Tag: Stonnal

#365daysofbiking Squaring the circle:

September 24th – Returning via Shenstone from an afternoon trip into Birmingham, I noted that the recent days, having been sunny and comparatively warm, were bringing out the joy of Autumn, and I was feeling more positive.

At Footherley Lane the old bridge was beautiful as the sun went down.

Soon these trees will be golden, then bare once more, but it’;s all part of the circle and the circle must be round.

And as long as there will be some fair weather, I think I’ll survive.

December 28th – It’s rare I’ve seen roads this hazardous.

Many of the backlanes as I returned at sunset, where gritters can never be expected to reach were thick with lurking black ice. On the ice stud tyres with lower air pressure I was sure-footed but careful; in a car or on a motorbike, hitting this at even moderate speed and braking would have you in the hedge.

Fine on the bike, when dismounting several times I slipped on foot.

This is of course the kind of weather we used to get every winter, but in recent years have been relieved of, so take care folks, particularly if on two wheels.

I know the forecast was to warm up overnight with rain, but this is dense, thick ice that will be well lubricated with meltwater in the following 24 hours.

Take care folks.

July 22nd – The rain was insistent, but warm and pleasant, too. I took the long way home from the supermarket via Stonnall and enjoyed the cool, damp petrichor scented air, and it’s gilding effect on the flowers and foliage.

At Lower Stonnall, the willowherb, glistening with fresh crystal raindrops, was fascinating and beautiful. 

August 15th – Climbing the hill from Stonnall, I passed the entry to Shire Oak Park. There was once a gate here that either got broken or stolen, I’m unclear of the exact detail. For over 12 months now, the gate has been replaced by a variety of hastily-nailed planks, torn down once to enable access for flytipping.

Now, the gate has been replaced by two removable steel bollards. 

They don’t look terribly beefy to me. But time will tell. I can’t quite get my head around how long this has taken to sort out.

July 26th – Only three days ago, I mused on the coming harvest. I noticed this evening, whilst cycling back through Lynn, near Stonnall, that it had begun. This is a real seasonal marker for me; I know now that we’re advancing from the flowering to the fruiting, and sadly onwards to autumn. This field had been harvested and partially baled, the giany matted rolls of straw awaiting bagging. one on the other side ofLynn Lane had already been finished. The first of this year’s wheat crop has now left for milling.

Meanwhile, at Sandhills, a view Mike ‘VWCampervan’ said he’d like to see in the sun (the last time I featured this, it was green, wet wheat on a dull day. Now, it was a classic golden field on a glorious sunny high summer evening. Wonderful.

June 19th – continuing with the flora, there are lots of these delightful purple flowers in the hedgerows along the Chester Road from Stonnall to the Shire Oak crossroads. At first glance, thy look like a thistle, but are smooth leaved, not prickly. They put me in mind of clover, almost. Anyone any ideas? Is it another type of cornflower, perhaps? Whatever, it’s absolutely divine.

February 17th – Meanwhile, down in Stonnall, the village was as lovely as ever at night. By day, it’s plain, very modern-estate like, and somewhat redolent of Metroland; the village history utterly swamped by modern housing and unsympathetic pattern development, cashing in on the semi-rural cachet… By night, the character of the physical geography of the village comes out, and complex, historic buildings like the Manor House show their true imperiousness.

Taking night photos in Stonnall is odd. I always feel the twitch of curtains, and I never really feel that anywhere else. Beginning to wonder if it’s a Midlands Midwich, or possibly Stepford…

February 17th – Riding down into Stonnall from Brownhills for a change, just to stretch the legs a little at dusk, I stopped to take in the view from the entry to Shire Oak landfill – what used to be Sandhills quarry. Watching the lights come on over this landscape is always captivating. I could waste hours here, watching the light change and daylight pass into evening. It’s sad that the view – which is excellent – doesn’t lend itself terribly well to photography.

September 2nd – another harbinger of autumn is the change in landscape colour; gone now are the vivid, glowing, bright greens of high summer, receding are the golden shades of harvest. Appearing now is the dun-coloured freshly ploughed field, smelling earthy and shocking in it’s uniform brown hue. The first is at Lower Stonnal, the second a view over Stonnall from the Chester Road. 

June 15th – It’s the time of year that the poppies bloom, often as pictured here, in fields of oilseed rape. The beautiful red makes for a dramatic contrast with the background yellow-green substrate. This field, at Lower Stonnall, is rather gorgeous.

The image of the hedge-line also demonstrates the importance of hedgerows in combating soil erosion. The old guys who planted those knew exactly what they were doing.