13th February 2025 : Knutsford (mod)

There were many walkers gathered at Delamere Station, and no vacant parking spaces apparent. Having popped my head into the café to ensure we had some candidates for a club ride, I managed to squeeze the Berlingo in between the line of cars and the far fence by the forest entrance gate. It was good to chat to Steve Hughes, Clive, Alan, Dave Matthews and Pocket Rocket Ray, but Dave was in civvies and there were no “moderate” riders around. George and Andy Barber have been rarely sighted recently, and Large Ray and Keith were somewhere (separately, thankfully) in the Caribbean. Then Trevor arrived having ridden from Guilden Sutton, so I no longer had to contemplate a solo ride. Three possible destinations were briefly considered, but as I would find it easy to fashion a route to and from Knutsford and write it up, Trevor went along with my preference.

This was my first ride on my Marin with last week’s snapped rear wheel spoke replaced, so fingers crossed! When we reached Crowton my steering felt so odd that I thought that I had a puncture, but it turned out to be the headset had been tweaked up a little too tight. From experience I know that extra lubrication will not provide the solution, so that’s an adjustment task for the week ahead. It is surprising how unnerving a tight headset can be at low speed; we make so many constant steering movements in order to balance that any variable resistance is hard to manage. 

While I’m on about mechanical issues, I have only twenty spokes in my back wheel. It is remarkable how it has survived for about two years with all spokes intact until last week. In particular, the wheel has had to cope with my Chris Hoy-like power and fifteen stone five pounds fully dressed weight. Trevor’s bike was built by the reputable Spa Cycles, and I could see at a glance that it had a zillion spokes in the rear wheel, and when I returned home I counted thirty- two on my spare road bike. So here I am, risking my neck on wheels for waifs. Marco Pantani on his 1998 Bianchi Mega Pro had sixteen Alpina spokes at the rear, which was considered “crazy!” but these were in some of the very first deep-section wheels, and Pantani was a sparrow(nine stone wet through). Even Pantani used twenty-four spoke Campagnolo Electron wheels for the Tour de France’s mountain stages.

Anyway, back to the ride description: from Acton Bridge we headed past Cogshall Hall and climbed up to Frandley, past the Quaker House. At Antrobus we turned down the quiet Keeper’s Lane passing Firtree Farm where family members once walked Alpacas with my son for a treat (he was nearly forty at the time!). We finished up in the grounds of Arley Hall, and I was able to point out to Trevor where I had crashed because I had stared too long at four birds in a field. I had been cleaned up in the equestrian centre at Arley Moss Farm where they were used to sending for ambulances after riding accidents, and I was eventually transported to Warrington Hospital where they spent hours trying to find someone qualified to stitch me up. This was no surprise as Warrington Hospital’s reputation has always been at Gregg Wallace level. 

The sign at Moss End showed only six miles to Knutsford. You can make good time on this stretch to the A556 Roman road, so we resorted to alternating the lead to help the pace and provide some shelter from the cold easterly headwind. We entered Knutsford from Tabley Hill, and locked our bikes to the railings at the rear entrance of Costa. Costa was friendly, clean, cheapish and saved time. The food? Just what you would expect, but I can’t see Jay Rayner making a visit anytime soon. Amongst other matters we discussed holidays, and it turns out that Trevor is shortly holidaying in Sri Lanka. Trevor so often has an imaginative destination or experience lined up, whilst some of settle for Tui, the Canaries, and finding someone to take the dog for a winter week away. 

Our return route was via Pickmere which once had a fairground on the banks of the mere, and you could take a ride on a large boat that plied the waters. There were dodgems, a ghost train, helter-skelter, and a café in the large house at the start of the lane down. We cycled through Great Budworth, passing the George and Dragon which has gone upmarket since Clive and I enjoyed liver and onions there on what I think was his first ride with the club. 

