As I noted on my 365daysofbiking Tumblr journal on Saturday, we’ve had some cracking sunsets lately; but Sunday’s was quite simply the most captivating I have ever witnessed. I was riding on Cannock Chase that afternoon, planning to go to Hoar Cross, but from the mellowness of the light I could tell something special was going to happen as the day died. Heading off the heath at Milford, I opted, on the spur of the moment, to cut over Shugborough, whereupon another snap decision saw me follow the canal back towards Little Haywood. As I did so, a gorgeous mist rose from the River Trent, and made the scenery magical. I just stopped, took photos and observed, quite breathless, for 30 minutes, until it was dark. I then headed home back over the Chase at Abraham’s Valley. Night riding on the CHase is a visceral experience, and everyone should have a go.
One of the many follies on the Shugborough Estate. 4:13pm, Sunday, 6th November 2011.
The mist rose up very quickly. From a lovely, hazy view of the canal... 4:31pm, Sunday, 6th November 2011.
...to pink-tinged, mist wreathed loveliness in minutes. The canal is to the left; this is the floodplain of the River Trent. 4:40pm, Sunday, 6th November 2011.
I've never seen a sunset as beautiful as this. 4:48pm, Sunday, 6th November 2011.
I watched it and took photographs until darkness fell. 4:52pm, Sunday, 6th November 2011.
I headed home back across the Chase in darkness. Owls, foxes, badgers and deer all were evident. This is the climb back onto the Wolseley Plain in darkness - it's taken on an 8 second exposure by shining my bike light all around, a trick I learned from drain explorers. 5:39pm, Sunday, 6th November 2011.