29th January 2026 : Aston (mod)

Today’s ride was from Walk Mill and there was a great turnout for all 3 groups. I cannot remember everyone so will just concentrate on our little posse of merry men consisting of Trevor, Andy W, Mike G, Ray B, myself and finally but certainly not least Dave H. We had a destination in mind, which is a favourite of many i.e. the renamed "Burty" pub . I’ve been there that often of late the landlord knows my name, but he did say "Wow, this time you have really brought a lot of yobs haha" . 

The route took us over to Beeston where for some strange reason that only Trevor and Dave know as they where leading us, took us up Harthill. So after we all managed to ride up to the top, and as we where recovering, came Dave's first of many little fibs stating "that’s the climbing done, it’s all down hill now". We carried on heading for Cholmondley via lots of little steep pimples (a phrase Dave P always uses whenever we had a hill to climb) . Riding along past the Cholmondley cafe, Trevor mentioned he would be going to the cafe in Wrenbury due to having to get back home, so when we got there Trevor bailed leaving just five heading for the Burty . 

We arrived and were seated and food ordered which came in good time as we where all hungry and cold due to today’s weather which was absolutely Baltic and with a fair breeze against us which brought the wind chill into play. We sat eating trying to recover some warmth after doing 21 miles to the venue talking about the usual CER drivel concerning a wide range of topics ranging from nonsense to absolute nonsense, and, as you can gather, I wasn’t the bit interested just wanting to eat up and get warm .

Herding cats?

Once we had decided to depart, the usual things took place that seem to follow the mods. Firstly there’s the usual issue over a bill, but this time it was the pub's fault; second, we had to wait for the usual unlocking ceremony from Master Gilbert and Heath as they both visited the toilet leaving the 3 of us outside in the freezing wind. Mike then decided to dress for a polar exhibition but then decided to take the team photo so had to take his snood off his 2 pairs of gloves and find a suitable place for our photo. Anyway, we did get underway only for the other usual suspect to to start looking for his keys . 

We now started to head back to Walk Mill via Ravensmoor then heading towards Bunbury, where the usual tradition of calling into Tilley's was given a miss once again. So we skirted around Beeston heading past the Ice Cream factory heading back towards Waverton. Here, I left the Motley 2 as Mike was heading to Christleton and I was going onto Guilden Sutton and Andy W was heading towards Hoole. 

Overall for the mileage from Walk Mill and back was 43 miles and slightly more for us others . The motto of today’s excellent ride, which was done at a good pace for us in freezing conditions and a Southerly wind, and I only know this as our 3 avid weather watchers kept telling me, was when Ray said "Why it’s so cold".

However, the cycling was great both ways so thanks to Trevor and Dave for sorting a route but why Harthill!

KB

11th December 2025: Aston

About fifteen club members turned up at Rose Farm café on a bright, sunny, but rather chilly winter morning. Dave H and Clive were in civvies, the former making good progress with his new hip and the latter with his hand in bandages following an operation to cure 'trigger finger'. Jim was doing his own thing and Dave M was going home (as usual) as was Andy B, who had ridden in from Mold. Neil was gathering a posse to go scouting around the Sandstone Ridge and that left Keith, Trevor and myself. Trevor is just back from holiday, so he hadn’t been on the bike for three weeks, but said he would join us for a while.

I had two options, both of which would go south so that we could benefit from the southerly wind on the way back. One was to Overwater Marina near Audlem and the other to the Bhurtpore at Aston. Neil suggested that the marina would be cold because the wind was now picking up, so the Bhurtpore (or Bhurty as it’s called these days) was our chosen destination.

We set off along the familiar and well-trodden route via Cotebrook, around Oulton Park and on to Wettenham. Progress was ‘steady’ to allow Trevor to get his legs working and also because of the headwind we faced for much of the time. The roads were dry and quiet except for the odd enormous tractor/trailer thundering down the lane. Just south of Cholmondeston, as we were approaching the small bridge over the Shropshire Union canal, a big artic came over it, causing Trevor and I to stop. Fortunately, there was just enough room for to it get by without wiping us out.

