, but they look like – and people are reading them as – cycling prohibition notices.
Why bother with them at all? The routes have functioned for 15 years without them. These are just a waste of time, money and effort.
Sustrans are supposed to be supporting and promoting cycling. This is a whole bag of fail.
Rant over.
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