Tag: urban

October 8th – Unusually, I’d had to go into Walsall and on to Wednesbury on a Saturday. The thoroughly uninspiring, grey afternoon was sad, as the forecast had been quite good. It was a good ride though, and I got lots of stuff done. Retuning at dusk, I span through the ‘Civic Quarter’ of Walsall , and stopped to look up Tower Street.

The Council House and it’s belcote are still impressive, but I dislike the striped paving and excessive street furniture here immensely – and the blue lights on the Gala Baths don’t help; but this was a quiet, pleasant place to reflect on the unexpected beauty of Walsall and what wonderful, clashing influences make up it’s urban core.

September 29th – The brightness increased at Tipton in the early morning, where I came across this wonderful bed of flowers. I don’t know what the blooms are, but they are absolutely gorgeous, a riot of colour and an absolute joy to stop and appreciate.

A few bees still pottered between the beautiful colours, and the scent was lovely. Not entirely what you’d expect when you hear the name ‘Tipton’.

I love the Black `country, I love this place with all my heart. And this is an example of why.

September 15th – I had to visit Tipton of a hot, humid and hazy afternoon. The traffic was intense and the atmosphere oppressive and thick, but glancing over the canal bridge near Owen Street, the canal looked beautiful in the soft sunshine, and near a disused arm bridge, two young lads were fishing in a scene that couldn’t have changed much for decades.

The Black Country has a knack of showing its beauty when you least expect.

September 9th – A ride into Birmingham mid-afternoon along the canal was enjoyable, but the wind a little harsh. Despite the dullness of the day there was plenty to see, but as usual in darkest industrial Birmingham, the wildlife stole the show: this time, herons.

I clearly caught the one in Smethwick napping; perching on one foot with everything tucked in, he watched me grumpily as I took his picture, whilst the one in Ladywood was far more active, but just as suspicious of the human on the bike.

I love to see the herons, almost unthinkable a few short years ago that they’d be in such urban environments.

September 5th – Always worth noting that Redditch, despite the stick it gets (often from me), has some surprisingly beautiful corners and is actually very interesting.

Running the north-south length of central Redditch is the Arrow Valley park, a green vein with cycleways, horse trails, a large Watersport lake and other attractions. About two thirds of the way south is the tiny, preserved hamlet of Ipsley.

This is a sign of what was here before the new town grew; but it’s a peaceful, beautiful and bucolic island, not more than a few hundred yards from factories, housing estates and highways.

It’s a remarkable thing and worth a visit.

August 30th – Today was a great day to be zipping about the Black Country on my bike, seeing people I needed to see, The streets, the urban architecture, the market at Tipton.

 It all glistened like a jewel in the sun.

I said there would still be fine days to come and I wasn’t wrong. Yet again, my beloved Black Country lifted my spirits and filled me with a sense of belonging.

These are the places I love.

August 14th – And no series of wildlife pics would be complete without the bunnies. Oddly, the ones up on the dam at Chasewater seem to have vanished, so I’ve been looking for others when out an about; I saw these in a garden near Carroway Head. These are true rural rabbits; scruffy, dog-eared and showing signs of skin problems, these are animals that have seen a thing or two. But the eyes are bright and they were alert and content.

I do like the rabbits.

August 3rd – Telford on a quick visit midday, and a surprise: I noted evidence of recent exploratory drilling and a planning application to replace the dingy, 80s footbridge over the railway and adjacent main road with a new structure.

The bridge as it is is corroded and not ideal, but it’s a very large structure and it’ll be interesting to look at the plans for a replacement. 

One of the biggest problems with the structure is it’s greatest asset: being enclosed with a roof makes it an excellent sheltering point in bad weather, but makes it dingy, dystopian and unpleasant at night.

I also wonder what they’ll do with the overgrown vegetation that also make the footways here so grim at night.

The times seem to be changing. Let’s hope for the better.