After successfully negotiating our way through the edge of Nantwich we pressed on through Ravensmoor. At Wrenbuy-cum-Frith, the road was closed due to flooding and workmen were busy sorting things out. The diversion was along Wrenbury Heath Road to Sound and the A530. Not fancying this, Keith went to talk to the roadcrew and persuaded them to let us carry the bikes through the works. Having made our way through the mud, we pressed on to Wrenbury on a traffic-free road – very nice! We arrived at The Bhurty about 12.40 having clocked 19 miles.

The pub was fairly quiet that they soon found us a table. Food and drinks were soon ordered from the very pleasant waitress and we were soon tucking into curries( Trevor and me) and a baked potato (Keith). Conversation revolved around Trevor’s recent holiday in South Africa, where he saw all the big animals except for the leopard.

Suitably refreshed, we paused only for the group photo before setting off for home. The bridge across the Llangollen Canal was open, so there was a queue of traffic. Trevor had never seen the bridge open before, so we found our way to the front of the queue, only to find that the bridge was now almost closed.

Our return journey took us via Brindley, Bunbury, Beeston Castle and The Shady pub next to the canal. Trevor left us at the top of Bates Mill Lane to head home and Keith and I pressed on to the mayhem that is Tarporley High Street at school letting out time. Arriving back at Rose Farm at about 3.20, we’d clocked up 38 miles at a moderate pace of 11 mph. Trevor must have done nearly another 20 miles as he’d cycled to Rose Farm from home, so a great effort for his first time in three weeks back the saddle.

Another winter ride on a dry and sunny day. How lucky we’ve been with the weather on Thursdays this year (except for last week!).

ST

See route map and/or gpx file download

4th September 2025: Aston

Seven members gathered at Rose Farm café on a day which was predicted to be wet or even very wet.  As usual, Dave M was only there for coffee, so that left Dave H, Ray B, Mike G, Clive, Ray S (good to see you, Ray!) and myself as riders. After some discussion it was agreed to run just one ride – a sort of ‘mod’ and ‘brisk’ group, but would it work? Too fast for some and too slow for others?

Just as we were donning wet weather gear and helmets (it was raining a bit already), young Chris turned up, which broadened the already wide range of abilities within the group. Nevertheless, we set out on a ride I’d done a few years ago to Aston and The Bhurty (as it’s now called).

So we set off at a good pace down Utkinton Lane to Cotebrook, round Oulton Park and on to Wettenhall and Cholmondeston. Passing the Venetian Marina, I heard a call to knock the pace back a little, so took it easy around Reaseheath College and in to the outskirts of Nantwich.

Heading out to Ravensmoor, we took the direct route to Wrenbury and the newly surface and now very smooth lane past the railway station to Aston and ‘The Bhurty’. Or at least some of us did! Clive had mentioned a preference for ‘Berries’ café in Wrenbury and when he, Ray S and Chris didn’t show up in Aston, I guessed that he’d taken the ‘briskers’ there. At least they’d get a fast ride back to Chester.

The Bhurty was unusually empty, but the food was spot-on, my sea bass risotto was particularly mouth-watering. Despite the grim rain forecast we had escaped a soaking so far, but it began to lash down outside as we finished our meal.  Almost miraculously, the rain stopped as we stepped outside for our return. Our route back was a familiar one via Wrenbury, Chorley Bank and Brindley. It soon became obvious that an enforced lack of sleep and clapped -out hip was going to mean that I wouldn’t be able to match our morning average of 13.9 m.p.h.  We navigated some flooding without difficulty as we headed for Brindley with the interesting loop to Bath House Farm, which I have mentioned before as the historic site of a spa. Tilly’s and the café at Beeston Castle were very tempting to Mike, as well as myself, I guess, but Steve pressed on. The very sharp climb over the canal by The Shady always presents a challenge; it is a risk to run at it in a highish gear because of the preceding blind bend inhibiting your downhill momentum. Approach this bridge in a low gear at reduced speed and with your Vingegaard minus legs propelling nearly five stone more than Jonas you may fail. I mean, I know it is a very short climb, but how would Jonas fancy it with a ten year-old boy on his crossbar? Anyway, with all the determination of a wet lettuce, Big Ray registered a refusal. On reaching Huxley Lane Steve discovered that he had a thorn puncture. Mike and Steve sorted it with minor late assistance from me, with Ray resting like a beached whale on the opposite grass bank. To be fair, “too many cooks, etc…”!  And who would welcome Ray looming loudly into their kitchen to help them out? 

