27th June 2019: Hodnet (mod)

We gathered at the Ice Cream Farm on a day forecast to be warm and sunny throughout – what a change from recent weeks. It was good to see a couple of faces who hadn’t been around for a while: Andy W and Bob.  Also, there were David M, Andy B, Trevor, Neil, myself and a new member Graeme. On such a lovely day it was surprising to see no brisk riders, and none of the usual suspects among the mods. David M and Andy W went their own ways, which left a riding group of six.

Given the weather, I had in mind a longish ride to The Bear at Hodnet. This met with approval from Bob and Trevor as preparation for their upcoming Bert Bailey ride, and Graeme, on his electric bike, was interested to see how his battery power would hold up. We set out for Tilston, and then to avoid the hill into Malpas (in honour of the absent Dave H), we used Cholton Lane to approach the town from the west. Continuing through Higher Wych, we arrived in Coton which was to have been an alternative destination in case of any difficulties.  All were happy to continue, and so we continued through Prees and up the hill to Marchamley. We sped downhill into Hodnet and The Bear, having covered 32 miles and most of the day’s hills.

The Bear calls itself “an unpretentious gastro pub”, and as usual we received a good welcome and decent food and drink. There were questions about the pub’s history, which we couldn’t answer at the time, but the following comes from the Bear’s website:
“The Bear at Hodnet is said to date back at least 500 years and is said to still contain the passages used to hide the monks as they came from the church. These tunnels, ending in what is now called the bear pit, may also have been used to transport ale underground in order to avoid tax levied on ale transported over land. Today’s modern bear pit was created by an enterprising publican in the 1970's and contained two young bears until common sense allowed their release. It is believed, however, that during the 16th century the Inn may have had its own bear pit in what is now the car park. The owner allegedly kept the bears in a pit below the bar. It is said that that regulars fed the bears food and drink and some of the bears are said to have died from alcohol poisoning.  Apparently bears are infamous for their love of beer but cannot process it to quite the same effect as some of our regulars. The modern bear pit is now contained in an area known as 'Jaspers' named after the ghost of Jasper Neilsen, a Scandinavian merchant, who died of hypothermia in around 1590 after becoming intoxicated and having an argument with the landlord.”

It was time to leave. Graeme had used 2 fifths of his battery so would probably be OK for the shorter and less hilly return. We headed towards Market Drayton and used pavements to avoid the busy Ternhill roundabout, before striking off through quiet lanes and the villages of Longford and Longslow. Then we headed northwards past the impressive gatehouses of Shavington Park, continuing through Aston and into Wrenbury. In the absence of any cafes on the return route, we paused at Wrenbury Village Stores, and enjoyed our drinks and food sitting on their forecourt. Here it became clear how hot the sun was.

Photo by Steve H

The way was now by Cholmondley Castle and Bickerton.  Graeme decided that it was time to head directly for home in Malpas with concerns that his battery would not take him back via the ICF, and Andy left to take the A534 and head towards Mold.  The rest of us took the route by Brown Knowl and Bolesworth Castle to avoid Harthill, and so returned to our start.

We’d covered a total of 61 miles on a beautiful summer’s day.

See route map and/or gpx file download

SH

25th October 2018: Hodnet Special Ride (mod)

I hadn’t led many rides this year, but I reckoned a Special Ride in late October would be a useful club contribution. So with my penchant for trying to visit historic sites or buildings, I settled on a ride start from supposed site of the important Lancastrian dynasty battle in 1403, at Battlefield, just north of Shrewsbury. It is really worth a read on Wiki about this important battle so click on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Shrewsbury

Luckily for us the Sparrow’s Cafe on the Albrighton Estate was an ideal starting point just off the A49 north of Shrewsbury. The Moderate group consisted of Trevor, Keith, Ian, George, Steve H and myself. We let the Brisk group zoom off first as we followed them on roads anew to Bowmore Heath and Myddle. Approaching Myddle, we pass by an impressive red sandstone ridge which Ian confidently states is the southerly extent of Cheshire Sandstone. Passing through the middle of Myddle, we head north before taking a familiar lane to Loppington skirting Sleap airfield.

