6th October 2022: Lach Dennis (mod ride 1)

As we each arrived at Delamere Station Café, the common opening words were “it didn’t forecast rain”. A thin mist had intensified as we each made our way to the café. Still, there were many members attending including Ray, a new rider who brings our complement of electric bike riders up to three. Clive, Ken, Neil, Alan, Steve Hu, David M, George, Andy B, Steve T, Trevor and myself were the other riders present, and they formed three rides: two mods and a brisk, with David M doing his own thing.

I had in mind a familiar route, but with new destinations for lunch and a café stop. The rain had stopped when we set out along the painfully rutted road to Hatchmere, before turning right to Norley, then Onston Lane to Acton Bridge. Passing through Little Leigh we arrived in Comberbach and skirted Great Budworth to the north before entering Pickmere and then Wincham.  We lost Andy at the traffic lights crossing the A556, but he caught up as we passed through Plumley. One option for lunch was Plumley Garden Centre Café, but we decided to pass on, and entering Swan Green we pulled into The Crown’s car park. This had looked a good option on the web, though when I’d called the night before all I got was an answerphone. Now it became clear why – a notice on the door said “closed until 12th Oct at 4pm” – a remarkably precise time.  

I had foreseen this possibility and had two alternatives: either ride back the ¾ mile to Plumley’s Garden Centre or continue to the Cheshire Grill in Lach Dennis. Reversing part of a route is never welcome, so we decided to travel another 3 miles to Lach Dennis, and I think CER’s first ever visit to this pub. The car park was welcomingly busy compared to The Crown and we trooped in.  It looked rather smart for a CER venue and it took a while for us to be welcomed, which raised some doubts. However, our orders were taken efficiently and soon our food and drinks arrived. The main courses from the lunch menu were all priced at £8.95, and we sampled variously fish and steak sandwiches, and sausages and mash.  For some reason the lunchtime conversation was largely about the Welsh language and its Celtic cousins, which gave George, long-time resident of the Principality, an opportunity to demonstrate his total ignorance of the tongue. As we left everyone seemed very pleased with the quality and quantity of food, so we may well visit again.

At the Cheshire Grill

The route onward was pretty familiar, taking the road to Davenham, and then Moulton, before decending the rough track to cross the Weaver Navigation and on to Whitegate.  Taking Cinder Hill out of Whitegate is one of my least favourite climbs, but this was soon over as we headed towards Oulton Park and then Cotebrook. Here we said goodbye to Trevor and headed north to meet the A54.  Now it was time for a slight diversion and we followed the A54 westwards until we reached Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre. We were there to sample their Urchin’s Kitchen café, not so much for the food as to see the equestrian facilities. Incidentally it’s called the Urchin’s Kitchen after a geological formation in nearby Primrose Hill Woods. Steve T and George had been walking in this area some years ago, but the equestrian centre has since grown massively.  From the café you can look down on the indoor arena and the outdoor show jumping arena, there are also miles of cross-country routes including jumps. Events are scheduled for most days, and the café gives you a free view of what’s going on.

The indoor and outdoor arenas from the cafe 

Leaving Kelsall Hill, Andy headed into Kelsall and then home, while the rest of us avoided the main road by taking Stoney Lane northwards.  We didn’t however avoid the traffic because this lane passes Delamere CoE Primary School and it was school closing time. Negotiating double parked 4x4s on narrow lanes took some time, but eventually we passed over Eddisbury Hill with views over the Cheshire Plain and a sun-struck Jodrell Bank, before joining Station Road and ending up back at our start. Our route covered 40 miles, though the gpx file shows more due to some random oscillations while we were lunching. We did have more rain and at times a blustery wind, but not so as to spoil a very good ride.

See routemap and/or gpx file download 

SHa (photos by SHa)