We took the Little Leigh route back to the A49 adjacent to The Leigh Arms. The climb up to Acton Bridge never gets any easier, but at least we had been wind assisted on our return and made good time before the inevitable slogs from the Weaver Valley up to Delamere. A slight misunderstanding climbing up to Norley meant we split up before Hatchmere, but mobile contact established that there were no problems, so Trevor carried straight on home and I returned to the Berlingo at Delamere Station.

 
A very pleasant, relaxed day with Trevor clocking up something like fifty-nine miles, and approximately thirty-nine miles for me.

DH

26th December 2024: Knutsford (mod)

There was a grey blanket over the landscape, and it was Boxing Day, and it was a new venue, so would anybody turn up for a bike ride? Keith and I had parked by the station, and as we cycled into the impressive newish Delamere Forest Café site we were joined by Trevor and Dave Matthews, who had both cycled from home. Trevor and Dave were returning home, but it was pleasing that they had made the effort, and we enjoyed a coffee and chat for half an hour.  The service had been instant, and it was a pleasant space to sit in complimented with modern toilet facilities and a convenient place to lock your bike. On asking Trevor, I was impressed to find that he had ridden sixty miles last Thursday; a decent achievement for a “moderate” rider with limited winter daylight hours available. Keith and I had a more modest mileage target as we set off for Knutsford into the fog.

                Although the forecast temperature was not too bad for the time of year, we felt chilly heading downhill for the A49 swing bridge over the River Weaver. Keith’s Christmas celebrations from the night before had him feeling less than robust, and I was regretting leaving off an extra layer of clothing. Never mind, the climb over the Trent and Mersey Canal up to Little Leigh warmed us up and we started to get “into the zone”! Visibility was reduced everywhere, and our glasses continually misted up with condensation, but with our lights on we didn’t feel particularly vulnerable as motorists should have been able to see about 350 metres. We headed north past Cogshall Hall to Frandley and Antrobus before turning right for Budworth Heath, Bate Heath, and crossing Chester Road adjacent to the M6. We entered Knutsford from Tableyhill. Costa was our chosen destination. It was easy to lock our bikes up at the back and it was less likely to be a coveted lunch destination for Knutsford’s Le Chameau welly wearers and Ferrari paraders. The staff were friendly, and we found a table right away. It was a better-appointed environment than my familiar Frodsham Costa.  

              Our return route took in Pickmere, Great Budworth and Comberbach. It appeared that the Spinner and Bergamot was open, and people were sat at tables outside The George and Dragon at Great Budworth. It was likely that to be served lunch inside at pubs open on Boxing Day we would have had to book ahead, so in the circumstances the certainty and quick turnaround of Costa had been a good choice. Well, it would have been a quick turnaround if we hadn’t had a cake as well and had an old guys’ discussion of the sort of things and type of people we couldn’t be bothered engaging with anymore. Then we had both limped out, with our various age-related lower limb damage to unlock our bikes; a post Last of the Summer Wine pairing. Back to the never-relished prospect of hard climbs to Acton Bridge, and from lovely little Onston hamlet to Norley, as the mist seemed to thicken. We reached the Berlingo at Delamere Station at about 3.30p.m.  Thirty-eight miles was enough on such a day, and we agreed that it had been enjoyable and well worth the effort.

DH

21st October 2021 : Knutsford (brisk)

On a dry and chilly autumn morning, a good turn out of riders were already enjoying tea and coffee at Rose Farm when John and I arrived. A 60 mile circular tour was proposed and Clive had suggested reversing the route. John, Nick and Ray set about the task of reversing the route using smart phones and their garmins. Twenty minutes later with task completed, 5 brisk riders set off with 5 garmins all synced with same route. What could possibly go wrong?

Into Tarporley we ride where a motorist makes a right hand turn without indicating and nearly takes Nick with him; then 50 yards further on, a lady motorist opens her door as John is approaching:- lucky she still had the door attached as we all passed. Turning left at the garage and safely through the town we now head to Eaton. 

