Tag: towpath

September 11th – Less charming than the sunflower, but fascinating to me, just under a bridge in Pleck, I pull up to a halt to allow a rat to get out of my way. Brown, and in good nick, it loops around the path before diving into a drain hole in the bridge underwall. If you watch closely, it briefly pokes it’s nose back out of the hole.

Rats are a fact of life with canal cycling, and there are lots in urban areas. Previously, I’ve seen them swimming here. Humans have a symbiotic relationship with rats, and we’ve co-existed for millennia.

I don’t find them repulsive, I find them fascinating. Their adaptability and nimbleness are fascinating.

Worth watching full screen. Click on the little square box on the vide toolbar.

September 10 – Riding home along Green Lane between Shelfield and Walsall Wood. Just on the Walsall Wood side of the Mob Lane junction, I’m overtaken badly by 3 mopeds, or small motorbikes.

The first has three – yes three – hemetless neds sharing an unregistered machine, the rear one actually smoking. Bringing up the rear, two lads with helmets, but one on a bike with the registration deliberately blanked out.

To make matters worse, at the Black Cock Bridge they turned off and rode up the canal towpath.

I do hope they fell in the cut.

August 16th – Heading back towards Chasewater, I noticed the erosion that happens here every time there is heavy rain has been corrected again, in the same way it always has been: sweep the debris back into the hole, and stamp it down.

Expect a similar report next time it rains heavily. Getting an awful sense of deja-vu here.

This really needs a permanent fix. 

August 3rd – Terrible angle, sorry, but the heavy rains of Saturday morning again washed the footpath away on the canal bank at Anchor Bridge, for the fourth time in a year.

Watch out if on bike or foot; it’s a trip and fall hazard.

Just what will it take for the Canal & River Trust to repair this properly for once, instead of just sweeping the washdown back into the cavity?

June 17th – Thanks are due to reader Julie P., who I think was the last one to report the canal bank falling away on the bend between Catshill Junction and Pier Street, Brownhills. There are signs that six months after being initially (and repeatedly since) reported, the Canal & River Trust (C&RT) have finally sent someone out to survey the problem.

Not sure on the longevity or effectiveness of those post flags and polythene tape, though – but it’s a start, and at least they’ve acted.

Dealing with the C&RT is like trying to nail blancmange to a tree…

June 13th – Credit where it’s due, several people (including myself, and I know @TheStymaster) complained about the water damaged towpath at Anchor Bridge last week.

Following heavy rains, the hardcore always washes out from either side of this concrete block, leaving a 6 inch void either side that can easily cause a pedestrian or cyclist to fall or injure themselves. It’s a recurring problem, and the Canal & River Trust appear to have sent someone out during the week to fix the damage.

It’s not a permanent fix – the loose material has just been shovelled back in, and first heavy rain, it’ll wash out again – but at least it’s safe for now. This needs a much better solution in the long term (like compacting properly, and maybe mixing in a little cement), but well done for filling the hole.

June 7th – A slow handclap please, for the Canal and River Trust, supposedly custodians of our waterways. They have really, really pissed me off. To put it mildly.

I had nipped up to Screwfix in Walsall Wood, and with the sun fresh out and warm after heavy rainstorms, I cycled down the canal to Chasewater. It looked great, and shimmered and steamed in that way it does after summer  rain. Then I realised – they’ve cut the grass on the embankments.

Initially this appears to be a good thing. Then I realised – they’ve blindly mown down the marsh orchids, and miles of other wild flowers doing so well here, providing food and breeding space for loads of different bugs, butterflies and bees.

Well played, C & RT, well payed. Not.

Acres of productive, healthy and untouched flowers destroyed without need. The grass wasn’t too long, and could comfortably have been left another few weeks.

Meanwhile, despite the complaints, the chasm in the footpath at Anchor Bridge remains unrepaired and ready to swallow a foot or bike wheel.

Custodians my arse.

May 27th – Just on the canal in Aldridge, this skittish fellow. I gently placed the bike down to take a better picture. By the time I raised the camera again, he’d flown off.

This journal can never have too many herons. I adore these gangling, shabby and patient fishers. To me, they’re a symbol of the cleanliness of todays canals, and how far they’ve come. When I was a kid, you’d never, ever see this.

It’s a thing to treasure.

May 24th – Still feeling a bit ropey, and with dreadful weather, I didn’t get out until late afternoon when the sun decided to make an appearance. Sadly, the heavy rains have again blathered the towpath at Anchor Bridge. Where the water streams down the embankment, the shale footpath has washed from the side of the concrete drain cover again,leaving an 8-10 inch deep channel, 6 inches wide across nearly the full width of the towpath.

This is deep and large enough to wedge a bike wheel in, or lose a foot down – especially with inexperienced cyclists or kids. Take care. The rest of the path northwards to the bridge is also eroded badly and is quite hazardous.

Horridly enough, that’s a used syringe in cavity. I suspect it washed down with the storm water, possibly out of a drain. 

I shall contact the CRT on Tuesday.