21st September 2017: Hanmer (mod)

It was raining heavily as I rode towards Holt and it was forecast to continue for the rest of the morning.  It wasn’t a bad turnout therefore when five of us gathered in Cleopatra’s: Ken, George, Keith, Steve T and myself. Ken was recently back from a cruise to Greenland and points west, and was only out for a brief ride.

I had seen a report on Google that the Hanmer Arms had re-opened, and keen to investigate whether what had been one of our favourite pubs was still as good, I suggested this as a venue.  Given the weather we agreed to take a fairly short route there and hope things would improve after lunch.

The way out was through Farndon, then Tilston and into Malpas from the west, where Ken left us. Next through Lower Wych to the A525, where we saw we were likely to be too early for the pub. We took the road to Arrowy intending a short loop through Bronington to take up the time.  Now we are used to muddy lanes, but these were really, really muddy: hard work and limited traction.  The only solution was to abandon the loop and make for the main road as the cleanest way to Hanmer.

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The pub was welcoming in spite of our sodden condition and we were quickly served with good reasonably priced food and I had an excellent pint of Dick Turpin. The only problem was the lack of a fire, not that it was cold, but we could have done with it to dry out our gear.  We agreed to place the pub back onto our list of favourites. We were happy with a fairly short route back, even though the rain had stopped.

A few days before I had watched a natural history programme called ‘Swarm’ on the powerful collective intelligence of animal groups.  Unfortunately the collective intelligence of Chester Easy Riders was sadly lacking when climbing the hill above Sarn Bridge, Keith’s rear mech snapped off.  Our initial plan was good: remove the mech and shorten the chain.  Our implementation was lacking.  We faffed about trying to detach Keith’s quick link, then puzzled over how to use a chain splitter, then were perplexed over how to reconnect the shortened chain. Eventually we were able to fashion a working though rather loose chain, good enough to get us back. 

Grateful to only have a short direct route back to Holt, we passed through Shocklach, and on to Farndon without the usual race over the last few miles. We had only completed a little over 30 miles, but were grateful to celebrate our ride in Cleos with a round of hot chocolates, courtesy of George.  It had been a day worth getting out for despite the weather.

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SH

14th September 2017: Scholar Green (mod)

We were sitting in Rose Farm Café watching the rain come down when Steve T reminded us, with utterly unfounded optimism, that our last outing from here had started wet but turned into a fine day. So it was that as the rain stopped, Steve T, Trevor, Clive, Andy B, Dave H and myself, left David M in the café to recover from a cold, and took to the highway: destination The Rising Sun at Scholar Green.

The route took us through some tedious streets in Winsford and Middlewich before hitting open countryside as we passed through Brereton Green.  Approaching Spen Green, the bulk of Mow Cop rose above us. We had done a similar ride to this in 2016 when the party had split, with half taking the ‘easy’ route up Mow Cop and the remainder heading direct for the pub.  This time, as we approached, Andy B and Steve T left us to take the 'hard' way up Mow Cop.

The sensible four arrived at the pub and were tucking into good and substantial sandwiches and drinks, when our ‘summit party’ joined us, with tales of their successful ascent. At that point the heavens opened and we looked out from the safety of our ‘base camp’ at torrential rain. We hoped that this shower would be all that nature would offer and hoped that Steve’s earlier optimism had been justified.

Foolish us! The return soon confronted us with a strong gusty northwesterly headwind.  It did however remain dry as we passed Rode Heath, Wheelock Heath and skirted the north of Crewe. We paused near Bradfield Green to decide which café to call at later. Then travelling through Church Minshull our luck broke and we were hit with a strong gusting hail storm.  This eased but spasmodic rain continued through Wettenhall until we arrived at the Shire Horse Centre Café at Cotebrook just in time at 4.10pm (it closes at 4.30pm).

Having recovered with coffee and cake, it was a short ride back to Rose Farm, clocking up a total of 53 miles, albeit a much longer one for those who had to cycle home especially for Andy.

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SH

7th September 2017: Llangollen (mod)

There were only seven of us at The Gallery cafe today, and as Bryan W was just out for coffee, this left six of us for a ride to Llangollen. Steve had prepared a ride to St Asaph, but I convinced him that my proposal was a “flat” ride of only 3500ft of ascent! So in pleasant but cool conditions, Johns W and M, Steve H, Trevor, Tom and myself, set off bound for Wrexham via a mixture of back lanes and quietish main roads.

In Penyffordd, John W pointed out Jemoley’s Cafe, which was to feature later in the day. So out and along the back lanes to Hope, we take the Alyn River park bypass then circle around Caergwrle castle - all hidden in the trees - but there is a footpath up to it I notice. Nearing Alyn Waters park, we take the steep climb up Windy Hill to Summerhill and thence the long run down into Wrexham at the Sainsburys roundabout. A whiz around by the hospital, finds us turning off at Bersham.

