3rd September 2026: Brimstage

As I rode down the A56 to Meadow Lea café there was a strong westerly wind blowing, so I decided that a ride on the Wirral should give us a tail wind on the way home. You see, Neil, we do listen! Arriving at the café, it was packed with CER members. There must have been twenty or more there. Keith’s photo below gives you some idea. 

Meadow Lea

We were joined by Dave who’d come along at the suggestion of his daughter. He didn’t quite know what to expect, but I think he enjoyed the day.

My plan was to lead a mod group to the Corner Café in Brimstage, expecting to collect a following of 6 to 8. As it turned out, no one else had a mod ride to hand so when I finally set off along Station Road, there were another thirteen (yes, 13!) behind me! This felt like a recipe for disaster so, when we’d turned into Salters Lane, I stopped and asked if someone else would load a copy of the route onto their Garmin/Wahoo/Phone just in case. Anthony stepped forward (good man!) and after a bit of fiddling got the route onto his phone.

Loading the route on to Anthony's phone

Setting off at a moderate pace we joined Fox Covert Lane and went around the back of the zoo. Crossing the A41 at Backford we go on to Station Road past the village hall. Then take a sharp right on to Demage Lane and the cycleway across the fields parallel to the railway line. A number of gates have to be traversed before ending at Bridle Lane where we crossed Dunkirk Way.

At this point we seemed to have lost Jim, Trevor, George and Anthony, but I was content to press on, given that Anthony had the route. A quick dash around the back of Capenhurst and the Urenco facility took us on to the Welsh Road and Hooton village. Passing Bromborough Golf Club we were soon at Raby Mere and a group photo opportunity. Thanks, Elwyn.

Raby Mere

Pressing on through Poulton and Stanton, we came to the Storeton turn and Brimstage Lane. Here, Steve H come flying up to me shouting that I’ve take a wrong turn, but I never forget this lane as it’s where a few years ago the lane was flooded where it goes under the M53 and Dave Pipe couldn’t risk going through the water in case it flooded the battery on the e-tandem.

We were soon into Brimstage Hall Courtyard, where we find the café…..closed! There’s a sign in the window declaring ‘Edge & Son, Butchers, Coming Soon’! Fortunately, almost next door, there is the Bhudda Bar which offers a range of sandwiches, toasties, jacket potatoes and ‘Bhudda bowls’. So ten hungry cyclists piled in to place their orders followed about ten minutes later by the gang of four led by Anthony. As you might imagine, this totally overwhelmed the small kitchen (I think they only have one toastie machine), so the service was a little slow. But the staff were very friendly and helpful and, as it was so warm, most were able to sit outside.

The gang of four

Leaving the latecomers finishing their lunches, the main body of the peloton set off for Thornton Hough. Crossing the very busy Chester High Road we cruised through Neston, Ness gardens and then plunged down to Burton Marshes. Repairs to the boardwalk have not yet started, so great care  was taken as we traversed it. At the junction with the Greenway, Alan and Steve H set off for North Wales and home and the rest pressed on over the ‘blue bridge’. At Blacon, Fiona, Elwyn and Mike G left us, leaving Keith, Alvi, Dave and me to head on towards Meadow Lea. Alvi left a little further on, so it was Keith, Dave and I who ended up there.  Dave thought he’d come for the morning, but stayed to the end and he fancies joining the Special Ride from Chirk on the 17^th. I think we may have a new member!

Anthony reports that Jim, Trevor, George and he started back from Brimstage about 2pm and were back in Chester by 3.30. So, after a chaotic start, all went well in the end. A great ride with good company and plenty of banter. Thanks to all who took part.

ST

See route map and/or gpx file download