March 17th – Unusually, I came home through Hammerwich. I don’t usually do that, but had to pop into Brownhills West on the way back. The weather was vey grim, and I only just missed getting soaked. Hammerwich, however, was as beautiful as ever, and the overcast weather made for moody, cinematic photos. On the corner of the bizarrely-named Lions Den and Station Road, I noticed Hall Cottage, which I’d not really studied previously. A beautiful little house.
March 15th – High Bridge used to conduct the Uttoxter Road over the River Trent at Handsacre, until it became to small for the increasing level of traffic. It still nobly spans the waterway, but it lets the new bridge do the work of carrying the B5013. Built in 1830 by the Coalbrookdale Company, it’s a fine bridge, and one of several noble bridges in Staffordshire sidelined for stronger, younger models. Pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians can still cross though, and admire the wonderful views and brilliant, elegant engineering. A hidden, almost forgotten gem.
March 14th – That golden mist was incredible. On the canal between Barton and Alrewas it shrouded distant boats, bridges and trees, and at Whychnor and Lichfield it rendered normally quite mundane views magical. I’m glad I didn’t miss this. This is why I cycle…
March 14th – A run up the Trent valley to Walton-on-Trent, then back via Barton and Alrewas. A gorgeous afternoon, chilly, but with a wonderful, golden mist. Here at Whitemore Haye, I noticed the swans had descended, and were loafing in the fields. I’ve mentioned it before, but these birds are the bane of farmers lives – beautiful as they are, they’ll decimate fields of young crops, and are breeding at an incredible rate. I pity the poor person who eventually moots the idea of a cull, but I can’t see the current population of birds being sustainable with clutches of 6 or more being the norm.
March 11th – The encroaching spring doesn’t trouble the fallow deer at Penkridge Bank, Cannock Chase much. Here rain or shine, winter or summer, tis sizeable herd of deer loaf in this area as there’s ready food and ideal woodland close by. These animals are used to humans and merely wary of me and my camera, losing interest when they realise I’ve no carrots. What a joy it must be to live here and see them daily. The children of a nearby house are so used to them, they take no notice….
March 5th – I returned early for a change, but absent mindedly got on the wrong train at New Street. I had intended to catch a Walsall service, and come home with the wind more of less behind me, but stuck on autopilot I got on a Lichfield train instead, hopping off at Blake Street. Battling an evil headwind all the way back, it was otherwise a lovely afternoon, with bright blue skies, fluffy white clouds and a certain emerald hue coming into the countryside around Stonnall. I noticed clumps of early daffodils, particularly along Mill Lane near Ivy House Farm, and the views were clear and lovely. Spring, I’m ready for you now.
February 18th – Down at the junction of Barracks Lane and Lichfield Road, in Brownhills, not far from where the Staffordshire Hoard was found, there’s a filed of horses, which I think belong to nearby Warrenhouse Farm. At the entrance to this field, I spotted this two delightful patches of snowdrops in the hedgerow. Beautiful and delicate, yet somehow hardy, they are a marker, a signal. THeir appearance means that spring cannot be far away…
January 15th – Bimbling around the western edge of Chasewater, I noted the water level in Jeffrey’s Swag was rising well. The main lake also seems to be creeping up, but the smaller pool on the northern side of the railway causeway is critical. Topped up by several creeks and streams, once filled it will be key to the return of the main body of water, as all the overspill flows into it. It’s good to see the gradual restoration of this vital habitat to some kind of normality. Sadly, the replenishing of Chasewater itself will take an awful lot longer.
January 7th – emboldened by my trip to Lichfield, I set out into the wind early afternoon and headed to Cannock Chase. I figured that if I could ride up the hills through Heath Hayes and Hednesford, then up to Brindley Heath, I could ride to work. As it happened, I rode it into a nasty wind and in the face of some pretty black clouds. Here at the Hednesford Hills, just on the Chase Heritage Trail, I was preparing for the last climb up to the old RAF Hednesford, and wondering wether to pull out my waterproof hat…
January 6th – It felt good to be back on the bike. They afternoon was so pleasant, it felt like the storm was over both inside me and outside. The journey from Stonnall to just outside Lichfield via Hilton, Chesterfield and Wall was excellent.
The track is ‘Somewhere Nicer’ by Obi. It’s just how I felt. It’s great to be back.
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