18th November 2010: Aston

The weather forecast was rain (almost certainly) but cycling out from Chester to Holt, the rain held off despite the murky vistas.  There were seven of us (Liz and Martin, Dave M, George, Brian Mac, Ray S and myself) for the pre-ride hot drinks at Bellis’s café.  Two potential rides were discussed; one west via Wrexham to Loggerheads, which was discarded because it meant hills and rain, and a south easterly one to Aston.  CER had last visited Aston’s Bhurtpore Inn (for it’s history see http://www.bhurtpore.co.uk/history.htm) just over a year ago (5th November to be precise). Although I was the only rider present to have visited it last year, the prospect of a menu of real ales and decent food was the clincher.  Just as we were leaving my mobile rang – it was Ivan – he had just realised he was at the wrong venue and “where were we heading for lunch?”  He knew the pub since he was one of the CER group from last year’s visit. “I’ll meet you in the bar”, says Ivan. We all thought – if he can find it from the other side of Chester!
Off we rode through Shocklach and the back way to Chorlton.  A rare event then occurred; a motorist stopped to say the road ahead was strewn with thorns and the offending tractor, when it saw us, stopped hedge trimming to let us past – such consideration which was immediately dashed by the white van driver who refused to slow down in the narrow lane and forced us all into the side of the lane. Ignoring the correct right turn in Chorlton, we went left and had to double back a bit outside Malpas down Sunnyside (it wasn’t!) to get onto Dog Lane at Oldcastle Heath.  Heading for Lower Wych, the lane takes you down into the folded valley which marks the Welsh/English border. Up the steep climb and out to Wigland we went down to Higher Wych, later passing Iscoyd House (ideal as a wedding venue apparently).  At Redbrook Maelor, we turned left onto the A525 towards the outskirts of Whitchurch. Turning into Chemistry (such an odd road name), it started to rain as we threaded our way through Whitchurch town seeking the cycle route 45 to Wrenbury. Once out on Black Park lane passing Blakemere, through Hollyhurst and Pinsley Green, and with Dave M leading the way, the Bhurtpore pub soon appeared.
The Bhurtpore lived up to its reputation with a wide choice of real ales and food, all served very promptly at the table. Just then a text arrived from you-know-who; the contents of which will not be made public to spare the sender’s blushes – suffice it to say we seven did not become eight for lunch. The rained had stopped as we made our way back via Wrenbury to Cholmondeley Castle gates at which point four split off to go back to Bellis’s via Tilston to pick up their cars. Their round trip was around 42, incident–free, miles. We remaining three made our way towards Gallantry Bank where Dave M split off for home leaving Ray and myself to slog up Harthill in order to justify the coffee and cake at the Ice Cream farm. The Chester round trip was 65 miles and considering the weather forecast, very little rain but still a murky mid November day.
See route map and/or gpx file download.
CA

NB: Next week’s ride from the Little Roodee will be led by Brian Mac and will leave at the new earlier time of 10:30 hours.