30th April 2026: Winsford (Whitegate Way)

What a cracking sunny day at Rose Farm, with approximately 15 members keen to ride and DM in civvies. I believe 3 groups formed (2 Mod and 1 Mod+). I don’t believe there was a fast group, despite a few fast boys being there. I think the arrival of Ivan frightened them off-Lol. However, Nick was just there for coffee and Clive fancied a spin with ST’s group (once he saw Ivan arrive -Lol).

There was bike trouble before we even got started, with Keith visiting the bike shop around the corner, in order to solve a slipping seat post. Notable absentees this week were; ‘the thief’, on his hols in Scotland and TT2 ( Teflon Toby), which was particularly vexing, as I had carried a book  under my top that he had loaned me. Fortunately, if you’re reading this Toby, DM fancied reading it, so he has it now.

 

I had a real wind whisperer’s route, due to the forecast for as much as 30 Kph of wind by 1pm and it was already fairly stiff on the ride over, as F&E can  attest to, after 21 miles of cross headwinds to get to RF, just 10 for me, but yes, I did notice the SE wind- Lol.

 

My group became RR (Rapha Ray, on his new steel stead, with wireless SRAM gears and 32mm tyres) Chris (Lastminute.com), who was on time -Lol. And the CB’s of course. Before we got going and just as I was grabbing my helmet, I noticed a thin wallet on the floor, which on further investigating, was a wad of credit cards belonging to our new member, who was just mounting his bike, when I re-united him with said cards. A somewhat unusual way to introduce myself to Anthony-Lol.

 

We set off right out of RF and quickly covered the first few miles as we were running with the wind, to the NW via Willington, Oscroft and Little Barrow, in order to swing east and take advantage of the protected lanes through Manley and Delamere forest. The lane past Manley Mere, which used to be a shocking bumpy ride, has been resurfaced by the way. Despite most of the club being frightened away from Delamere last week, due to the road closure, I chose to lead my merry band through the crossroads at Hatchmere, as I had heard there was an improvised pedestrian way. The road works are massive, which are going to be there for some time, it would appear.

 

So, no problem getting through as we progressed to Norley and my usual favourite little uphill lane (Gallowsclough). It’s then only a mile or so before a rapid descent into Cuddington and a right turn into Waste Ln, where Chris and I got to practice our bunny hopping-Lol.

 

Waste Ln is the entry point onto the Whitegate Way (WW), with several speed bumps. I planned to ride WW all the way to Winsford - almost 7 miles of lovely woodland track (disused railway track in fact) and on this occasion, directly into the wind, but you would never have known it as it is shrouded in trees of course.

 

After almost a month of virtually no rain and stiff winds, it was a perfect day for it.

Roughly 4 miles later we reached the perfectly placed Station House cafe and stopped for lunch.

We parked up next to the recently established bike service station, which was a stand of tools, including track pump, all nicely secured by cables (can’t trust anybody these days-Lol)

This gave us the opportunity to have a gander at RR’s new bike, which seemed very light weight. I remarked that he must be enjoying the comfort of the steel frame and more importantly the 32mm tubeless tyres, which he confirmed with a smile.

 

Anyway lunch came quickly and at a good price for a change (clearly makes a huge difference when charity based, not sure in what way, but I think the staff are volunteers at least). Lunch conversation was varied with no major discussions about wars or AI- Lol, pretty much like an everyday coffee morning really -I won’t say women’s coffee morning, but you know what the ‘chatter box’ can be like. And true to form, it took a while to get him going, then he decided he needed the loo, after everybody had already been while waiting for him-Lol.

Lunch at Station House Cafe

We eventually got going again and continued SE on the WW, only to be brought to a halt, after a mile, by the bridge being out.  Not just because of a barrier for maintenance, but no actual road over the bridge. There were just support beams, spanning the road below, which you could see (Dalesford Ln / Whitegate Rd). This completely scuppered the ride plan. 

 

After consulting my Garmin, there was no alternative whatsoever. We couldn’t even get down off the WW into the adjacent fields. No tracks remotely nearby either. So, there was no choice but to back track to the cafe and take the usual Clay Ln, when leaving the cafe. This meant we lost the final 4 to 5 mile loop around the western suburbs of Winsford.

 

So, the next 10 miles or so I winged it on a meander to Bunbury and beyond, in an attempt to make up the mileage, which panned out fine in the end, as nobody needed to get back to RF. So, in another change to the plan we simply carried on toward Tattenhall via Beeston, as everybody either needed to get back to Waverton or Chester.

 

We eventually got going again and continued SE on the WW, only to be brought to a halt, after a mile, by the bridge being out.  Not just because of a barrier for maintenance, but no actual road over the bridge. There were just support beams, spanning the road below, which you could see (Dalesford Ln / Whitegate Rd). This completely scuppered the ride plan. 

 

After consulting my Garmin, there was no alternative whatsoever. We couldn’t even get down off the WW into the adjacent fields. No tracks remotely nearby either. So, there was no choice but to back track to the cafe and take the usual Clay Ln, when leaving the cafe. This meant we lost the final 4 to 5 mile loop around the western suburbs of Winsford.

