29th December 2022: Brimstage (mod)

There was an excellent turnout of CER members for the last ride of 2022. The weather had been especially kind with a dry forecast for today sandwiched between two rainy days. Whilst most of the members shared stories of their favourite presents from Santa , Alan Oates was wrestling with a “king of thorns” puncture outside. This happened literally within 50m of Meadow Lea so hot coffee supplemented his spannering duties and he was ready to go again. 

Alan & Steve T both had a previous route from Mickle Trafford to Brimstage, Steve T fired up his trusty Wahoo computer and loaded the route first time, in fact a first time for Steve T as he normally has to ring the Wahoo helpline. So the mod group consisted of Dave M, Electric Pete, Steve T, Steve Hu, Alan, Ray, Andy B and Dave H.  It was particularly nice to also have Matt along on his recumbent. After a short time, Dave M and Pete went to do their own route and the intrepid 7 - all 15 wheels - set off for the Wirral.

The route took us along Salters lane and then joined Fox Covert Lane. This lane then pops you out by Chester Zoo. All was quiet there today, the animals probably sleeping off the excesses of Christmas Parties. The Dingos and Wolves having just celebrated Feliz Navidog. A quick dash across the A41 at Backford and down Station Road; this delightful lane meanders past the “5 Villages Hall”. A sharp right on to Demage Lane provides a lovely cycleway across the fields parallel to the railway line. A number of gates have to be traversed before ending at Bridle Lane and dicing with the Boundary Mill Traffic. 

A quick ride past Capenhurst and onto Ledsham Lane means the Welsh Road is soon in sight. From here a gentle spin into Hooton and then past Bromborough Golf club provides the first stop at Raby Mere. A quick zip tie bodge sees Dave H saddle bag re acquainted with his seat and we head for Higher Bebington. At the Storeton turn everyone is riding together, however by Brakenwood Golf course the peloton has put the hammer down, leaving Dave H, Matt and Steve Hu in the Autobus. Taking our life in our hands we approach Clatterbridge Roundabout. Matt and Steve take the cycle route whilst Daredevil Dave joins the cars to circumnavigate the roundabout. Unfortunately, Dave’s navigation sans paper Garmin is not up to the task and he finds himself outside Clatterbridge Triage gates, only 180 degrees out. A quick phone call from Steve gets us all to the Courtyard Cafe at Brimstage for lunch. 

Following an excellent array of sandwiches and drinks we leave Brimstage en route to Thornton Hough. Crossing a very busy Chester High Rd we cruise through Neston, Ness gardens and then plunge down to Burton Marshes. We were all delighted to see that the path had been cleared of agricultural effluvia seen by Alan 10 days earlier. With the sun setting over N.Wales, a group photo was hastily arranged. 

Photo by Steve T

At the junction with the Greenway, Andy and Steve H set of for N.Wales and the remaining team headed back to Meadow Lea

Thanks to Steve T and Alan for jointly leading the ride. 

See route map and/or gpx file download 

Steve Hu

9th December 2021: Brimstage (mod)

Another good turnout at the Cafe in Hawarden despite the thermometer reporting a cool 2 degrees Celsius. The brisk group replete with Buckets & Spades were enroute to Prestatyn, we trust you had a nice day gents. 

The mod group consisting of ride leader Alan, Trevor, Dave & Liz , Dave H Steve T, Steve Hu and Andy. Clearly Andy isn’t finding riding a 20kgs bike heavy enough so today he arrived complete with panniers. I suspect he is trying to outdo Roy (lets do a 90 miler with bricks in my panniers) Forster. 

The mod group plunged down Gladstone Way and used Alan's cunning route to ride over the A55 roundabout and get on the Shotton road. At this point instead of “Where’s Wally “ it was where’s the tandem!  A full five mins later Dave & Liz appeared , the combination of bollards tight turns and steep inclines had hampered progress some what. 

All back together again the group made their way along the river and towards the Toyota Park. At this point Alan regaled the group with his tree planting and Willow felling expertise. Sustrans have adopted a large triangle packet of land and are replanting native trees and controlling the woodland from the fast growing Willow.