We're riding the usual lanes towards Middlewich passing Wettenhall and  Church Minshull and we skirt around Middlewich taking Cinder Lane to Brereton Green. Joining the A50, we continue through Holmes Chapel. Here John decides to ride back to Chester as he's having an off-day and his bottom bracket not sounding good, and after a 130 mile Audax at the weekend, it's not surprising. The rest of us are taking a lane called Wash Lane to pass Shakerly and Dovermere lakes. We again re-join the A50 into Knutsford for our lunch stop. 

It’s Booths supermarket cafe we're visiting and we all enjoy a full English. As we were on the A50 road coming into to Knutsford, we passed a garage advertising diesel at £1.499 per litre. This started a discussion of Tory climate change objectives ranging from boilers to vacuum cleaners!!

Lunch finished, it’s back outside with hats and gloves on and a ride through the town before heading out along Ashley Road and the mega mansions of East Cheshire. The building trade are very active in this area as we pass many white vans parked up along the road. We cross the A50 near Tatton Park for the last time and head for High Legh. 

Passing Comberbach, our direction is Northwich-bound arriving on the hill near the Anderton boat lift. For a change it's down the hill to the lights taking the left turn for Whittington. Ten years ago when we started riding this area it was all industrial buildings but it’s a massive housing estate area nowadays.

Towards Hartford we climb up Burrows Hill then to Whitegate and the last climb up Cinder Hill. As we approach Oulton Park on Park Road Nick stops and calls us to halt. An education highlight is to inform us of the best-kept cattle pen used in the past to hold livestock when roaming the area. It is a NT site. Clive missed the tutorial as he was in the lead and failed to heed the call but as we know he may know the facts anyway.*

Returning at the crossroad at Utkinton, we say farewell to Nick as he heads to Rose Farm to collect his car and the rest of us head back to Chester via Duddon and Waverton.

A good day out in the October sunshine on this 62 miler, and now 80 miles on our garmins to reflect our efforts.

See route map and/or gpx file download

ID

(* There is a 10th century pinfold ( a pound for stray animals) in Capenhurst)

16th September 2021 : Knutsford (brisk)

The Brisk group was thin on the ground again today at Meadow Lea - just Ivan, John W and myself. We set off in sunshine bound for Manley then upwards over the hills to Kingsley. Here, I learnt via Wiki, that one famous local was Paula Radcliffe! Off to the Weaver Navigation, the path is a bit muddy but OK. At the lock transfer, Ivan becomes engaged in conversation with some silver walkers i.e. older than us! There is a massive tracked crane in the Weaver sitting on a large metal raft and more hardware up by the swing bridge, so maybe the rotting boats and barges are going to be removed at last.

Comberbatch comes and goes as does Antrobus, until we arrive at the Tabley Interchange at J19 of the M6. We fly over the M6 via the farmer’s bridge to take Moss Lane. This has to be the worst “surfaced" road in Cheshire as we bump away along it. We now run down along side Tatton Park and into Knutsford proper. I had selected Booth’s Supermarket cafe for luncheon and it didn’t disappoint on price, quality or quantity.

The route home is south out of Knutsford down the quiet Sudlow, Pinfold and Back Lanes before turning west to Lach Dennis and into Davenham. Here on Tuesday, I nearly become a cyclist sandwich between a parked car and a moving car which had overtaken me extremely closely. The elderly lady driver had no idea what she had done when I caught up with her a little further up the road.

We exit Davenham via Moulton and via the gravel track down under the railway and over the Weaver Navigation. Here at the locks, there are “fishermen” using strong magnets on lines to drag the canal to ensnare metal artefacts - strange hobbies these days! Up the road we take the Whitegate Way and stop at the community cafe for a well-deserved Magnum ice cream.

Real fishermen!

Weaver Locks

                                                       Whitegate Way

In and out of Little Budworth and Cotebrook, we then take the very familiar route back to Christleton via Utkinton. At Duddon, we notice a farmer flailing the hedge. In Christleton, I notice John’s back tyre is looking decided flat. A massive thorn is extracted from the tubeless tyre and John plugs it and re-flates and off we go again. However at the other side of Christleton, the tyre is slowly deflating once more. Upon inspection there was a tiny hole in the side wall where the large thorn had been extracted. Luckily, the tubeless sealant was persuaded to do its magic and get John home with unfortunately now a useless £40+ tyre.

