March of the Elephants (Part Two)

Be honest now, you didn't think that my Sutton Coldfield Saturday a couple of weeks back would give me enough elephant spotting for one summer did you? Of course not! Knowing that there are other sculptures out there in the wild, I had to set about seeing the Staffordshire half of the herd...

- Flora -

This Lichfield leg of the trail commences with ‘Flora’ who can be found at Speaker’s Corner, overlooking Minster Pool from the Dam Street railings. With gold-leafed embellishments to her lively depictions of birds, flowers and butterflies, she apparently is able to glow in the dark. As a side note, this location was established in 2009 as a soapbox setting for free speech and other public performances; one wonders which topics might be close to Flora's own heart?

- Staffie -

Next up is ‘Staffie’ who has seemingly struck up a friendship with St Chad’s Statue over on The Close. The toothy gargoyles of Lichfield Cathedral form a fantastical backdrop to this one, while the theme represents Staffordshire’s varied landscapes. Sutton Coldfield Town Hall and Tamworth’s bandstand are referenced - along with the Cathedral - as a way of highlighting the three towns which the elephants are temporarily calling home.

- Eternal Life -

The cathedral is Lichfield’s principal March of the Elephants hub, with merchandise available from the gift shop and several sculptures in attendance. ‘Eternal Life’ is the biggest of those present, distinctively decorated with a butterfly on one flank and phoenix wings on the other, both sides styled so as to resemble leaded stained glass windows - very effective!

- Pip -

As with Worcester's waddling penguins, there are sculptures large and small vying for our attention. We are therefore pleased to make the acquaintance of ‘Pip’ - amusingly resembling a watermelon with pinkish flesh and a striped green outer layer - as one of the mini-elephant creations who resides within the cathedral's safe haven.

- Time For Tea -

Three elephants form a swift combination in and around the Three Spires shopping centre, albeit this is the most popular bit of the trail with children almost everywhere. ‘Time for Tea’ riffs on the Alice in Wonderland story by dropping in on the Mad Hatter’s tea party - think pop art portrayals of the Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts and a cheeky-looking Alice herself.

- Henry the Elephant -

With the March Hare consulting his pocket watch, we press on and make the acquaintance of ‘Henry the Elephant’ who posits a playful resemblance to King Henry VIII, hence red breeches and gingery beard. Wade Street is then where we can bump into ‘Nellie’ who has seemingly been tasked with monitoring happenings outside the Garrick Theatre; her spangly appearance takes the circus for its inspiration - Roll up, roll up! indeed.

- Mighty Oak -

To Beacon Park where two of the specimens have set up camp over by the main ornamental flowerbeds. These namely are ‘Fruity Frida’ and ‘Mighty Oak’: Frida is a fruitbowl in trunk and tusk formation adorned with sunflowers, gooseberries, raspberries and plump redcurrants whereas Mighty Oak is a pale green leafy ensemble depicting tawny owls, hedgehogs and inquisitive hares. Both are popular with visitors old and young but especially the young.

- Zoonomia -

Last but not least comes ‘Zoonomia’ over by the park’s Shaw Lane pathway, just after you’ve crossed the little brook. This busy design incorporates all kinds of zoo animals, hence you’ve got one leg of zebra stripes, one of leopard spots and another featuring giraffe splotches. Add in peacock feathers, owl eyes and a snake trunk and you've got a veritable menagerie all morphed together. That's Lichfield's elephants duly located, just the Tamworth set to come.

Alveston, Wellesbourne and Warwick

Looking back over my 2024 exploration diary, one glaring gap particularly stands out: strangely enough, I haven't set foot in Warwickshire all year. This situation may have been unintentional but is in urgent need of correcting - luckily I know just the chap to assist me in seeing a little more of Shakespeare's home county...

- Nick aboard his Stagecoach steed -

It's Friday 9th August 2024 and my tour guide for the day will be none other than the Hampton Magna Highwayman himself, our good friend Nick Turpin. A police incident affecting access to London Marylebone means Chiltern Train services are being disrupted, not that this impacts us getting to Warwick as such. The usual sighters of East Gate, the Market Square and Lord Leycester's Hospital come as standard before we await the tardy arrival of the number 15 bus, held up by surprisingly heavy traffic along Bowling Green Street. Once a Stagecoach double decker has graced us with its presence, we enjoy top deck views of Chase Meadow, Barford and Charlecote not to mention several lengthy loops of Wellesbourne's outlying estates.

