27th August 2020: Goostrey (mod)

 There was a good crowd at the Delamere Station Café, meeting here for the first time since lockdown. It was especially good to see Keith, back after the surgery on his knee. Things had changed here with a new one-way system designed to confuse us and the only seating was outside. How will we manage when the bad weather comes?

As has become the norm, once coffees had been consumed, discussion turned to who was riding with who and to where. After a head count, it was decided to have two separate mod rides, with Ivan and John W scorching off on a brisk ride in the direction of Holmes Chapel.

I had mapped out a ride to The Crown at Goostrey and had booked a table for lunch with an ETA of about 12 to 12.15. Clive, Steve Hu and Erik made up the foursome and we left at about 10.20 heading initially in the direction of Hatchmere. Passing the crossroads, we turned into Forest Road and continued on down Beech Lane to join the B5153 through Crowton to Acton Bridge. At the bottom of Acton Lane, we had to wait for several minutes before there was a gap in the traffic so that we could cross the A49. How things have changed since the peace and quiet of lockdown!

The hill on Willow Green Lane which goes up and over the Trent and Mersey canal never gets any less steep, but we were soon crossing the A533 and heading along Ash House Lane and Cogshall Lane into Comberbach. As we did so, it started to rain a bit and I was mentally cursing Carole Kirkwood, as she said that the rain wouldn’t come until after lunch and I’d brought only my lightweight jacket. Fortunately, it eased off by the time we got to Great Budworth, where we stopped for a drink and for Steve Hu to fuel up a bit.

The route now took us in a loop passed Pickmere and Wincham where we took Linnards Lane down to the busy A556. As usual, we rode along the pavement until we reached the traffic lights at The Smoker. Steve Hu had to wait for a gap in the traffic to get back on the road and tucked in alongside a Jaguar. When the lights went green he set off and was hooted at by the Jag driver for his troubles. Steve later explained that the driver had switched into ‘chimp’ mode and recommended a book called The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters for more explanation. Bedtime reading, perhaps.

On reaching Lower Peover, we followed Free Green Lane. I’d memorized the fact that I should take the second right down Foxcovert Lane, but had to stop and consult the route on my phone before being confident enough to take this tiny lane, which looked pretty muddy. Fortunately, the muddy part was short and we were soon back on a hard surface. Heath Lane took us to Townfield Lane, where we crossed the A50 into Boothbed Lane and thence on to Main Road and The Crown, arriving there just after 12.

The waitress explained that they’d run out of several items due to demand on the ‘Eat out to help out’ offer, so only things on the Main Menu were available. The food came quickly and was of a good standard and reasonably priced; good enough reasons to leave The Crown on our list of favoured stops. Lunchtime conversation revolved around moving house (or not!), the vagaries of local authority planning and the cost of cutting down trees.

We left the pub at about 1.20, heading north-east out of Goostrey along New Platt Lane, crossing the A50 at Rudheath Woods and passing Shakerley Mere to reach Lach Dennis. At Davenham, it was ‘proper raining’, as John W would say, so we stopped to put on the necessary gear. Clive showed us a much safer way to cross the Northwich by-pass and reach Hartford. From here we took Hodge Lane to cross the A49 at Bryn and took Bag Lane heading towards Norley Bank, which provided only the second steep climb of the day. As we went up Maddocks Hill, Steve Hu said something about an average speed of 15 mph, but I find that hard to believe. My computer said fourteen point something. Reaching Hatchmere at 2.30, having covered a smidge under 40 miles, we said our farewells, with Clive and Erik heading in the rain for Chester, Steve Hu for his car and yours truly for Runcorn.

A good ride at a mod+ pace. Thanks to Clive, Steve Hu and Erik for your company.

ST      

See route map and/or gpx file download

2nd November 2017: Goostrey (mod)

Twelve Easy Riders gathered at Rose Farm, Utkinton on a grey, autumn morning.  Dave M was in civvies, John W was there for coffee, and the 10 others set off east ably led by Steve H.  Dave H true to form soon lost something, this time a £20 note.  He turned back scouring the undergrowth, not knowing that Andy had found it.  Clive went back looking for Dave, but not finding him returned. Mike G then took up the search and failed to return. Dave H rang to say he would join us at lunch. We assumed Mike and Dave had met up, so we carried on past Oulton Park.

The morning ride was otherwise uneventful and Steve T departed early at Winsford, with Andy B departing a little later, now leaving six: Andy W, Clive, Dave P, Ray, Steve H and yours truly on his first CER ride for 7 months.

Photos by Macca

With a mix of brisk and mod riders, the pace to Goostrey was slightly faster than normal, but that may have been due to me recovering from a broken rib from a crash on a NSW badly maintained cycle path.  Cycling through Winsford, across the M6, by 12 noon we safely reached The Crown, Goostrey (01477 532 128).  Shortly after arriving Mike joined us, making the numbers up to 7 again, but without Dave, whose whereabouts remained a puzzle.

Lunch time discussion was on the usual state of all our aches, pains, injuries and operations: plus ça change for CER then.  We returned via Davenham and Oulton Park to Utkinton, having ridden 74 kms at an average of 20 kph, so not particularly fast overall.