 The culprit cf to a Garmin

Once again my thanks to John and Ivan for dragging me around the official 59 miler which turned out to be exactly 70 miles when I got home.

See route map and/or gpx file download

CA

Photos JW and ID

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

25th January 2018 : Knutsford (brisk)

Ten club members gathered at Delamere Station Café on a dry and sunny, if chilly morning. Dave M and Ken were there only for coffee, as they had commitments later in the day, so that left eight riders. These split into two fours, the moderates heading for the Red Lion at Pickmere and the briskers (John M, Ivan, Nick and Steve T) for “The Angel@ King Street” in Knutsford (96 King St, Knutsford WA16 6HQ. Tel. 01565 651165).

Initially we all set off together, but our routes parted at Hatchmere. From there we took one of the normal routes to Norley , Crowton and Acton Bridge. The climb out of the Weaver Valley took us up to Little Leigh from where we headed for Knutsford via Frandley, Antrobus and Bates Heath. Crossing the A556 at Tabley we zoomed into Knutsford, helped in no small way by the following wind, arriving at the Angel at 11:45.

To our surprise, they were already open and serving both food and ale. It’s a Joseph Holts hostelry that has recently had a makeover and it’s now a comfortable, well-appointed place. Ivan and John tried their ‘Two Hoots’ ale and seemed satisfied with it. The food was also of a good quality and at a reasonable price. A place to think about revisiting? Over lunch we discussed knee and back surgery (a subject relevant to several of our members); hearing aids, their limitations and technical developments and, weirdly, tides and why it takes half the time for the tide to come in at Widnes as it does to go out. I still haven’t found out why, but it seems to be peculiar to Widnes (why am I not surprised?).

The sun was still shining as we retraced our route out of Knutsford, but there were some dark clouds to the west, suggesting that we might encounter inclement weather before the end of the day. At Tabley Brook Farm, we stayed on the B5391, passing the Red Lion at Pickmere (were the mods still lunching?) and on into Higher Wincham. Here we swung right to pick up the A559 through Higher Marston before turning left up the short, but steep incline that took us to Comberbach. Steve had a minor mechanical here (chain off), but this was soon fixed and we cycled along Cogshall Lane to Dones Green where we crossed the A49 into Marsh Lane. This has to be one of the worst lanes in Cheshire. The top coat has been worn away in a random manner, leaving a rough and surface which makes it difficult to find any kind of smooth surface. It’s also slightly uphill which adds to the difficulty.

Turning left at the top of Marsh Lane, the skies darkened even more and the first spots of rain started. At Dutton, we stopped so that John could put on his waterproof. Steve chose not to do likewise, a decision he’d regret later. At Whitehouse Industrial Estate, we took a left turn down Aston Lane. Part of this has now been re-surfaced, so many of the potholes have disappeared and it’s now a nice lane to ride on. By now, the rain was coming down in buckets, with little prospect of a let up. So, rather than going on down into Frodsham, Steve opted to head for home as we reached Sutton Weaver, leaving the others to take refuge in Costa Coffee. From there, Nick headed back to Delamere and his car, and Ivan and John headed for home. As it happened, the rain stopped as soon a Steve left, so the others completed the ride in the dry.

The round trip from Delamere to Knutsford and back was about 44 miles and our average speed was 15 mph. A good ride with excellent company.