- St James Church, Alveston -

Having already seen more of Wellesbourne Sainsbury's than is strictly desirable, we alight for the village of Alveston just before the route reaches Stratford-upon-Avon's district edges. Our top target here is the Ferry Inn, recalling bygone days when there used to be a hand-pulled craft crossing the River Avon. Alas the pub has recently closed, operators Stonegate having placed a notice on the window advising that they are seeking new tenants with no reopening date in mind. This is admittedly disappointing news but we console ourselves with a wander around the wider village, speculating as to how Kissing Tree Lane got its name and noting the presence of two interesting places of worship. The original St James's Chapel (now known as the Old Church) can be found along Mill Lane while its Victorian replacement is very imposing.

- Stratford Youth Hostel -

Having missed out on our intended Ferry tipple, we're open to wildcard refreshment options. Cue Stratford-upon-Avon Youth Hostel, based within the Georgian splendour of the Grade II listed Hemmingford House which has been under Youth Hostel Association ownership since 1947. Their licensed bar means we won't leave Alveston empty-handed drinkswise after all, hence a lovely half of Appleshed Premium Cider can be sipped whilst we explore the lawns and a Pod Village enclave of hobbit-like chalets. Although unexpected, our visit is allowing Nick to wallow in a bit of personal nostalgia after he once stayed here in the mid-1970s not long after completing his A Levels. No communal singing in the trees today mind!

- The Stags Head -

The route 15 bus timetable is creaking a little in terms of punctuality but we are able to catch our next ride back into Wellesbourne, hopping off at Chestnut Square where a Festive Forage favourite awaits. The Stags Head may have made an excellent impression in December 2015 but looks even more enchanting in the summer sunshine, its thatched roof chocolate box look having stood the test of time. It's perhaps not quite as rustic inside (even if the outhouse loos are an experience) but nevertheless a very agreeable setting for a Westons Rosie's Pig cider and a chat about which Olympic sports might suit us. Something tells me Nick wouldn't make a good wrestler but I could imagine him fencing, or maybe even hurling a javelin?

- Wellesbourne Quaintness -

Tapping into His Majesty's local knowledge, we take a sedate stroll along Church Walk which reveals more of Wellesbourne's cottagey charms. Chedham's Yard sounds most intriguing as a restored blacksmiths workshop; being as it mainly opens on Saturdays we have to content ourselves with peering through the gate. A meadow path leads us over the River Dene and on through the churchyard of St Peter's, the tower of which enjoys some dappled leafy shade. By and by we reach the back door of the Kings Head, our second Wellesbourne hostelry, which duly supplies handy halves of Aspalls Cider to be consumed within green throne armchairs. This pub has much more of a restaurant focus than the Stags Head but is pleasant enough to keep us out of mischief for the best part of an hour. 

- A rather large lampshade -

Flagging down another number 15 bus, we backtrack to Chase Meadow which has - along with the adjacent Tournament Fields Business Park - largely sprung up over the last twenty to thirty years. The estate centres around a landscaped pool and has numerous amenities such as a community centre, Tesco Extra shopping parade and two possible pub pickings. We've time to do them both, starting with the Unicorn which falls under the auspices of Marston's 'Generous George' concept with a firm emphasis on family dining. A half of Wainwright Gold each ensures we stay lubricated although Nick nearly gets entangled in a huge lampshade.

- Approaching the home straight -

Our other Chase Meadow calling point is the Ale Hub, occupying one of the aforementioned shopping units very close to the Unicorn. I've done a number of these identikit micropubs now (Dickens Heath, Mere Green, Kingswinford, Perton) and always find them very agreeable with a commitment to quality cask ales. Wadworth Amarillo Gold is certainly up to spec here with gins, cocktails and cider also available if you're that way inclined. This particular Ale Hub even hosts a Thursday evening Running Club whereby regular participants can earn themselves a t-shirt, although its far too warm for anything so energetic from us. Instead we'll flank the Gog Brook and enjoy fine vistas across Warwick Racecourse, homing in on the grandstand. 

- 'Putting' a pint away at Warwick Golf Centre -

If you had told me when we started out this morning that I'd be quaffing beverages in both a youth hostel and a golf club I wouldn't have believed you, but that cunning Nick has a further surprise up his sleeve. Warwick Golf Centre is effectively situated inside the expanses of the racecourse, comprising nine holes and a driving range squeezed onto the field inside the rails. The clubhouse bar is open to the public so we stop by for a steady slurp of Theakston's keg bitter, noting a liking for lilac-toned furniture. With His Highness happy to have satisfied that regal curiosity, we finish off at the refurbished Railway over Timothy Taylor's Golden Best when watching the conclusion to the Olympic heptathlon competition. Buoyed by Katarina Johnson-Thompson's silver success, we head up to the platform and catch our trains home safe in the knowledge that Warwickshire has joined my 2024 exploration party. Cheers!