To add a bit extra here, I thought I would include a link to 2 cycle accessories recommended to me and purchased recently.  First, a Cateye BM45 Bar End Mirror, £11-69 from tredz.co.uk; I have found turning my neck increasingly difficult and this universal-fitting small mirror has been a god-send.  Secondly, I defy anyone to refit Continental tyres without pain, suffering, sore thumbs and much cursing.  They are all in the past if you purchase a Koolstop tire mate from SJS Cycles for £17-49.  I receive no commission for writing this.

Macca

16th February 2017 : Goostrey (brisk)

There were a dozen+ riders at the new start venue today. All the Briskers had ridden out, whereas others had come by car and one by train! So with a large Brisk  group of seven, consisting of Andy B, Ray, John M, Paul R, Steve T, Tom and myself, we set off bound for The Crown pub in Goostrey. It had rained a little on the way out to Delamere and as we set off via Norley, the roads were distinctly wetter. Within 2 miles we had “lost” Andy. After 15 mins of re-tracing our route by three of the group, we decided to press on as no phone message had been received from him. So we plough on through Bryn and Whitegate to “enjoy” Winsford on our way to circumnavigate and “enjoy” Middlewich.

Out on Highway 71, we are now free of the industrial towns and riding towards to Brereton. Here we avoid the local section of the 71 as it is very rough farm track and arrive at the drive of the Davenport’s ancestral home. Ivan wasn’t in today, otherwise we would have complained about the depth of pea gravel on the approach making cycling difficult. The Dane River Valley is picturesque as we ascend out of the valley passing through Swettenham. I decide to take the forded lane and, as the river is running quite high today, we take the pedestrian bypass on safety grounds. It’s a short blast to Goostrey and The Crown pub. There are a lot of white vans on the carpark, and I fear that it is closed for renovation, but the lights are on, and there is a cheery welcome from within. So we take over the conservatory being glad of the rest and the warmth.

The repast arrives pretty promptly and all agree it is of good quality as is the service overall. As we are tucking in, an apparition in yellow arrives on a bike. It's Andy B! Apparently way back in Norley, where he was the back rider, he had stopped briefly to check his bike and then couldn’t see which of the three roads we had taken. He’d already lunched at Jodrell Bank, which is a short ride away. Soon it was time to ride the remaining 25 miles of this 53 miler which takes us on a non-obvious return. I was definitely missing John W today, as he is often very generous in taking the pole position to provide some respite from the freshening NE wind.

So we take an upmarket estate agent’s cruise through the villages of Goostrey, Peover, Plumley, Wincham and Pickmere to take the Great Budworth cyclist’s northern bypass. Through Comberbach, we're on track for the Anderton boat lift and the chemical wasteland known as Winnington. Here there are a myriad of new houses being built with panoramic views of the chemical works. Passing by the rear of Hartford Golf Club,  we are now in Weaverham and soon crossing the outwards ride in Sandiway. A couple of more hilly slogs finds us back in Norley where we “lost” Andy. Steve T peels off back to Delamere Station as the rest of us wearily ride the 15 miles back to Chester.

So a 53 miles circular ride through some of the high and low spots of Cheshire countryside but, by the time we’re all back in Chester' it is 80+ miles today and the bike needs a wash again.

CA

24th November 2016: Goostrey (mod)

The day was forecast to be cold, clear and sunny – ideal for late autumn.  We assembled at Rose Farm Tea Room, which had been refurbished since my last visit – maybe they’d heard we were thinking of going elsewhere.  We were quite a large group (Chris, David M, Ray, Andy B, Dave H, Dave P, Paul, George, Trevor, Mike G and myself), and for once all were out for the day’s ride.

I wanted to try the ‘other pub’ in Goostrey. I’d been a couple of times on CER rides to the Red Lion and never been really satisfied with it, so today we were going to try The Crown.  We travelled out through Winsford and took the main road through Middlewich before heading NE towards Goostrey. The pub had no problem accommodating 11 unexpected cyclists, though we really needed a bit of organising over what was ordered and when it was paid for. Ordering complete, we settled down with our drinks, while a large pot of tea was brought over for Paul and Dave H, who had decided to improvise their own tea ceremony by sitting at opposite heads of the table, requiring tea and milk to be passed up and down. Next we were given linen napkins with the cutlery – not a luxury we Easy Riders are used to.

The food was regarded as being very fine, though it took us some time to complete the lunch as two of us had ordered starters and another two had ordered puddings. So it was that after a long lunch we hit the road again, with the fine weather continuing.  Our return took us through Lach Dennis and Davenham, before dropping down the rough track to cross the Weaver Navigation.  I’d been down this track only a week or so earlier and the pot holes had grown immensely since, probably helped by the heavy rain earlier in the week.  

Photos by Mike G

From there we took the Whitegate Way and continued in the direction of Little Budworth, before being forced to a stop when I got a puncture. Dave P took the lead in changing the tube, something I and probably the others are very grateful for, as he took at least half the time I would have done.  By the time it was fixed the temperature had fallen and the sun dropping close to the horizon.  Ideas of a café stop on the way back were abandoned and we pressed on to our start point at Utkinton. 

Overall 41 miles travelled on a very fine day, sustained by a good lunch.  Maybe The Crown should be added to our list of favourite lunch stops.

SH