ST

24th November 2011: Knutsford

The Manley venue had been revamped and we sat in new chairs and cushions warming ourselves around an attractive fire feature.  Clive's chair was like a throne: he quite liked the title of "King Clive".  Clive had an innovative route around Grappenhall, Moore and Weston, but he went along with my alternative to Knutsford.  Paul, one of our new faces had returned.  We were eight altogether: Paul, Alan, Dave M, Dave B, Martin, Clive, Mike G and myself.  I was soon leading from the rear as I hauled my 15 stones plus up Sugar Lane.  We then headed north in the direction of Frodsham, right after Simmonds Hill and meandered off the main drag onto the small lanes, through Newton Hollow, and left at Crow Mere to Lord of the Manor, Djibril Cisse's property.  At this point I decided that a further detour to a viewpoint at the memorial above Frodsham was out, as we needed to press on.  I had decided that a brisk, no frills ride was now required to get to Knutsford and back in daylight.  We dived down to the A56, across the Weaver, turning right along Aston Lane.  Soon we were cycling around the picturesque duckpond at Higher Whitley, swishing through Antrobus and rollicking along in the direction of Tabley Hill.  It was pleasantly warm again, and all this pressing on had me desperate for a drink by the time we hit Knutsford, just on 12:30.  We marvelled at the McLaren showroom.  Someone deludedly wondered if you could order a carbon fibre bike rack with your £168,000, 205 mph, 12C!  Lunch was at the White Bear where they unlocked the beer garden for our bikes.  The staff were friendly, and the food and drink was fine, if unremarkable.
Dave Matthew's had an interesting proposal for a route back, so we went with it.  We set off at a quarter to two, after slowish service and some extra coffees.  Would we make it back in the light?  Dave's route back was a belter!  We set of at a good pace down the main road in a southerly direction, and then headed off right on a rural route to Davenham via Lower Peover and Lach Dennis.  Beer, extra coffees and some enlarged prostates required an early toilet stop.  We also had to negotiate a closed road, but the workmen were helpful as we edged through on the pedestrian route.  We passed some lovely old properties as we threaded through Davenham.  We then went through the woods after Hartford Bridge on a leafy route alongside The Weaver.  We came up through the golf course at Vale Royal on the Abbey site, and through a luxury toy town housing development close to Whitegate.  We then headed for the beautiful Mill Pond, just past Oulton Park.  From Cotebrook to Utkinton was hard uphill work, but we were soon ramming down Willington Road, as Dave M. took his leave near his house at Oscroft.  It was becoming dusk, but modern bike lights are reassuringly bright and we were close to home now.  Through the sandstone cutting at the back of Barrow, and back to Manley just on official lighting-up time, around 4pm.  Over 53 miles clocked up: pretty good for a winter ride!

DH

19th March 2009: Knutsford

Only one day off the spring equinox and with a glorious sunny day in prospect this was going to be a day to savour. Just riding out to the Windsurfing Centre along familiar lanes was a pleasure. I arrived early and settled down outside to the usual tea and teacake. Checking Twitter I gathered that Graham had set off to join us. Glennys turned up for a chat (too much CTC work to join us for today’s ride) and within a few minutes there were six of us chatting. Today’s destination of Knutsford was decided quickly after checking the map for approximate distance. Then cutting it very fine indeed, Dave and Liz arrived on their tandem to join us.
We decided on the straightforward route through Delamere Forest, Acton Bridge, Comberbach and Great Budworth and made good progress until we crossed the Trent & Mersey Canal by Valley Farm. Bryan, our leader, stopped to remove a layer and was promptly dropped. Now which way did the group go, via Little Leigh or Ash Tree Farm? “What a comedy” says Ray when we all meet up; the leader having discovered that he is easily dispensable. Dave and Liz decided to lunch in Great Budworth while the remaining five pressed on towards Knutsford at a good pace on beautifully smooth roads lined with daffodils. Lunch was taken at the White Bear where the landlady unlocked the beer garden gates for us. The Theakstons was perfect and the sandwiches and baguettes excellent.
The return journey was made south to Lower Peover where we turned west to Plumley and Higher Wincham. Dave insisted that we cross the Weaver Navigation at Dutton Lock. The last time I had done this route the section on the south side, under the viaduct, was little more than a muddy path: now it was a proper cycle path. Then it was up Norley Bank through the Forest and back to the Windsurfing Centre just in time for tea and cake before they closed at 5pm. There really is no better way to enjoy a sunny spring day than a great ride with friends.
Distance from Chester and back 65 miles.
BW