March of the Elephants (Part One)

I've given you bears, I've given you penguins so get yourselves ready for more animal antics courtesy of the 'March of the Elephants' herd which has descended upon Sutton Coldfield and surroundings...

- Bubble -

I'm beginning with the West Midlands part of the elephant parade, although it should be noted that there are sculptures being displayed in Lichfield and Tamworth too. My first find is Bubble, positioned by the gardens beside Holy Trinity Church off Sutton Coldfield's Mill Street. As with Bobby on the Birmingham Bear Hunt, the facial depictions bring to mind the works of Picasso. 

- Funky Trunk -

Amidst the shopping malls of the Gracechurch Centre is where I can meet Funky Trunk, a colourful retro-styled design which draws much inspiration from the 1980s. The detail here includes sunglasses, audio cassette tapes, vintage games consoles and even a Walkman!

- An Elephant Never Forgets -

Sutton Park is a good elephant-spotting location, plus you can get your daily steps in walking from gate to gate. Among my haul is An Elephant Never Forgets as seen overlooking the Park Road roundabout; its Mexican Day of the Dead approach means a pinky-purple base hue with highlighted bones, emphasising the elephant's proverbially impressive memory capacity. 

- Paris -

Greenbelt is an environmentally conscious elephant showcasing native British wildlife outside the National Nature Reserve Visitor Centre, then I can make the acquaintance of Paris near Wyndley Gate. I must admit I really like this one, all kitted out in GBR running vest and stripy sweatband which seems suitably topical with the Olympic Games on at the moment. 

- Connie the Calf -

To Boldmere Gate where Connie the Calf awaits, chewing the cud just up from the Miller & Carter Steakhouse. Although a baby elephant is referred to as a calf, the term is more commonly associated with young cows hence this sculpture's distinct dairy disposition!

- Olivia -

Boldmere Road is home to three more artistic creations, including Cheesey Does It (playfully presenting fromage fun with little mouseholes) and Olivia in her bright orange legwarmers and leotard. The latter seems to be paying homage to Olivia Newton-John and her famous 1981 hit 'Physical'; either way she's certainly ready for a workout! 

- Where's Ellie -

Last but far from being least is Where's Ellie, very much referencing the much-loved Where's Wally puzzle books hence the rounded glasses plus red and white clothing. You can't miss her really, standing sentry outside the Tesco Express store, so the real challenge is matching up the mini elephants that feature as part of her design. All being well I'll get chance to see the Staffordshire specimens in due course - provided I pack my trunk correctly that is...

Worcester Waddling and Other D9 Stories...

It's been another very busy week for the Hub Marketing Board with a double round of meeting minutes to place on file. First off came a Wolverhampton evening that had the Chairman and Secretary teaming up for a Penn Fields summit, then came the small matter of trying to capture some waddling Worcester penguins...

- The Jeffcock Road Bald Spot -

We'll commence with Monday 29th July 2024 and a solid slice of suburban Wolverhampton. Mr D9 has positioned himself in the Moon Under Water Wetherspoons, digesting an Exmoor Stag while awaiting the Secretary's arrival, and possibly regrets this speedy pint when running to catch the number 2 bus. We alight on Lea Road among the terraces of Penn Fields, albeit our intended first tandem target of the Bruford Arms is closed on account of having its flooring relaid. Jeffcock Road has the Chairman recalling the days of the former 513 and 514 routes, driving trusty Metrobuses and having a head full of hair. Alas these familiar surroundings are now only able to bear witness to the subsequent decline in his follicle coverage!

- D9 Destroyer in the Bradmore Arms -

Putting aside our Bruford disappointment, we make the Starting Gate our opening port of call instead. This Birches Barn Road micropub goes from strength to strength and has attracted a substantial following for an ordinary Monday evening in July; perhaps the £3.30 Happy Hour prices are part of the magnetism? We partake of Ashby Pale and Kinver's Witchfinder General respectively - the latter a hefty 5.5% stout, just what you need on one of the warmest days of the year. Sitting upstairs, Mr D9 is presented with his 'Toilets of the World' tome and is still delighted with said reading matter when we relocate to the Bradmore Arms for a darts duel.

