Although it’s been quite windy and cool of late, there have been some lovely, sunny days. On both Saturday and Sunday last, I managed to get in some excellent bike rides in around south Staffordshire. As usual, the GoPro camera was rolling and I compiled to videos; one from Saturday’s ride, and the other from Sunday.

There’s photos from both these rides on my 365daysofbiking Tumblr journal.

The Saturday ride takes you from Anchor Bridge, Brownhills on the Wyrley and Essington Canal, to Newton, on the A5. From here, I go over Springhill and into Summerhill via the back lanes of Stonnall and Lynn. Passing through Shenstone and Little Hay, I pass by Canwell and Hints ford, before cresting Rock Hill and descending to Hopwas and hitting the canal to Haopwas Wood Bridge.

The second video, filmed on Sunday, is my return home from a ride on Cannock Chase. The film commences at Breretonhill, above Rugeley, and traverses through Upper Longdon, Cross Ash and Stonywell to Farewell. From there, I head south through Shute Hill, Chorley and Burntwood, and finish at the lights on the A5 at Newtown.

Both rides were wonderful, but Bardy Lane, near Upper Longdon, like all such country lanes, can be tricky if you’re not careful. I filmed this clip the previous Sunday – it’s a close shave and one of those things that happens, but I don’t think either of us was terribly bright. Although I don’t think there was much danger, it does tend to concentrate the mind a little.

I think both me and the driver both had a bit of a shock, there… if you’re out and about, bear in mind that there’s loads of blind corners and take extra care.