Here there is an idyllic Elizabethan house set by the Clywedog river that powered the nearby ironworks and water mill. It’s a pity that the A483 almost literally runs above it casting it into a shadow of its former picturesque glory. The lanes take us in to Rhosllanerchrugog. We now start the pleasant undulating climb, via Penycae, to the Prospect Farm cafe gates. Peaking at nearly 1000ft, the panorama of the “Panorama Walk” lane now comes into view.  We stop for a photo opportunity relishing the fact that it really is now all-downhill to lunch.

Photo by John W

Photo by John M

Sliding off the Panorama at Dinas Bran Castle, it is hard on the brakes for the steep drop down to the arms of the Llangollen Wharf cafe. The local delicacy of Welsh Rarebit with a bacon topping is a firm lunch favourite. Soon it is time to go back and we enjoy the long flat canal side ride back to the Aqueduct. There are quite a lot of canal boats on the canal today and a few fellow cyclists as well.

Rather than running back through the usual route of Cefn-mawr, we take the main road via Acrefair and thence towards Overton. As we leave Acrefair behind, we notice the heavy clouds amassing over the Berwyns behind Llangollen but, in the end, the weather behaved itself with only a few minutes of heavy mizzle.

At lunch, John W had asked where are we going to stop for “tea and cake”; so I suggested Erddig and he suggested Jemoley's. So the route is re-planned to take in a tour of Erddig. It is a bit too early after lunch when we get to Erddig, so we press on. In Wrexham, Steve and Trevor decide to head for home via Holt as we remaining four wiggle through Wrexham bound for Llay.

We are now heading for Jemoley’s at Penyffordd but John M decides to drop off at Kinnerton to go home. Jemoley's lights are on but they are “closed” so I suggest Hawarden Farm shop, so we head for this along the main roads. So we have ridden a very pleasant 51 miles and acheived 3500ft of climbs.

As we leave, Tom buys a very nice looking pie for his evening meal - if he can get it back home in one piece that is. John and I make our pie-less way back via Airbus and the ferry bridge to Chester environs.

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CA

31st August 2017: Prestbury

The day did not look promising. The forecast was for some heavy showers or worse, and it was raining as I left home, though this stopped when I arrived at the Delamere Station Café. Keith was already there and we were shortly joined by John W, Tom, Trevor, Clive and David M, who was concerned about his heart rate. We variously made muddled attempts to take his pulse, before succeeding and confirming that he was still alive, but that he should cut his ride short today.  Trevor was also just out for the café, and John W and Tom were planning their own route.  Dave and Liz P then arrived in civies and it was good to hear that Dave’s recovery was progressing well, with a 30 mile ride already under his belt.

This left just me, Clive and Keith as riders. I had been looking at destinations which I hadn’t been to before with CER, and decided on Prestbury. Common opinion had it that pubs in the area would probably be too expensive and too posh – a bit of research suggested that this was true, although I did find that Ye Olde Admiral Rodney seemed reasonable.  However, I chose instead to head for the Chocolate Box Café, which I’d visited before. (Maybe we should try the Admiral Rodney on another ride.)

We headed out over damp surfaces, expecting rain, crossing the Weaver at Acton Bridge and into Comberbach.  I had planned to pass through Marbury Park, but the idea of wet muddy surfaces put me off, and so we took the route through Pickmere to arrive at Plumley and on through relatively familiar lanes to Ollerton.  We were enjoying the unexpected dry conditions as the bulk of Alderley Edge appeared before us. As we started the climb we decided on a slow and steady approach up this long hill. We eventually emerged at the top in front of The Wizard pub. From here it was an easy downhill(ish) into Prestbury itself, after about 30 miles.

Prestbury is indeed posh (and WAG-ish), but the Chocolate Box was welcoming and served us good quality, good value food. We all agreed it was a good place to stop, and maybe should go onto our favourites list.  It’s also worth noting there is a new bike shop in Prestbury, where Keith was tempted to take his machine, as it had been playing up. He however decided to soldier on for the day.

The afternoon’s route took us through the outskirts of Macclesfield and past Trevors Close Farm (no connection I assume Trevor). Then into Gawsworth, where we travelled along the memorably named Maggoty Lane, which as salubrious addresses go, reminded me of Offal Pit Lane near Kingsley. We then cycled along a series of lovely long flat lanes towards Twemlow Green, enjoying the fine weather and the virtual absence of any wind. To the east we had good views of Shining Tor and the Sutton Common BT tower.

Eventually our luck ran out as a light rain started and became persistent.  I pushed on hoping we would soon cycle through it and unaware of the closing time of the café I planned to call at, just our side of Davenham.  We did in time cycle through the rain, and slightly damp made it to Shipbrookhill Farm Café before 4pm (they actually close at 5pm). Caffeine and cake was taken on board sufficient to sustain each of us back to our homes.

We crossed the A556 and rode into Hartford, then taking the old main road eastwards.  Here Clive left us to take the quickest route back into Chester, and Keith and I continued into Cuddington and Norley.  Here Keith headed home to Frodsham, and I back to Delamere and on the Kelsall.  The return route from Delamere was 66 miles, though Clive would have done closer to 100.  It had turned out to be a good late summer’s day for a high mileage, in later months the weather may limit us to shorter outings.

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SH