March 19th – Back to work, and off to Telford. It was a gorgeous, bright but frosty morning. My chosen station of departure, Shenstone, looked as beautifully rural as ever. Despite having nor real facilities and problematic accessibility – only steps on the northbound side – it remains one of my favourite local stations. It’s usually quite easy to get your bike on the southbound train here, too, A real joy to travel from.
February 3rd – Cycling home from Shenstone the sunset was beautiful. Looking over the fields towards Stonnall and Little Aston I loved the drama and march of the pylons against the sky. Five to the mile, to me they’re beautiful and a wonderfully minimalist design. Today, they hummed and crackled in the frosty air. Electricity is the closest thing to magic humans possess. I’m transfixed by it.
December 11th – Shenstone is a great little village at any time, but at night it is particularly remarkable, and at this time of year, somehow festive. I love the lights of the village, and how they highlight it’s mixed bag of architecture. These are two starkly different pubs – The Fox and Hounds, with it’s cosy, snug bar, and the more expansive Railway, with it’s high ceilings and airy atmosphere. The railway is particularly interesting, as during it’s life parts of it have been a chapel and a butchers. An interesting place.
December 11th – A warm, damp evening following a blustery, wet afternoon. The wind had died down, the rain ceased and the temperature had risen by the time I ventured out for a lazy loop of Stonnall and Shentsone. I’ve always been fascinated by the single, rather aged mercury streetlamp that stands sentry on the junction of Footherley and Hollyhill Lanes; it illuminates the fingerpost and is like a beacon to the weary cyclist. Many times I’ve been glad of it’s welcome sight on a cold, dark winter evening.
November 20th – I’m currently trying out the upgraded version of my bike cam – the GoPro HD Hero 2. One of it’s claims is to be better in low light, and I can vouch for that. This video would have been impossible with the original model, it simply wasn’t sensitive enough. This is a ride from the Top of Rookery Hill, on Rookery Lane in Hints, down to the ford at the bottom in pitch darkness. From here, there’s a section over the A38 pedestrian footbridge at Weeford, and section crossing the Birmingham Road at Shenstone, before crossing the churchyard at the top of St. John’s Hill. The light is a hope R4 on medium brightness – my usual light and setting of choice. On the downhill run, I’m hitting 25-30mph.
November 20th – The daylight, such as it managed on this grim, mist-sodden day, gave up early and headed for the pub. At 4:15, it was nearly dark, and at Shenstone, the pumping station lights were on full blast – someone must have been working in there, they aren’t normally on. It’s nice to know that even on grim, grey, lightless Sundays, the essential services are working to keep things flowing smoothly.
November 19th – A grim day, really. A pleasant but chilly 50 miler around Weeford, Whittington, Harlaston, Lullington and Coton-in-the-Elms, but the mist never lifted once. I also, for the second time in a week, forgot my trusty little camera, so had to really on a phone for photographic support. The day really was this grey, but Staffordshire was a gorgeous as ever; large houses at Shenstone and Thickbroom, near Little Hay always enthral for their wonderful architecture, and the view over John Wyatt’s model village of Weeford from the elevated cemetery always enthrals, however grim the conditions.
November 15th – Another hidden history exists in the sleepy hamlet of Chesterfield, between Wall and Shenstone, south of Lichfield. The welcoming view of Chesterfield Lodge, now a high class, well maintained private residence would never belie it’s past as the parish workhouse. I think this is a gorgeous building, and it looks wonderful at night, the glow welcoming in a very dark, narrow lane.
November 3rd – Another early start, and a deserted Shenstone station at 6:15am. I was lucky today; the forecast was for heavy rain, but it had passed when I hit the road. It was also unseasonably warm. Approaching the station from Lynn Lane, I surveyed the platforms from the over bridge, as I often do. I love this station. It’s like a little period piece. Even at 6:15am on a dark, wet November morning.
November 1st – It was a slightly better morning this morning than that of the day before, and the dawn seemed to come a shade earlier. As I reached Shenstone Station, I noticed the lightened sky to the east, and the perfect manner in which it highlighted Shenstone’s Victorian Gothick church tower. You don’t see gargoyles like that every day…
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