2nd May 2013: Hartford (brisk)

As the promise of a sun-filled day brings out the caravans on the roads, so it also does CER riders.  There were obviously too many for a single ride so, as I needed to back in Chester by 16:30, I offered a brisk ride to the Hartford Hall Hotel.  Jim took the sedate group Audlem way.  At first there was just Brian Mac and myself on the starting line, but soon Ray, Paul, Liz D and Martin ensured we were not a "Billy no mates" pack. 

We set off bound for Tilstone Fearnall via Beeston and the Bunbury bypass.  Then out via the quiet lanes to Wettenall, where a left turn took us into Glebe Green and then the Winsford suburbs.  The bright sunshine was enough to even make Winsford look good!  Approaching Foxtwist Green, we take the downhill road to Whitegates. Here a right up the incline takes us into the Vale Royal Golf club entrance.  Here we employ the reverse "Mathews Golf course traverse" route along the lane beside the Weaver Navigation.  The "road" here is now in a poor state after the severe winter, but just rideable in the dry.  Across Chester Road, we are at the Hartford Hall Hotel at 12:00 with 20 miles completed. With the spring sunshine continuing we partake of a promptly delivered and tasty repast in the garden.  Lunchtime conversation covers all the subjects that should not be discussed in a pub i.e. sex, religion and politics.

An hour up, we're off via the windy estate roads to take the old Chester Road westwards from Hartford heading for Cuddington and Norley.  The run back to the Ice Cream Farm is now straightforward via Delamere Forest, Kelsall, Willington and Huxley.  We arrive at the ICF by about 15:30 with 39 miles completed with no incidents on a fairly brisk, warm and dry ride.  Post refreshments, Ray, Paul and I make our way Chester bound as Brian Mac, Liz and Martin take to their cars.

CA

16th February 2012: Hartford (brisk)

Leaving right out of the Ice Cream Farm, the “brisk” group consisting of Paul, Ivan, Mike G, Tony, Dave & Liz and myself, set off at 18mph+ bound for the Hartford Hall Hotel.  The early part of the ride took us out via Beeston, Alpraham and out into open countryside on our way to Winsford.  Not the prettiest town, but dodging down the back streets we exit north looking to get across the Vale Royal cut of Weaver Navigation at Meadow Bank.  Over the river, under two bridges and after one km of rough track, we exit into the outskirts of Davenham.  Here we take the back streets to re-cross the Weaver over the blue bridge on the A556.  We arrive at The Hartford Hall Hotel just at 12:00 having covered 20 miles in 90 minutes with the tandem two determined to keep on the pace.
The food arrives in a leisurely fashion and 100 minutes later we eventually get out ready for the ride back.  The weather has been dry as forecasted.  Once again a few urban backstreets get us out towards Sandiway and Cuddington.  At Norley, the drizzle starts and we plough on through a monochrome Delamere forest.  Since it is ridiculously early, we decide to head back to the Ice Cream farm.  Taking the Kelsall road, we head up and out of the forest as the drizzle stops.  The tandem duo gives us absolution to drop them, so we five motor through Kelsall and Willington bound for Tattenhall.  Mike G peels off right near Clotton heading northbound for Chester station and Ivan and Tony follow at speed, whilst Paul and I decide to go to Old Ma’s place to try it out.  It looked shut, but opened up for just the two of us.  A very brisk 40 miles today, and Paul and I ride to Chester via Saighton where the drizzle is waiting for us for the last few miles home.

CA

3rd March 2011: Hartford

Foggy and cold the day started but it ended up bright and sunny as we met at the Little Roodee Café.  As sheep-mode was engaged, Bryan, Dave B, Ivan, Andy, Ray S, Trevor, George, Martin and Liz and me set off promptly for a route which was planned to take in the local industrial heritage on our way to a new pub in Hartford.  Dave M still looked poorly and excused himself.  The Tandem Two arrived just as we were setting off but mysteriously off-loaded once they knew that Ince Marshes were on the menu.
Wending out of Chester on highway no 5, we scooted down through the zoo and out onto the towpath towards Stanlow.  Bryan had advised that the aptly named Oil Sites Road was open so we cycled through the local industrial heritage that is Stanlow Oil refinery into the surprisingly quaint Ince village.  Marsh Lane started off quite well – Bryan had advised that it was rideable in dry conditions but somewhat rough.  Well it was dry-ish and it was rough!  The lane is being “improved” by laying recycled old tarmac and eventually it will be compacted but today it was more like porridge than tarmac.  I took the executive decision to cut and run so we headed for Helsby rather than continue for even more mud toward Frodsham.  Why do slick tyres pick up so much mud?
Taking Howey Lane, we climbed out of Frodsham onto the Kingsley Road with the sun emerging out of the cold fog.  Taking Ball Lane out of Kingsley, we headed for the Weaver towpath, or were we?  Just before the end of the lane, a sharp right confusing marked as a No Through Road takes us out to Acton Bridge.  Hanging left at the railway station and onwards to Weaverham for more industrial heritage on the outskirts of Winnington.  Cries of “Are we nearly there” are rewarded with the Hartford Hall Hotel coming into view.  The “2 for £10” menu was on offer and we all partook of it: the well-presented and tasty food came quickly and although Lime and Lemonade was £2.60, the soda variant was £1.10- a useful lunch stop for future rides.
The return journey employed a muddy NCR5 to get us across the Weaver near to Meadowbank and onto local route 71 aka Whitegates Way.  At Cotebrook, the creperie café was closed, so Summertrees it was for afternoon cake and tea – ‘but which way to go?’ - the direct ascent via Tirley Lane or the psychologically “less hilly” route via Hollins Hill, Knights Lane and Quarry Bank.  The cake stimulus spurred the group the take the actually hilly indirect route with 350ft of ascent.  The fast spin down to Willington and Oscroft was short lived but Ivan sped off into the distance missing the Tarvin turn in Oscroft. There we found Dave M with his flat cap on, supervising his building works.  Wending our way back to Chester either to the canal or the greenway, we ended up with a 54 mile circular route that was even muddier than last week’s ride around Penley!

CA