#ncn5

#365daysofbiking It’s because I’m a fun guy: September 11th  - Riding down a post-rain Goscote cycleway, the edges of the trail were dotted with mushrooms and toadstools, I’m fairly but not absolutely sure of the identity of the large, spotted specimens: I think they’re blushers but could, at a pinch, be shaggy parasols. I welcome further views on that.

January 31st - One of the sure signs of a change in season from winter to spring is the appearance of various types of catkins, which are most commonly seen at this time of year on hazel trees, or in the case of these long ones, alder.

Alder is curious in that the buds you can see are also flows, the large blooms are male, and those female.

The word catkin is likely to have come from the Dutch Kateken, meaning kitten - due to the resemblance to kitten’s tails.

May 31st - Since were in the largely purple phase of flowering now, it would be wrong to overlook this tiny gem. Prolific on grass verges, towpath margins and anywhere with decent light and room to spread, vetch is a gorgeous, long lasting lilac-violet colour and brightens many otherwise dull corners.

May 30th - This is always a lovely first sighting of the summer - the first orchid. Small, light purple in colour and growing in a solitary position next to the cycleway at Ryecroft this small, pretty flower reminds me that summer is here.

I’m not proficient enough to tell one orchid from another - there are so many different but similar types it can be very hard to tell - but they are all gorgeous, and like cowslips, are one of my favourite flowers.

#365daysofbiking Early one morning:

January 29th - I had a short window in the morning before I took the next batch of medication when I could get out - so in the early gloom, I left for a circuit around my beloved Brownhills.

I’m not used to Engine Lane and the cycleway to the old Cement Works Bridge in the early morning. Foxes and other furry residents of the common were busy, and I disturbed their activities. Birds were awakening, and the darkened woods were full of life. I could hear horses in the paddocks snort in the dark and deer grumbling as they tend to.

Normally rides at this time of day are strictly fast commutes to work.I don’t normally stop to look at what’s around me at this time of day.

It was actually an unexpected joy to be out. I must do this again.

16.5 miles today and it felt good. So it was cold and grey but the silver lining was that there were not many people about and even less dogs! I like to remind myself about how far I have come in such a short time. A few months ago if I managed 10 miles I thought I was doing well. Now when I finish nearly 17 miles I know that there are lots more miles in my legs. It's a good feeling.

Rode down to the canal at Longwood Lane again but instead of taking the right turn I went left and towards Rushall and I'm so glad that I did because a short way along the tow path I disturbed a water vole! It scurried over the tow path, dived into he canal and swam across to the other side. My camera firmly at the bottom of my rucksack could not be retrieved in time but I was delighted all the same. 2 weeks short of my 50th birthday and I see a water vole for the very first time. Yay!

I came off the tow path at Rushall and took the side roads down to the traffic lights at Rushall and then joined NCN5 and made my way up to Chasewater. It was very noticeable the amount of recent fires there had been throughout the whole ride. Taking into account  that it's the school holidays I made a connection I didn't want to make. I hope that I'm wrong and all those small fires were not deliberate acts.

For the first time since I started cycling I was able to make my way around Chasewater. Apart from a couple of families out for a bank holiday stroll there were very few people about.