- The Gunmakers gets into the Olympic spirit -

It's been a little while since we last graced an oche so it's understandable if we're both rusty to put it politely. D9 Destroyer gets his throwing arm into gear more quickly than WME Whirlwind, racing into a 3-0 lead and threatening to dish out a heavy Bradmore beating. The Secretary slowly finds his range though and completes his comeback over in the Gunmakers Arms on the corner of Trysull Road and Church Road. The pub's traditional ambiance here is boosted by Olympic Games bunting willing on Team GB to a variety of medal successes, hence we keep half an eye on the progress of the Men's Gymnastics team final. 

- Golden Glow in Penn Fields Bowling Club -

Our ultimate landing point for this sprightly soiree is the Penn Fields Bowling Club off Coalway Road. We'd visited previously (as part of our Clubbing Crawl in early 2020) so we know what we're letting ourselves in for, namely the homeliest of glorified sheds overlooking two pristine bowling greens. Trophy shelves and musty green fabric seating transports us back in time as we savour Holden's Golden Glow and even treat ourselves to a Sam Smith's Taddy Lager for good measure. Club rulebooks and squad photos add to the flavour and the whole place is wonderfully friendly, with CAMRA members requested to sign the visitor book. Super!

- A Proper Priestfield Cuppa -

Normally that would be quite enough for one week but no, we'll fling ourselves forward into Friday 2nd August which has been specially reserved for the Waddle of Worcester, another of those Wild in Art animal sculpture trails which are always great fun. With 80 potential penguins to find later on, we need a fortifying breakfast so Jean's Cafe in Priestfield gets the nod. A Full Monty each is just the job, loaded up with black pudding, fried slices, bacon rashers and pork sausages - it takes some effort to munch your way through that lot but we're up to the task. The cafe has been a fixture on the corner of Hargreaves Street for many decades while the sepia prints around the walls suggest they have their own fondness for Worcestershire.

- Kingsley the Kaleidoscope Penguin -

Via Priestfield tram stop and The Hawthorns, we progress to Worcester Foregate Street with the train journey being enlivened by the silly songs of the day. We might as well declare them early in order to concentrate on our penguin-plotting mission: for the record, our choices this time around are 'Au Clair Du Lune' by Hattie Jacques and Eric Sykes (faux French warbling), and The Veterans 'I'm Jogging' in honour of Mr D9's choice of red shorts to show off his legs. It's then time for us to get serious about sculptures with 'Kingsley the Kaleidoscope Penguin' presenting a multicoloured appearance outside the Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum.

- The Chairman meets a Woolly Waddler -

Castle Street connects us to Croft Road in order to meet 'Silk Snowdrops' by the racecourse gates, swiftly followed by two penguins at the riverside gardens. 'Fisherman's Friend' has a bright yellow mac and a bottle of Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins we presume) whereas 'Woolly Waddler' takes no heed of the boilingly hot temperatures by insisting on wearing his Christmas jumper. Over at The Hive we can make the acquaintance of 'Precious Penguin' in geometric shades of black and white, then the main library entrance is guarded by 'Doodle McZenguin' with its creative mixture of patches, some bright and some more restrained.

- Flappity VIP -

As with many Wild in Art events, the underlying aim is to raise money for local charities, in this case supporting St Richard's Hospice who provide end-of-life care across the county. Several schools have got involved in creating penguin chicks, most of which can be found throughout the Crowngate shopping malls of Chapel Walk and Friary Walk. Among those to catch our eye are 'Flappity VIP' (with artists' beret), 'Penny Lane' (a Beatles-inspired Abbey Road crossing) and 'Arlo' (with Maori patterning). Elsewhere in the city centre, we make sure to locate 'Calvin the Copperplate Penguin' in all his bronzed Friary Street glory, and 'Elgar's Enigma' in tie and waistcoat, a tribute to Worcestershire's legendary composer as stationed at The Cornmarket.

- The New Chequers -

After p-p-picking up around half of the penguin colony, we'll waddle next into some Worcester hostelries. Copenhagen Street is home to the TripelB Belgian Beer Cafe, a continental-styled gem purveying tripels, saisons, iambics and more. We opt for the Liefman's Fruitesse and its highly refreshing hit of berry goodness to cool us down after our travails. Venturing towards Lowesmoor, we note the Alma and the Bridge Inn as standard city centre boozers (the latter being handy for the Worcester & Birmingham Canal) before Rainbow Hill has us ascending  Astwood Road to find the New Chequers near the cemetery roundabout. The Secretary loves his longstanding landmark roadhouses so this ticks a lot of WME boxes, from the two room layout to its setting beside the Brickfields Road railway bridge - the number 35 bus even makes timing point stops right outside. 