Dave M had taken the train to Gobowen and was planning to meet us here and going with us onwards to Hodnet. He was a little behind schedule, so texted to say he would meet us at The Bear. We are now approaching familiar territory as we take the NCR445 wiggling its way towards Whixall, Prees and Faulsgreen. Missing out Marchamley ridge (and its hills), we run down through Wollerton to The Bear in Hodnet at just before 1300. The brisk group have already finished their lunch, with Dave M tucking into his. Dave had apparently taken a more direct southerly route via Wem hence overtaking us in doing so. He was then cycling back home.

We have been to The Bear before, and, as before, the welcome and food did not disappoint. Conversation was as varied as ever but included club ride reminiscences of successes and disasters alike. For the return route, I had modified the published route to miss out a large section of the A442 Wellington road. So new long lanes and countryside to appreciate. Crossing the A442, we now enter into the Roden River valley passing through Higher Ercall, and skirting Roden and Rodington. Too soon we arrive at the A49 Shrewsbury bypass and wiggle our way through a massive housing estate as the late afternoon traffic builds.

Arriving back at Sparrow’s cafe, the Brisk group are tucking into hot drinks and cake having motored around the 62 miles at 17.7 mph. Our average over the 47 miles was nearer a sedate 14 mph as we also tuck into coffee and cakes before the 40 mile drive back to Chester.

So “thank you” to all of you who came  out on both rides today. The weather was as forecasted - dry, very cloudy, light winds and 12C, but there was good visibility as we could see the Wrekin and Long Mountain in the far distance. There were at least 50% “new” lanes today joining with familiar lanes  south of Whitchurch. 

See route map and/or gpx file download

CA

25th October 2018 : Hodnet Special Ride (brisk)

Today we had a special ride organised by Clive. Car assist to Battlefield (Shrewsbury) and a combined route for both Mod’s and Brisk as far as The Bear inn at Hodnet. The brisk riders were John W, Ken, Ray and Ivan.

Leaving the Battlefield café  (I’ll leave Clive to complete the history of this location), we join the cycle way adjacent to the A5124 for a couple of miles before turning onto Huffley Lane taking us towards Bowmere Heath and Myddle. Clive had put in a little divert here to take us off the A528 following good CTC practice, as John advised us, which decreased our main road time by a minute!! But it was a good road lane and not a muddy track. Leaving the main road, we have the pleasure of new country lanes and enjoy the relative quiet and reasonably surfaced roads. 

We pass through Prees and are routed to the villages of Darliston and Fauls. As the route is mainly flat, we join the Drayton road into Hodnet and I’m a little concerned that we would arrive before 12:00!! So, we had a cool down for a couple of miles. As we enter the village, we have a manic red transit van driver who took a dislike to us riding two abreast and directed his battering ram/van at us before swerving to miss us by inches. He is in a minority on our roads (I hope). As we’re are having our lunch, Dave M arrives after cycling from Gobowen to join us, shortly followed by the moderate group.

Our route back to Shrewsbury was extended by a few miles compared to the moderate route, so leaving our buddies to enjoy their lunches, we hit the saddle and ride out to Stoke on Tern, Eaton on Tern and Bolas where we join the A442 before turning onto the B5062 for another Tern, Longdon on Tern. We stop for a photo shoot looking at the Wrekin which we are riding the shoulder of before a downhill sprint where we meet a Freelander. John and I go one side while Ken skims the left side. Near miss and thankfully all ok. Not a red van driver, although we probably appeared as kamikaze riders to him although it had been a long quiet lane to this point.

Wrekin havoc!

Our next photo call was at the large Roman ruins at Wroxeter. A Roman City once the fourth largest town in Roman Britain during AD90s. Worth a visit. We ride along the walled gardens of Attingham Park for a mile + before hitting the outskirts of Shrewsbury where Clive has a housing estate tour in store for us. It proved a good short cut back to Battlefields and certainly a lot less car/lorry polluted. Shrewsbury has changed considerably since I lived there during the 80’s.

Three old relics at Wroxeter Roman city

Arriving back at the café we enjoy tea and cake while awaiting the arrival of the moderates who were not too far behind us. Thank you, Clive, for a great 63 miler route at 17.7 mph average speed. 

