Today I took the dogs a walk up Engine lane at the top of Brownhills. My
objectives were to exerciser the dogs, but i also wanted to do a search
for building long since lost. The said building has been mentioned numerous times on the very informative and entertaining Brownhills Bob blog. It appears on old maps, however there is no mention of its use.
I was shocked to find that the cycle way at the top of the lane had a
thick chain across it. Obviously not for the convenience of cyclists,
so why was it there? I know there have been problems with motorcycles previously, but that's a bit extreme.
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| Definitely no cycle way here! Notice national cycle route on gate. |
I moved on into the wooded area where I think the long lost building may
be, that was after negotiating some rather nasty barbed wire obstructions. It
began to dawn on me that these obstructions were not haphazardly put
there. They were there for a reason (probably not sanctioned) which i can not yet confirm. It would certainly bring a motor/cyclist down in a hurry.
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| If you look closely the barbed wire is looped out from the gate about 18 inches! |
As we moved into the wooded area a cow let out a moo that was obviously
only a few meters away. I nearly crapped myself when a large brown Heifer
lifted its head only three meters in front of me. It was then i noticed that the
whole heard were close behind it. I made a hasty retreat and put the dogs on a
leash. I couldn't see any signs warning of the livestock being on the
land, which i thought was a bit naughty. Two guys walking their dogs were
coming my way and I asked them how long the cattle had been on the land? They
informed me that they had been there for some time. They also passed a not too complimentary comment about Ansell's riding stables taking over the place.
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| Stand off with cow, i lost. |
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| The view of the cabins from road. |
I returned to the part of Engine lane that the building may have been
located and took some measurements under the watchful gaze of the
cows. On my way back to the car I took a few snaps of the land now occupied by
the riding stables.
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| This was wild scrub in the past, my only concern now is the amount of barbed wire there is. |
I personally don't mind what they are doing with that land. It
looks a lot tidier now than before they set up camp there. If they are
responsible for the chain then that is out of order, as is the looped barb
wire. I am not sure it is them who put up the chain as i think it may be there
to stop the cows escaping. It’s all a mystery to me, but i have no doubt someone
will tell me what is actually going on.
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| A view up engine lane. |
