Riding out to elevenses at Bellis Garden Centre Café against a head wind I began to wonder why I had chosen the long way round, but after an hour of hard riding I was supping tea in Bellis’s with the other riders and looking forward to the day ahead. It took only a few minutes to agree an outline route to Hanmer and we set off crossing the Dee into Farndon and then via Shocklach and Threapwood to cross the Wych Brook at Sarn Bridge. We then negotiated the narrow lanes through Three Fingers and Little Arowry to Hanmer making full use of the SatMap (recently updated with new software so that it fully supported OS 1:50 000 scale mapping). The impressive Hamner Arms Hotel looked rather too up-market for us cyclists but the welcome by, none other than, the hotel owner dispelled any doubts. Nothing was too much trouble and a courtyard table was prepared while we sampled first the Adnams ale and then the local Stonehouse. Food was excellent and the staff friendly. What more could you ask for on a hot summer day? On the return journey the SatMap helped navigate the lanes past Tarts Hill, Penley and through to Tallarn where we headed west to Bangor on Dee and then north on the network of minor lanes to reach Holt at 3.30 pm. After tea and cakes at Bellis’s Café we headed back home through Aldford and Saighton with the wind behind us to complete another great ride.
Distance from Chester and back 53 miles with 433 metres of ascent.
BW
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