Life in the northern wastes of Walsall
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that this Sunday (June 18th 2017), the Third Staffordshire Ironman 70.3 Triathlon will be staged, with a 1.2 mile early morning swim in Chasewater being amongst the highlights.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that this Sunday (June 12th 2016), the second Staffordshire Ironman Triathlon will be staged, with a 1.2 mile swim in Chasewater being amongst the highlights.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that this Sunday (June 14th 2015), the inaugural Staffordshire Ironman Triathlon will be staged, with a 1.2 mile swim in Chasewater being amongst the highlights.
Here’s one for Trevor in Aus and all the folks who enjoy the ride cams. I’ve been meaning to do this one all week, and today’s postings fell victim to the festivities, so this is as good a chance as any, really.
We’ve had a really fine few days, and I really feel now that summer is on her throne – the leaves are all fully out now, the whites and yellows of spring are turning to the reds and purples of summer, and nature and the landscape is resplendent in the multi-colured jacket the sun provides.
Yesterday, Good Friday 18th April 2014, was a good day for a ride – with the day off and the sun shining (although not as warm as one would have thought), I headed out to Staffordshire to cath the sun and beauty of spring.
We’re a third of the way through March, and daffodils are out, the sun is high in the sky and spring is in full effect – I left in the afternoon for a quiet, fast spin – I ended up on a 45-miler around Lichfield, Croxall, Edingale, Harlaston, Whittington, Weeford and Shenstone.
[caption id="attachment_17934" align="alignleft" width="300"]
How Shenstone looks best: in silhouette[/caption]
Here’s another ride cam for all those who ask for them – including Trev in Oz, Rob Flodders and BillyTheBez – this one is edited, realtime bits of a mostly off road journey from Jerry’s Lane, near Weeford, up the bridleway that is Knox’s Grave Lane to Packington, then into the wonderful Hopwas Hayes Wood.
I’m still, after several decades, exploring Cannock Chase – since getting wonderfully lost around the quarries near Bevin’s Birches last week, I’ve developed a thirst for spots I’ve not been before.
I had fun over Cannock Chase yesterday, exploring the area around Wolseley Plain and the old quarries near Bevin’s Birches – while there, I also cycled down Kitbag Hill, the sharp semi-road incline that forms part of Marquis Drive between the old RAF Hednesford and visitor’s centre and the old level crossing at Moor’s Gorse.
Yesterday, on a borrowed mountain bike I headed out to Brocton Fied on Cannock Chase, and starting near the Glacial Boulder and trig point, I threw myself and the bike down into Sherbrook Valley, then followed the stream down to Stepping Stones.
Here’s a video I’m posting specifically for Rob Floders, who I know enjoys my cycle videos – Rob’s having a really tough time at the moment, and although I know a daft video can’t make anything better, I hope it makes him smile just a little.
It’s taken me a couple of weeks to edit this up due to being somewhat busy with other stuff, but it’s not worked out so bad. A ride from near Maquis Drive, on Cannock Chase, up over Rifle Range Corner, past the old Butts, down into Abrahams Valley and out onto the A513 at Seven Springs.
I promise, this is the last one, but it was requested that I take some images within the borough. As usual, more on my 365daysofbiking journal. I escaped on Sunday afternoon, between 4 and 5pm, just as the day was dying. It had been snowing a fine, dust like snow most of the day, and there…
Well, I made it. Yesterday, I cycled up onto Cannock Chase. Starting from Brownhills, I headed up to Chasewater – which was stunning – and on through Heath Hayes and Hednesford, up to Rifle Range Corner. The going at Chasewater was very heavy, and a fine, wet sleet was making it quite uncomfortable. Wrestling with turning back, I pushed on, and as the temperature dropped, the sleet turned to powdery snow and the air cleared.
Just before Christmas, I got hold of a new bike cam. It’s a GoPro HD Hero black edition, which has some pretty nifty features, including less distortion from the lens and better performance in low light. I’ve been using it ever since I got it, but the weather and dull commutes haven’t been conducive to…
Today, I left for work as usual and after a bit of a battle, got to work, only to find it was closing up and everybody was going home. Undeterred, I cycled back into Birmingham and caught a train back to Blake Street, from where I went for a wonderful snowstorm ride around the backlanes of Footherley, Shenstone, Chesterfield and Hilton.
Just before Christmas, I got hold of a new bike cam. It’s a GoPro HD Hero black edition, which has some pretty nifty features, including less distortion from the lens and better performance in low light. I’ve been using it ever since I got it, but the weather and dull commutes haven’t been conducive to decent ride videos.
