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.

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

Gateway to the south from Gas Street

Erdington: how fine is this parade of shops?

Priapic design.

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

Canal Colour at Middleton

Really liking these. This was in Bradford STreet

Smurfitt Kappa – recycling our paper

Pochard at Witton Lakes

Drayton Bassett sunset

Panoramic Witton Lakes

Every time I pass this I want to straighten the finneal

Surface tension at Witton Lakes

In now Hill, the canal feels like a secret space

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

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

Erdington – when they knew how to build a pub

The crocusses of St. Pauls Square

Geometry at Tyburn

Bodymore Heath in the golden hour

Reminiscent of a Victorian seafront

Gravelly Hill

Brookvale Park lake

Middleton golden hour

Beautiful flowers in Centenary Square

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

The light was ace at Brindley Place

Early daffs in St. Pauls Square

Changing architectures

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