October 29th – Talking about things that make you jump in the dark, I met this lad, statue still, stood beside the path on the North Heath at Chasewater on my return.
The rest of the herd were lounging behind, and he just stood, fixated by my light.
Probably best take care if you’re riding over there at night, make sure you have a good light. Hitting a cow in the dark wouldn’t be fun and there’s not much give in your average bullock.
October 29th – Passing through Chasewater to Morrisons on an errand of mercy just after darkness fell, I passed the Chasewater Railway’s Halloween Ghost Train at Chasewater Heaths station.
The train, full of families and excited kids, was in darkness and I bet it was great fun onboard. I’m always a bit sceptical of ‘scary’ events, but this looked very atmospheric, and a great idea – Chasewater is, after all, one of the darkest places around here at night.
The pumpkin was a nice touch too.
October 26th – The gorgeous and remarkable sunsets also continue. Again, coincidentally passing near Shenstone, I caught an astoundingly dramatic mackerel sky sunset that lasted all of 15 minutes before it disappeared.
As I left Shenstone station, there were hints in the sky to the west, and as I cycled home, I watched the shy intensify until it almost seemed to catch fire.
Then, by the time I got to Stonewall, all trace had disappeared from the sky and dusk was falling.
And yes, I do love the drama and geometry of pylons, and what better backdrop than a stunning sunset?
October 26th – I had to nip to Telford in the afternoon, and again, I bore you with autumn pictures – but this really is the best time to see and use the cycleways of the new town.
On a grey, damp day, who’d have thought a track so mundane it has no name could be so beautiful?
October 25th – Passing New Barns Farm at Footherley, I stopped to greet some cows waiting at the gate to go off for milking.
I love these huge,, but gently nosey animals. I noticed they were all wearing radio tags so the milking equipment could trace their statistic and wellbeing. Farming’s come a long way technologically in the last decade or so.
Always nice to say hello to the coos.
October 25th – I’d been to Droitwich to see a customer and get some other bits and pieces done, and noted that the Autumn there too was very special, with the wide main roads lined with a variety of trees in excellent seasonal hues.
On my return from the station, I slipped through Little Aston Forge and Bosses, where I spotted the crimson ivy gable wall, and the driveway bed of beautiful flowers.
The last few days really have been beautiful out there.
October 24th – Passing Jockey Meadows on the way home, the clean up from the recent sewer problems near Bullings Heath is still ongoing, with tankers pumping our sumps and groundwater in series during the day. I noted as I passed a diesel standby pump dropped in a field, and pipeline equipment. It’s either for flushing, or pumping water out of the brook into the sewers for a while.
The work here has been protracted and involved, and the efforts taken to avoid damaging the local ecology with raw sewage have been dedicated and impressive.
Let’s hope all the issues are resolved shortly.
October 24th – All of a sudden, Autumn has exploded into vibrant colour, and the Black Country, from Darlaston’s quiet majesty to the postwar estate roads of Tipton wear the season’s overcoat beautifully.
There was little wind, and in the stillness, leaves tumbled freely and carpeted footpaths, towpaths and roads. I hate the darkness autumn brings, but it is beautiful out there right now.
Get out and enjoy it if you can.
October 23rd – The pigs of Packington Moor are always entertaining. Their fields move around the area, from Little Hay to Hopwas as due to their impact on the ground they need to be relocated regularly. Free range, they dwell in pig arcs and huts in good sized pens, and seem happy – their bacon is certainly amongst the best locally.
I was amused to note the pigs – right now up on the Moor and near Hopwas Hays Wood – tolerating crows perching on their backs, pecking mites and bugs that would otherwise irritate them. I watched that for ages.
Nice to see well kept, apparently happy, content livestock in the fields.
October 23rd – For the final light Sunday evening of 2016, I went up to Packington Moor and up the greenway called Knox’s Grave Lane, across Common Barn, then through the deciduous woodland of Hopwas Hays. It was chilly, but the sun was bright, mellow and warming and autumn was beautiful The leaves are really turning now, and the the recently relaid tracks of the woodland were nice to ride.
The sunset, too, was excellent, although sad that it came little after six, with this the first sunset before 6pm of the autumn. Sadly, with the end of BST, next week it will be before five…
A great ride, with the best of Autumn on show. If you can get to Hopwas in the next week or so, do so. Its beautiful.
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