The Scaresbrooks' Cycling and Gardening and... blog

Flowery cycle racks

Alec'n'Val — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:06:27 +0000

What’s not to like about this bike rack – much more attractive than the usual toast racks so they’d look good in a garden as well as outside the shops. They’re called Plant Locks and are available in red or green from Front Yard Company.

More regular cyclists to school

Alec'n'Val — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:15:29 +0000

Sustrans has just announced that, last week, leading up to Team Green Britain Bike Week, over half the youngsters (127) at Belvidere Primary School, Shrewsbury, cycled to school every day. The school’s head teacher also made his 30 mile commute on two wheels. Parent governor Debbie Clee cycled in with her two children and said, “It is fantastic to see so many bikes in school.”

Sustrans has worked with the school since October 2009. Kim Williams, Sustrans Bike It officer for Shrewsbury has been working with the school, teachers, pupils and parents to encourage children to get to school under their own steam. Back in October 2009 there were around 12 regular cyclists each day – now there around 25 children who regularly cycle to school each day.

Let’s hope they keep it up.

Trafford: First Connect2 scheme in England completed

Alec'n'Val — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:03:21 +0000

Sale-Stretford pedestrians and cyclists have a newly surfaced route thanks to lottery money. The Bridgewater Way scheme has been opened after a week of events along the canal. This new route provides a practical and accessible path for commuting and for leisure, highlighting the use of the historic canal towpath as a sustainable travel route for Trafford, and has the distinction of being the first Connect2 scheme in England to complete.

Street art

Alec'n'Val — Sat, 29 May 2010 11:24:11 +0000

What’s not to like about this street art? Take a look at Carlton Reid’s May blog entry.

Missing your mangetout? Grow your own.

Alec'n'Val — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:31:59 +0000

Missing your mange tout because of that volcano stopping flights? Try growing your own with mangetout growing tips from Gardening Masterclass. OK the flights might begin before you’re ready to harvest, but much better to eat food fresh from the garden, in season (altho’ you can freeze mange tout), and save on all those food miles.

A world without planes

Alec'n'Val — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:44:37 +0000

The Icelandic volcanoes are giving us practice at living without planes – a useful rehearsal for life after oil? Alain de Botton muses on ‘A world without planes’ for BBC Radio 4. Meanwhile in Cheshire we’re enjoying blue blue skies uninterrupted by vapour trails.

Cycle/cycling insurance review

Alec'n'Val — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:53:22 +0000

We’ve ploughed through policies and squinted at small print to compare cycle and cycling cover for ourselves, so we thought we’d share the information in an insurance review. There’s info for you to compare specialist cycle and cyclist policies for everyday, holiday, commuter, leisure, triathlon and other competitive riding, for theft, damage, personal accident and liability. NB for UK residents.

Frog frenzy in our garden pond

Alec'n'Val — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:24:42 +0000

The spring spawning began a bit later this year, mid-March. The ice must have slowed them down! Here are some of the frogs frolicking in our pond. The pond has a 5-foot diameter, and has around 60 frogs visible at any one time.

Cheshire Cycleway video

Alec'n'Val — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:43:34 +0000

If you want to see what the countryside is like on or near the Cheshire Cycleway, have a look at the following video. The Cheshire Cycleway (regional cycle route 70) is a signed circuit, using mostly back roads to travel 175 miles through the best countryside in Cheshire. See for yourself from the video.

In the making of this video I discovered a good source of music. See Free Music by DanoSongs.com

Recycling prices for mobiles

Alec'n'Val — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:48:01 +0000

There are so many different places to cash in your old mobile that we’ve added a quick comparison page.