December 25th – The traditional Christmas Day ride was short this year – not much time, and the wind was somewhat challenging. A dive into Stonnall and back up to Chasewater had me pass these characters outside the converted barn at Stonnall.
They genuinely made me smile. Merry Christmas!
December 19th – I rode to Rugeley from Lichfield, hoping to pay the food market a visit, but due to the awful weather it seemed to be packing up. Rugeley itself though was very festive, and I spent an enjoyable few hours shopping, getting something to eat and just wandering around. Rugeley is doing better than many similar sized towns, mainly due to the huge area it serves – with two indoor markets and plenty of little independent shops the place is a hidden gem.
The train layout is actually in one of the indoor markets, as a festive attraction. The Timesaver bus is a nice touch.
Despite the grey dampness, it felt a lot like Christmas, and I felt distinctly festive as I hauled my way back over Longdon Edge.
My apologies for the poor picture of the wee dog, but that was the only image I managed to get. I fell in love with him!
December 20th – Today, today was great. I had a Christmas errand to run near Rugeley, and heard there was a farmer’s market on. I’ve never really had a good look around the town, and I have to say I was impressed. This former mining community serves a very wide area, and so maintains a good selection of shops, a couple of indoor markets, and the produce market itself was brilliant.
I’d not realised how good the architecture was in the town centre, either; I must go back when it’s quieter and have a good mooch around.
The huge inflatable Father Christmas by the sports club is brilliant, too, and can be seen from a long distance.
I returned with all manner of Christmas treats.
That wee dog in the indoor market stole my heart – such big, sad eyes!
December 14th – This evening, there was the annual Burntwood lantern parade and Christmas Fayre at Chasewater. This was the first time the parade had been held here, and last year, the Christmas Fayre was awful, so I was a bit unsure what to expect when I attended.
What I actually found was wonderful.
The lantern parade – in the darkness of Chasewater – was beautiful and buzzing. The Christmas Fayre, much bigger than the year before, was packed and popular. This was a success at every level, and a joy to attend. Please excuse the awful photographs – conditions were very challenging for a rank amateur like me.
I hope this is the first of many such events.
I loved the way Santa turned up in a van lit for the occasion. The kids really seemed to enjoy it, and it was very Christmassy.
My thanks and compliments to the organisers – a brilliant job.
December 15th – At Maquis Drive on the Chase, an unexpected visitor seems to have upgraded his transport method…
Boxing day – one of the things I like about canal cycling is that many canal side dwellers have a bizarre sense of humour, and construct often elaborate joke displays. This seems a particular tradition along the Trent and Mersey canal, where one can often see odd displays at the water margins of gardens on the opposite bank. I loved this fishing Santa at Rugeley. That must have taken some time to create… my congratulations to the householder.
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