As is usual, today I visited Erdington Bike Jumble, the yearly tat-bazaar for cyclists that always takes place the first Saturday in March. Sadly, today’s event clashed with a much bigger bike beano at Long Eaton, and the jumble wasn’t quite as humming and busy as formerly, but it was still great.

It’s always good to meet old pals, shoot the breeze and debate the merits of quick release hubs over a cup of tea.

As is customary, afterwards I headed into the city for a spring spin. I scooted over to Witton Lakes, and then down through Brookvale Park and onto the canal at Gravelly Hill. Into the city for a cuppa and something to eat. After picking some shopping up, back out via Bordesley and Salford Junction to Minworth, off the canal at Drayton Bassett and back home via Canwell.

The weather always seems kind for this ride, and it always feels like spring. If you follow in my tyre tracks, the canal from Salford Junction to Bodymore Heath is terribly wet and muddy. Take a mountain bike and a sherpa. It’s bloody grim.

As ever, for more of this stuff, check out my 365daysofbiking journal.

Early daffs in St. Pauls Square

I’m not sentimental about architecture, but The Cube is hideous. There, I said it.

Erdington: how fine is this parade of shops?

These were stuck to the footpath in Gas Street. I have no idea.

Middleton golden hour

Priapic design.

Drayton Bassett sunset

Beautiful flowers in Centenary Square

Gateway to the south from Gas Street

Pochard at Witton Lakes

The light was ace at Brindley Place

Changing architectures

Bodymore Heath in the golden hour

The majesty of St. Pauls: always greater than modern pretenders

Smurfitt Kappa – recycling our paper

Surface tension at Witton Lakes

The domestic geese at Brookvale Park are every bit as hostile as their brethren at Chasewater

Panoramic Witton Lakes

Every time I pass this I want to straighten the finneal

In now Hill, the canal feels like a secret space

Geometry at Tyburn

The ghost of Cliff Richard stalks here: search the blog for ‘Take Me High’

Brookvale Park lake

Erdington – when they knew how to build a pub

Really liking these. This was in Bradford STreet

Gravelly Hill

Gas Street Basin: sometimes, this doesn’t feel like Birmingham any more

The crocusses of St. Pauls Square

Reminiscent of a Victorian seafront

Canal Colour at Middleton