Tag: wall

#365daysofbiking Through the haze

September 1st – I headed out to Whittington Country Fair and Craft Show (a large gallery from which can be seen on my main blog here) along Bullmoor Lane and through Wall on a warm, lovely late summer day. 

This lane has always captivated me; diverted south to accommodate the toll motorway, a hill was created at one end 15 years ago that now gives commanding views of the treetops to Wall Village, with little hint of the motorway and A5 between.

A gorgeous, little known gem.

July 21st – In a slow potter back through Walton, Croxall, Edingale, Darlaston and Whittington the sunset was gorgeous, make better by some really great cloud formations.

The Trooper at Wall always looks great at night, too.

Couldn’t help notice though that the darkness is now coming on earlier and earlier. Autumn will soon be tapping me on the shoulder…

July 15th – It was a gorgeous, mellow golden hour that caught the dry grass, hedgerows and crops safely afire. I was interested to see the sun rays from behind the clouds as I laboured back up over Barracks Lane. They put one in mind of a child’s drawing of the sun. I’ve never seen that before.

We’re having some remarkable weather lately.

July 15th – An evening spin out after a day doing bike maintenance. It was warm and sunny and I did a lazy loop around Shenstone with the Nikon P900. It was a little too hazy but the Cathedral and Little Aston church came out well.

Sad to see so much building waste – clearly all from the same source – flytipped around Bullmoor and other local lanes. It has been reported.

May 13th – I was still feeling groggy but it was a lovely day and the outdoors beckoned, so I headed tentatively for a ride, not expecting to get far.

It was a lovely 52 mile ride, actually, fluid and enjoyable, but sadly dogged with mechanical issues. Time to break out the spanners and do a little maintenance I think.

I headed out to Hints through the backlanes of Stonnall and Shenstone, then on to Hopwas, Wigginton, No Mans Heath, Netherseal, Overseal, Coton in the Elms, Catton and back home through Huddlesford and Lichfield.

I haven’t visited the church at Wigginton for a very long time – it’s a remarkable place: Foursquare, built of very red, red brick. The main church dates from 1777 but the Spital Chapel dates from 1272. This is a very historic place.

The flowers are out, hedgerows are verdant and the landscape a patchwork of gold, white and green.

Hard to think that just a few weeks ago the Tame in the same spot was filling the flood channel.

David Oakley will be pleased to see Chilcote Pumping Station remains pretty much unchanged as viewed from Honey Hill. I adore that view.

A great ride that was much better than expected.

March 25th – A long ride, 58 miles, at a decent average of 12.5mph saw me ride out via the backlanes of Stonnall, Buzzards Valley and along the canal to Kingsbury, then over to Hurley, Grendon, DOrdon, Polesworth and up around Seckington, Clifton and home via Whittington. It was a gorgeous spring day, with warm sun on my back, daffodils in the hedgerows and lots of surprises – like the peacocks in the garden at Footherley and the gorilla statue I must have passed many times, but never seen, at Lee Marston, outside the large factory that’s now an industrial park.

There’s a story there I’m sure.

Whittington Church is really worth a visit at the moment – I passed as darkness was falling but as can be seen, the churchyard is a veritable riot of daffodils.

A great ride that really cheered me up.

January 9th – Oh my, what a gorgeous puss this one is, a garden wall sentry in the Butts, Walsall.

Uninterested in me until I called, it was watching human proceedings down the street. An impressive neighbourhood presence, I suspect someone loves this one a great deal.

I think the cats must be emerging out of frustration. I later saw, but was unable to photograph a black puss hunting on the wasteland at Bentley Mill Way. I’m not used to seeing cats this active in the dead of winter.

Welcome though. Most welcome…

October 27th – Yet the day had it’s best in store for me. Labouring up past Aldershaw feeling tired, I returned via Chesterfield, Wall Butts, Hilton and Stonnall in a truly glorious, remarkable golden hour of beautiful orange light and glowing autumn colour.

It’s amazing how one afternoon can completely transform your mood and lift you from the gloom you’ve been in.

September 6th – I met this king (or maybe queen) of the whiskers in north Walsall on my way to work. Undertaking neighbourhood watch duties from a garden wall, the bright eyes and confident stance attracted me from over the road. Quite happy to test out my ear tickle prowess, I clearly scored a ‘that’ll just do, matey’ before I took the photo.

But oh gosh, what a fine set of whiskers those are!

Not seen this one before. A welcome addition to the local cat spotting rota, I feel.

August 12th – An run out after a busy day saw me investigating a few things I’d been meaning to locally. It was a bright but slightly hazy evening, and I took the opportunity to try some familiar zoom shots from near Fishpond Wood above Stonnall, and the perennial favourite Lichfield from the quarry gateway.

It was a bit too muzzy for Lichfield, but Wall came out beautifully, unlike the familiar towers of Shenstone. I suppose the mist and haze must have been sitting in a depression or hollow between us, unlike Wall.

Wonder what the science is here?