The route then meandered until we approached Dunkirk on the Shotwick road. We now navigated numerous road closed signs and observed the busiest folk this week, are tree surgeons. Looking at the damage the Wirral took a real pounding by storm Arwen. A brief stop at Raby Mere then the route took us  past Brackenwood golf course and descended from Storeton hill towards Brimstage through another road closed sign. 

A fellow cyclist coming the other way advised the road was impassable, clearly he was not aware of Dave ( Indiana Jones) Heath's ability to cross roads. The underpass ( pictured) turned out to be a bit more of a challenge. Liz made a management decision and whilst 7 men debated if we could get across with a low engined Tandem , she was 400 m down the road going back the way we had come! 

Photo by AO

Suffice to say Liz’s decision was the right one and we braved the M53 roundabout to eventually arrive at out lunch stop the Mouse Inn in Brimstage. However the Mouse lived up to its name and was deemed too cosy for a Covid distanced lunch for eight of us. So we dropped into the Courtyard Coffee shop which provided a lovely fare for our hungry stomachs. 

Replete with Sausage Panninis and Cheese sandwiches plus 10 litres of tea we set off for Parkgate, the temperature had now dipped to three degrees and it had started to rain. Road captain Alan made a quick decision to re route us through Thornton Hough and Willaston. Another plunge to Burton brought us out by the marshes.

From here various members started to peel off leaving the committed to ascend the 300 feet back to Hawarden just as the drizzle started to get serious. 

Thanks to Alan for scoping out and leading the route. 

See route map and/or gpx file download

SHu

8th October 2020 : Knutsford (brisk)

The day didn't start off well - riding around the back of the zoo towards Meadow Lea cafe I had that rear end sinking feeling! The rear tubeless tyre was well down. So I try a CO2 cylinder and can see the cut spewing out a white mist like Etna. I tried a plug, but the tear was too big - so a £40 tyre needs replacing. A quick call to the AA (my wife's initials) and a spare rear wheel set is despatched by Tiguan. The brisk group wait patiently for me at the cafe, and I meet up with them after 30 minute delay.  Thanks for your patience boys!

There are six of us today - Ivan, John W, Nick, Erik and Steve F.  The route is to Knutsford and "somewhere" for lunch. The weather is supposed to be rainless but the dark clouds at the horizon might belie something else. So out the usual way to Oscroft and the long drag up to Willington. Ivan guesses where we are now heading and I offer a re-route but he says Chapel Lane hill is fine by him! We grind up it and along the ridge down to Cotebrook through wet lanes - a feature today. More familiar lanes take us to Whitegate and the off-road transfer to Davenham, thence to Lach Dennis.

We then head north for 4 miles up the delightful Back Lane and Pinfold Lane to emerge at the massive roadworks at the M6 Knutsford junction. Where to eat? - I suggest The Courtyard cafe introduced to me by John when the sun was shining and it was dry and warm. So we sit outside being reminded by the waitress that if it rains there is no room inside - I look heavenwards and see the black skies above and just hope! It is also the Pennyfarthing Museum - well at least you won't get a puncture with solid wheels!

Ivan can't resist trains - with his next bike in the window behind him!

It's time to go as we are all getting cold and lunch took a while to come. So we use the Tan Over Tabley transfer to get us over the roadworks and the M6, thence the Great Budworth bypass and pass through Comberbatch. Eschewing the Acton Bridge route back, we head for Sutton Weaver and the fast run down into Frodsham. A left into Fluin Lane perplexes a few riders who see the "flat" route back via Helsby to be in prospect - but No, we head for the hills again! Grinding up Manley Road it is a cruel option after 50 miles, but the fast route down to Mouldsworth is exciting  - for all the wrong reasons - that is, a very poor road surface hidden by puddles. 

In Mickle Trafford, it is only Erik and I who head for a coffee at the cafe as the other four riders head for home. Erik and I sit in the sunshine (it didn't rain today) reflecting on the 59 miles and 2800ft of climb at 15.5 mph average. So thank you one and all for your patience at the start of the ride, and at the top of the hills!

See route map and/or gpx file download

CA

Photo by CA