As the sunshine surely brings the caravans out on the roads, so it is with cyclists. With a very warm and dry day in prospect, CER riders filled the outside seating area at Alison's cafe today. There were three or possibly four rides on offer, but I had accepted Ivan's offered brisk route to Ellesmere.
Our Brisk group of initially six riders consisted of Ivan, Ray S, Nick, and young Chris and myself with Ken accompanying us to Penley where he would have to strike for home today. Nick modified Ivan's first 4 mile section by striking out via Barton to Tilston as opposed to going via Clutton and it's hill. Chorlton takes us to Threapwood where we cross the badlands border towards Horseman's Green.
Once we had crossed the A525 Wrexham to Whitchurch road, the lanes were smaller and generally in a very poor condition. Beyond the odd poorly-filled surface, Ray remarked that it was more a gravel ride than a road ride. Ken turns for home as Penley appears as we five slide down the dip and up and onwards on the long run in to Ellesmere at only 21 miles.
Our usual lunch stop here has been the Red Lion pub. I had asked Ken if he knew of any cafes in Ellesmere and he recollected one in Scotland Street near a patch of grass. There are two cafes in Scotland Street – “Coco” and “Cherry Tree”– I didn't like the look of Coco so further up Scotland Street was the Cherry Tree cafe sited next to a patch of grass! We sit outside in the shade and the filled paninis come out quickly, along with a baked beans and potato combo. We all enjoyed our food choice.
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| Ken's lunchtime recommendation |
By the time we leave, the inside seating was nearly full with pensioner lunches – so suitable for most of CER then! We head back through the town passing the shining mere and now headed for Welshampton in the rising heat. Cutting off left, we take the little lanes back to Hanmer where once again the lanes are in a very bad condition south of the A525. We briefly stop in Hanmer for an ice-cream break from the small village shop and PO. Several wild water swimmers are in the mere today.
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| Where is this to be found? * |
The Lower Wych road is mostly billiard table smooth as we roll down the hill knowing that there are two steep exits from Lower Wych. We go left and up the hill towards Oldcastle Heath. As we hit the Oldcastle Heath to Malpas road, Nick turns left for home as we turn right into Malpas. Shimmying around the back of the town, we emerge near Bishop Heber high school and roll down to the A41 roundabout heading for Bickerton and Harthill. Harthill Road is “closed” to traffic but a very large tractor coming towards me is therefore a surprise as I hit 30+mph. The road is closed all the way into Tattenhall for what reason we know not.
We are back in the town with 42 miles ridden and as the cafe will shut in fifteen minutes, we head for Chester. All around, those coming from Chester environs will have cycled mid 60+ miles today in 25C heat. Ivan leads the charge back as I hang on his tail only to find that Ray and Chris are nowhere to be seen but apparently they had been taking a leisurely ride back into Waverton.
So thanks to Ivan for the routeing suggestion as we all had a very enjoyable day out in the countryside today.
See route map and/or gpx file download
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