Ray’s cruising holiday, associated guzzling and lack of recent stage race exposure had temporarily set back his impressive post- electric fitness gains. Ray and me went ahead, as Steve and Mike apparently cocked up the final tyre seating and inflation, so didn’t catch us up before Rose Farm after all. As always, it’s a tough haul from Bate’s Mill Bridge to Utkinton, but we had enjoyed a fair bit of sunshine on our return, and for a day that had looked a potential write-off for leisure cycling, it had been well worth the effort. Many thanks to Steve for leading and the usual relaxing friendship from the troops. About thirty-nine miles covered. P.S. Steve did “a Dave Pipe” losing his wallet in Rose Farm car park but retrieved it eventually. Perhaps fortunately, also like Dave, there was not much in it to panic about

See route map and/or gpx file download

29th May 2025: Aston

 There were enough riders at Rose Farm for a three-group sortie into the sun and wind. Neil was hiding under the kitchen table at home. But who was that extravagantly bandanad character in the corner? As he walked over I realised that it wasn’t Jack Sparrow, but a Keith Richards look- alike and that wasn’t the only similarity, as Clive is also an enthusiastic guitar player.                                                                                        

Our very moderate group consisted of Big Ray, Mold Andy, and myself. Trevor, Jim Dale and Dave Matthews were not out for the day. As we were leaving we ran into Dave Pipe, who wasn’t oven-ready, so we arranged to meet him for lunch at “The Bhurty.”

 My route was deliberately meandering: south of Cotebrook we cruised the little lanes passing Boothouse Farm before heading for Alpraham and crossing the A51 for Bunbury. At the lovely old school house we stayed left for Haughton and Radmore Green. After a short spell on the main road we were back on familiar lanes at Gradley Green, before heading to Ravensmoor. With perfect timing Dave Pipe arrived at the crossroads having picked the fastest route he could to catch us up; I think that his electrical assistance was supplied by Tesla. We arrived at Aston expecting very good food in an attractive environment, and we were not disappointed. We had an interesting discussion including about the career routes and whereabouts of our adult children. Turn the clock back twelve years or so and Dave Pipe would probably have ordered spotted dick at The Bhurtpore in an extended lunch stop. No time for second courses today but Dave appreciated that the new owners have continued the tradition of stocking a wide range of strong ales.

Our return had us cycling a quiet loop initially alongside the Llangollen Canal before turning north at Gauntons Bank and heading for Chorley and Brindley. We took an excursion down to the site of the old spa, having had to scream to call Ray back as he had sailed too far ahead. Ray is trying to curb his enthusiasm but these days he is a bit too hot for his pants. It was a novel route for Dave Pipe, and we dismounted to look at the old salt and bath house. We negotiated the A49 and continued to Peckforton via Spurstow. The stretch of wooded hillside toward Beeston is studded with attractive old properties with lovely views. We decided to take a late break at the outdoor café at Beeston Castle. Andy provided a good excuse, as with another thirty miles to go into a strong headwind, he would particularly enjoy coffee and cake before battling to Mold. Andy also enjoyed a discount with his English Heritage card. The last few miles from here via “The Shady” involves a fair bit of uphill slogging, but we finally arrived with the patient Steve Tan waiting at Rose Farm. Clive was probably at home now playing Time is on My Side on his guitar having completed a much longer ride. Never mind, it had been a thoroughly enjoyable sunny day for us with over forty-two miles covered.

DH