February 15th – Late afternoon, heading into Brownhills along the canal from Aldridge. The unseasonal warm weather seems to have returned, but the ice was still loosening its grip on the canal. As the last of it melted away, I noticed the fabulous crazing pattern it generated on the surface as it broke up and wasted to nothing. I was captivated by the fantastically complex patterns. The simplicity of nature can sometimes catch you quite unawares.
February 15th – One of the last vestiges of ‘old’ Park Street in Walsall isn’t actually to be found in Park Street at all – it’s in St. Pauls Street, just behind the old Bus Station Offices, themselves sited in what was built as the Victorian Blue Coat School. On a loading bay door, normally propped open with stillages, there’s a sign indicating that this is the correct entry to the bar of The Priory Hotel, which, as far as I recall, closed in the 1980’s. The access way now forms the loading bay to MacDonalds, but it is the clothes shop next to it that was the pub. Probably better closed, in my day it had a fearsome reputation. Now all that remain are this sign, classically 70’s Ansell’s brewery style, and the two odd mosaic artworks on the front.
February 14th – This is the stray horse problem Walsall Council claims it hasn’t got. To be fair, horses are cheap to acquire right now; market prices have never been lower, and any bit of common land around the Goscote Valley has a variety of nags tethered or just wandering free. These three forlorn animals – not one with access to water – were tethered within a short section of the cycle route running through the area. In total, there must have been about 15 of these unfortunate beasts, yet the council bafflingly announced recently that we don’t have a problem with this sort of thing. The council can’t actually do much. People won’t claim the horses if taken away, and the sanctuaries are, by and large, full. It’s a thorny, and worsening, issue.
February 12th – interested to see that someone is now keeping pigs in the paddock between the canal and Watling Street near Newtown, Brownhills. They look well cared for, and happy. There seem to be some different breeds there – wondering if the ginger ones are Tamworths. This is an interesting addition and shall watch them grow. They’re in the corner of a field that’s also home to a rather impressive flock of sheep. I don’t know who’s farming here, but I wish them well.
February 12th – Another headache grey day. The chill had lifted, but the canal was still frozen as I spun out at 4pm. It had been a grey, grim, dank and misty day. It felt warm, though, and as I rode up from Brownhills and over Catshill Junction toward The Anchor it felt oddly pleasant. I noted that the fishermen had broken the ice here so that they could fish – that seemed a bit hardcore. I pottered on, darkness descended like a muffler, bringing with is thicker mist. Not the best day for photography, and I didn’t see a soul. An oddly lonely, desolate ride.
February 11th – The best bit about February is the lengthening day, which gives way in clear times to fantastic sunset skies. These are a regular feature at this time of year, but tend to become rarer as spring arrives. These shots, taken from the foot of Lazy Hill on the Chester Road, near Stonnall, were taken at 5:30pm. Already, the nights are opening out. I can’t quite feel the stirrings of spring yet, but oh for the light nights, daffodils and green shoots again. Bring it on.
February 10th – The predicted snow didn’t arrive in Brownhills – all we had was an icing-sugar dusting. I had to go to Redditch, and set out early on a filthy, drizzly morning to hop on the Cross City line. Arriving at the station just in time to watch the tail-lights of my train slide into the distance, I felt thoroughly fed up.
An hour later, zipping through the snow covered landscape of south Birmingham, I cheered up. The snow had been more pronounced here, and when I got to Redditch, the town looked lovely. Church Green was gorgeous, and the cottages near Ipsley in the Arrow Valley were equally beautiful, which restored my good mood. It’s not often you can say that about Redditch.
On the way back, I spotted two snowmen at Little Aston forge. I suspect they were from last weekend – they look like they were good efforts. Sorry I didn’t catch them in their prime… my apologies to the motorist behind whom I held up while taking the picture.
February 9th – The old General Hospital in Walsall closed a long time ago. It’s services moved into a large new complex at the site of Walsall Manor Hospital, I guess nearly two decades ago now. The old, rambling, ramshackle and inadequate edifice was mostly demolished, except for the original, Victorian outpatients building. This was retained and formed part of a new social housing development on the site. The doors aren’t original, but the ironwork sign above them is; as are the intricate terracotta ornamentations. Originally called ‘The Heritage’, the name seems to have been inexplicably changed to ‘Lion House’. It’s nice to see such a prominent bit of Walsall’s architectural history survive – proof that we can get it right occasionally.
February 9th – On the A461 Lichfield Road, between Rushall and Shelfield, a truly remarkable bit of parking. The rear tyre of this car hasn’t made it onto the pavement, but is about two inches clear of the road, too. One assumes the driver is too lazy or incompetent to even park the car properly, let alone the legality of leaving it on the pavement. Sadly, I doubt if a parking enforcement officer will wander this far from the revenue stream in central Walsall….
February 8th – Two very snatched pictures, proving that some pubs can have a life after death. Both houses were blighted by tough reputations – neither Pleck’s Brown Lion, with it’s gorgeous glazed-tile frontage, nor Darlaston’s Three Horse Shoes, at the Bullstake, were considered salubrious places. Both closed, and spent time derelict. However, after a time, both inns have been converted to dwellings, maintaining their pub character. Much better than losing them altogether.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 