Tag: staffordshire

November 4th – I was at Chasewater for the Vintage Event at the railway, but took in a loop of the rapidly refilling lake when I left. I noted that the water level had now reached 5.4 on the scale, whereas on October 19th, it was at 6.5. Since the scale is graduated in decimetres, that tells us the waterline has risen 11cm. That’s 110m in 16 days, making the height of the water now around 148.71m AOD. There’s now about a metre to go until Chasewater is full – however, there’s and awful lot of surface area to cover in that short height gain. At dusk, the gull roost was massive, and with little sunset, the night came on in shades of blue.

November 2nd – I mentioned last week that the modern Little Aston – location of exclusive private hospital and old folks home, as well as being millionaires square mile – still shows some evidence of being a village of some antiquity. There is, however, a bit of a conundrum. Where Forge Lane crosses the Footherley Brook, adjacent to Forge Wood, there’s a peculiar kink in the lane over a hump bridge. This treacherous hairpin is overlooked by a row of homes called Forge Cottages. Yet further down towards where the main body of the village stood, opposite the primary school is another old forge, still standing, although now occupied by a design studio. I guess both must have been home to blacksmiths.

This is a lovely little village you look past the modern developments.

October 3rd – Out to Telford at dawn meant cycling to Shenstone Station. The weather has been really variable this week, the one constant factor being the northeasterly wind that’s blown me to Shenstone in the morning and home from Walsall at night. Just as this is the time of year for good sunsets, it’s also the time for decent sunrises, too, although I’m usually too rushed to photograph them. Today was a good example – a gorgeous sky heralding a temperate day. Coupled with the shinbone skyline, it was beautiful.

September 22nd – Since we’re around the autumnal equinox, the sunsets get quite reasonable, just as they do at the spring one. Returning home through dark lanes, lights on full and feeling cold, this was my first taste of cold-season cycling. I find riding in the dark fun, challenging and mentally exhausting, and this ride more so, as I hadn’t done it for so long. But the sky was my companion, and it was beautiful. You’re never alone with a good sunset.

September 22nd – a bright, sunshine autumn day. A ride through Staffordshire. My goodness, it was nippy as evening fell. It’s been one hell of a bad year for the oaks. I’ve previously recorded the absolute plague of knopper galls around Brownhills, devastating the acorn crop, and I’ve hardly seen any unharmed ones at all. Out in Staffordshire the story was the same. The ones that aren’t victim to the tiny, drilling wasp are small and sickly, affected by the lousy summer.

I hope they (and we) have a better time next year. To me, oaks are the epitome of the English tree, and when they suffer, I feel we all do a little bit.

August 26th – The same ride, and my deer magnet was clearly functioning well. Late afternoon, four red deer on the north heath of Chasewater, two adult hinds and their two young fawns. These are the first of this year’s youngsters I’ve seen and they look fit and heathy. For the time of year, their coats, too, were in surprisingly good condition. 
I still can’t quite believe these animals roam free here; they always leave me in awe. We’d never have imagined as kids that seeing such fine creatures in Brownhills would be remotely possible. 

August 26th – An afternoon ride to get some fresh air, and a gentle loop around Chasewater took me past Fly Pool, near the north heath. One of the quieter bits of the park, one can often find interesting wildlife in these areas. I noticed this fine fellow gently spinning on the ‘No Swimming’ marker in the middle of the pool. It could only have been perfect if the sign had said ‘No Fishing’…

August 24th – I’m not sure this cottage has a name. Standing on the junction of Footherley Lane, Gravelly Lane and Mill Lane in Lower Stonnall, it’s a handsome, four-square but fairly low Staffordshire cottage. I love everything about it; it’s standing at the junction, the ivy, the imposing doorway and oblique angle. I suspect it to be quite old, and the gardens are often full of beautiful flowers. This home is a lovely landmark on my way home, and even in the dark, it’s lights welcome me on my return from a long ride.

July 31st – In Mill Green, near Little Aston, a remarkable change has occurred. This is the transition of a tumbledown old barn into a nice home, complete with 3 car garage. I love the dovecote in the gable end. I wonder if that will come to be regretted when out feather friends discover their new luxury pad? Either way, it’s a smart looking place.