See route map and/or gpx file download

ID

Photos by JW and KP

19th April 2018: Hodnet (mod)

Gathering at the ICF were CER members keen to make the best of the hot and sunny forecast. Making a welcome return were Clive and Dave P, keen to demonstrate their cycling fitness, though I think Dave was showing off by riding his fixie! They joined Dave H, Keith, Andy B, George and myself in the mod group.  Nick and Ivan were planning a brisk ride. Dave H set expectations for his slow riding early on, saying that “My wife, Keith and I had a heavy night last night”. As eyebrows were raised, he clarified that they had all been to a boxercise class.

Our route was to a new destination for me: The Bear at Hodnet. We headed out through Tattenhall and Tilston, and much to Dave H’s disgust, through Malpas.  Dave has a strong dislike of Malpas, maybe something bad happened to him there once. Then it was through Higher Wych and towards Fenn Wood.  At one point some one thought our route was taking us towards Arrowy. Such was the fear in your author’s mind of the dire state of this lane, that a halt was called and the map consulted.  Relieved that we were passing well to the east of Arrowy, we continued.  The heavy flooding of recent days had largely disappeared from the lanes, though the mud left behind had dried and created clouds of dust when larger vehicles sped by.  We passed pleasantly through Coton and then Prees, before approaching Marchamley from the north – a steep uphill but nothing like as bad as the approach from the south.  Then it was a fast downhill into Hodnet, with The Bear in its centre.

The Bear is a large rambling inn with many rooms, one of which has a glass floor revealing an old well beneath.  It is said to date back 500 years and there was once a bear pit on the site. Also dating back many years, our CER members settled down to eat and drink.  Many chose the two courses for £9.50. We spoke about the move away from diesel and petrol to hybrid and electric cars.  Then we settled on a topic we could really get our teeth into, a trip down memory lane. The question was simple, who recorded “On the road again”.  The answer was harder to find. There must have been 20 or 30 wrong answers put forward, before finally someone said Canned Heat.

Photo by Steve H

It was time to leave.  We headed through Wollerton and then negotiated the busy Ternhill roundabout using the pavements. Back onto the quieter roads we passed through Longslow, where we had a photo stop, and then around Shavington Park, enjoying the afternoon sunshine, the parkland scenery and the gentle lanes. Heading north towards Aston, we paused to consider where to take a coffee break.  The Bhurtpore was a possibility, but rejected after Dave P said he would have to have a curry if we stopped there.  Instead we made for Wrenbury Village Stores, just as the primary school day was ending. We sat outside in the sun enjoying drinks and some food.  A mother with her two young sons sat nearby while they ate their ice creams. We struck up a conversation and  Keith tried to encourage the boys to leave school and join the circus.

From Wrenbury, the route took us past the Cholmondley Arms, Bickerton, over Harthill and back into Tattenhall. We had travelled 58 miles on a day when local temperatures had reached over 23 degrees. Nationally it was the warmest April day since 1949. And it had been great to welcome back Clive and Dave P to a full ride.

See route map and/or gpx file download

SH

5th April 2012: Hodnet (brisk)

Great minds think alike they say, so Jim’s idea of going to Calverhall and mine to go a little further to Hodnet bore this out as about a dozen of us supped tea and coffee at the Ice Cream Farm. Five of us (Ivan, Ray, Mike G, Tony and I) shot off bound for Hodnet. The idea was to go via Burwardsley to Malpas then Higher Wych and on to Fenn Bank. Mike G seemed to have fuelled up with nitro as he led for most of the day’s cycling at a very fast pace.  Arriving at Tilstock, my bike nav was playing up, so luckily Mike’s stone age technology of an OS map came into play as we shot off left bound for Prees, Marchamley and finally Hodnet. 

The Bear Hotel was the lunchtime venue and we were very pleased to get into the warm. The sun never really came out all day and if anything, it got colder post lunch. The food was fine but the pub a little unfriendly. The return routing took us up some delightful lanes to Ightfield and then via Edgeley into the back of Whitchurch. Sniffing our way through the town, we accessed the towpath to take us to Grindley Brook. We then dodged either side of the A41 exiting to take the lane to Hampton Post, Brown Knowl and then down behind Bolesworth Castle to be back at the café, 57 miles later, just before 16:00. The cake and tea were welcome as Ivan rang Andy to find that the other group were still some 10 miles away. Returning to Chester with 80+ miles under our tyres, we reflected on where does Mike G get his energy from, and why hadn’t the sun shone as per the forecast. Never mind – a grand day out all the same.

CA