- In need of a Good Rest? -

Two more targets to the north of Worcester's main centre await discovery next, with Church Road and Barker Street bringing us promptly to the Goodrest Tavern. We sense this would have been a Banks's number back in the day, part of its car park having been claimed for a Co-op store, but it still does the business for Carling quaffing and an Olympics catch-up; Team GB have won gold in the equestrian showjumping, not a sport we know much about in truth! The Chestnut Tree meanwhile is bounded by Lansdowne Road and Somerset Place in a neat little square. We really like this one, mainly on account of a cracking pint of Timothy Taylor's Knowle Spring but also because of its Will Killeen portraits of classic comedy performers such as the Two Ronnies, Barbara Windsor and Steptoe & Son. The presence of sound equipment and a vinyl records library suggests they love their music here too.

 - Eighties Eddie with D9 entourage -

The A38 approaches back into the city centre would make for a serious crawl in its own right, such are the amount of cask options along The Tything and Upper Tything. We can't possibly try them all but make a decent fist of accounting for the Lamb & Flag (a narrow-fronted local institution by all reports, again serving high class Timothy Taylor wares), the Dragon (now owned by Church End Brewery which means Gravediggers Mild is an absolute must) and Black Country Ales's Saracens Head (a recent addition to the BCA portfolio which has been subjected to their usual style of refurbishment). Glugging down a Mr Grundy's Big Willie, we happily retire to Foregate Street for our homeward train but there's just enough time prior to the 17:40 departure for us to say hello to 'Eighties Eddie' complete with lurid tracksuit and a sizeable zip. The event runs until 15th September so more waddling may ensue deeper into the summer holidays, but for now we've made a very enjoyable start. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - July 2024

Even by modern day standards a lot seems to have happened in a relatively short space of time. We've had the General Election, England losing in the Euro 2024 final, Wimbledon tennis, British Open golf, President Biden announcing he won't stand for re-election and now the Olympics are underway. With all of that occurring, it's a wonder anyone can be bothered to keep track of my photostream developments...

Flickr flourishes might sound very mundane compared to that feast of sporting and political platters but I'm going to bring you up to date regardless, starting with an unsung gallery getting some overdue attention. WME Coventry seems to make a habit of shunning the limelight but can't escape our gaze entirely, not when it has crafted content out of Coundon railway crossing, the Castle Grounds pub (gearing up for a 1980s night, cue Pac-Man et al) and the concrete masterpiece that is William George Mitchell's Three Tuns mural. Added artwork comes courtesy of a penny-farthing inspired tribute to bicycle pioneer James Starley near Pool Meadow bus station, all of which amounts to a decent set of arrivals.

July's biggest contributor by quite some distance is WME Staffordshire, which has stretched itself from Coven Heath to Doxey by way of Lichfield and Codsall. In amongst the photographic flurry you can find representatives of Darnford Park, the Crown Joules pub, Oaken Lanes and the Coven Heath community litter pick, not to mention aspects of Cross Green signage along with Doxey's Fish Bar. That's two months running where Staffordshire has led the pack with some aplomb now, can it go for the hat trick in August?

We'll have to wait and see on that score but I can tell you that WME Shropshire has stirred itself from its summertime slumbers, dipping into the Shrewsbury suburb of Ditherington for glimpses of Boscobel Drive and a Coral betting shop. WME Solihull can also be inclined towards soporific tendencies so the burgeoning presence of Dickens Heath (c/o the Ale Hub and a health clinic) is to be applauded; likewise WME Warwickshire might take a sly forty winks here and there but musters up a Cubbington couplet involving Church Hill and the St Mary's nativity display. 

A few shout-outs from my West Midlands heartland galleries to finish this particular precis. WME Birmingham drops in on Digbeth for its Birds Custard Powder street art, whereas WME Dudley collects a Coombeswood chinese takeaway from Rainbow Hill before getting me all gooey-eyed for the Bathams brewery tap at The Delph. Cobbs Engine House at Windmill End is the sum total for WME Sandwell this time around, then we have WME Walsall landing a Darlaston pub sign while WME Wolverhampton acknowledges the former Dixons decorating emporium on Cleveland Road, and that's your lot. Until August, enjoy the pictures!