Tag: Wolseley Plain

#365daysofbiking Over the rainbow

December 30th – Finally, a ride over the Chase. it started late, and felt very, very cold (although it wasn’t, particularly, just out of practice) but it was gorgeous.

Up over Rainbow Hill to Moor’s Gorse, up through Slitting Mill and Birches Valley to Penkridge Bank – from there the Ranges, Wolseley Plain and Abraham’s Valley to Seven Springs. All in the most gorgeous sunset.

The trails are mostly badly water damaged with large water channels washed into them; but it wasn’t as muddy as I expected and going surprisingly good. A lot of fallen branches, though.

Nice to see the deer at Penkridge Bank, if only form a distance.

Not been able to do much riding over the Chase this winter. I’ve missed it. Let’s hope for better weather for the rest of it.

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#365daysofbiking Home on the range:

September 9th – I rode up to Cannock Chase late in the afternoon, going via Chasewater and Cuckoo Bank then over Rainbow Hill and up Kitbag Hill; from there down Abraham’s Valley to the A51 and back through Rugeley, Armitage and Longdon.

Autumn is always a return here and the fungi is starting to come through, but there is still colour in the hated Himalayan balsam and evening primrose. The forest was thankfully deserted and a climb onto the old butts on Wolseley Plain was worth the effort.

Autumn is really tapping me on the shoulder now and seeing sunset at 7:30 was a bit of a shock.

Ah well, a nice ride but could have done with a bit more sun…

August 13th – A good summer afternoon on the Chase was just the thing my weary bones needed. Tired from the day before, I didn’t go far and stopped lots. From Pye Green to Milford, back to Seven Springs, then Abrahams and Birches Valley. Lots of wildlife to watch, except, oddly, the two things I went to spot – rabbits and deer, which were strangely elusive.

My return through Chasewater was met with a pleasant sunset, too.

I love the Chase and the best time to go is of an evening when it’s not busy.

September 29th – I escaped mid afternoon, and didn’t have long. The sun was out, but there was a keen wind, so I headed up to Cannock Chase. The colours were brilliant, with a hint of a beautiful autumn promised. I saw 3 muntjac deer at Stonepit Green, and a herd of 30-40 fallows crossing the road at Penkridge Bank. There were a few folk about, but off the main trails, the forest was beautiful and deserted. Rainbow Hill, Wolseley Plain, Abraham’s Valley and Moor’s Gorse were all gorgeous, and topping it off, a clump of wild cyclamen at Upper Longdon. Autumn ain’t so bad when it gets going…

May 12th – I have a horrid feeling that the three glorious days of the May Day bank holiday were, in fact, summer. Today was wet, but warm, so I donned waterproofs and hit Cannock Chase. It rained steadily for pretty much the whole journey, and the light was awful for photos. There is a huge spread of cowslips at Brindley Valley, and everything else was vivid shades of green – even Rugeley Power Station was surrounded by verdant pasture. The Chase was lovely, and peaceful, and I didn’t see another soul from Rifle Range Corner all the way to Seven Springs. 

Anyone would think humans were made of sugar… the forest is lovely in spring rain.