 

So, the next 10 miles or so I winged it on a meander to Bunbury and beyond, in an attempt to make up the mileage, which panned out fine in the end, as nobody needed to get back to RF. So, in another change to the plan we simply carried on toward Tattenhall via Beeston, as everybody either needed to get back to Waverton or Chester.

 

After a regroup at the right turn to the Ice Cream farm, just a couple of miles from Tattenhall, somebody suggested that we should stop for one. I then suggested that we pulled in to the drive-through and grab a deck chair outside, around the mini lake, complete with fountain, which we duly did (see pic) .

 

After telling the guys that one simply scans the QR code on the posts all around the lake to order, they proceeded to find it not so simple- Lol. Steve Hu decided to bin it and go inside and order, only to find he still had to order from a screen -Lol. However, less than ten minutes from ordering, our ice creams were delivered to us in a refrigerated golf cart- perfect!

Quick service suited KK aka CB1 aka Alan- Lol, as he needed to get back by a specific time. 

No sooner was I beginning to enjoy my deckchair and the stunning chocolate ice cream with stickie crunchie, when the boys all decided to race off with KK, leaving me to enjoy the peace alone-Lol.

 

After 10 minutes I set off for home, just 3 miles away and got there with 53 miles on the clock and an AV speed of 14.2 MPH, which was not so bad considering my very slow 10 miles to RF in the first place. I figure the group probably averaged 14.5 MPH at least, despite the stop-start day.

 

Yet another cracking day with CER. An uneventful day, bar the route being scuppered-Lol. Great company and a novel finish to the ride, with more than a few groans from everybody trying to pay for ice cream via an app-Lol, Lol.

 

Till next time ladies!-Lol

 

Neil, aka ‘the wind whisperer’

9th April 2015: Winsford (brisk)

Like the warm weather brings out the caravans on the roads, there were a fair few of us at Manley Mere. It was definitely the “First Day of Shorts” after what seems like an interminable long cold period of bib tights. Trevor and the mod group were bound for the excellent “Salt Barge” pub at Marston, so I rustled up a brisk ride to Winsford for Tom, John, Steve T and Darren. 

We all start out the same way up Sugar Lane. We then turn left to Alvanley and down the fast descent to the outskirts of Frodsham only to slog up Howey Lane to take the top road to Kingsley. There’s definitely a spring in our cleats today as we rush through Kingsley and then off left towards the Weaver down two No Through Roads. We stop briefly at the top of Acton Bridge Hill to salute the Moderate group on their way to Marston. Out through Weaverham, we take Burrow Hill to Hartford. I’d planned to go through Davenham and Bostock Green to Winsford, but we would have arrived before we started out, so a loop goes in on the hoof towards Lach Dennis. The main roads are fast and quiet as we turn back towards Middlewich and the outskirts of Winsford. Clive Lane takes us down to the Weaver Park and out via an agricultural track by the Bottom Flash of the Weaver Navigation. 

The lunch time choice was the Diner at the Old Star pub, but in the absence of any bar staff, a couple of the clientele tell me that lunch finishes today at 12:30! So back to Winsford metropolis and the Queen Anne pub. So after 33 miles, we sit outside in the sun, and Wetherspoon’s does not disappoint on price, food or beer choice; all of which come PDQ. 

By Bottom Flash

Photograph by John Wilkie

As we congregate to leave, I notice a bald spot on Tom’s rear tyre; it had worn through to the casing and there were worrying bulges in the sidewall. Tom informs us that the tyre is “not very old". A local cyclist offers advice and informs us that Cyclone Cycles, next to the Salvation Army, should have a suitable tyre and thus will be Tom’s (and our) salvation. A Schwalbe Lugano is soon fitted and we are off for a flat ride back. Contrary to popular myth, brisk rides are not all hills! 

Steve T offers that it hasn’t rained since Saturday, so this confirms to me that the entire 5 miles of the Whitegate Way will be suitable, and indeed it is. The old track is rock hard and bestrewn with walkers, their dogs, and other cyclists. At the station stop, Darren decides that the previous two days cycling have taken their toll, and he elects to wend his own way back. After exiting onto Norley Lane, we eventually take the delightful Gallowsclough Lane to enter central Norley and thence on to the Delamere roller-coaster. Rather than going up the Mouldsworth Hill, we take a bypass lane to Ashton Hayes and thence back to Manley with 51miles duly executed. Tom, John and I then make our circular way back home via Cheshire Oaks for 70-90m on the clock. 

CA

6th November 2014: Winsford

The Met Office has asked the Government if it can buy a £90+ million supercomputer to take over from the £33 million one, so as to aid better forecasting. They certainly need it as it was forecasted to rain for most of the morning, and heavy at that. With this in mind I think all riders came dressed ready for a deluge. Unexpectedly no deluge came, except for some annoying light rain part way during the morning. So a little over-dressed Ray, Ivan, Steve T, Tom and myself set off from Manley on a non-obvious route for Winsford. Bryan tagged along for a few miles, but dropped off to travel solo.
The route was carefully “designed” to show off the best of the countryside as we headed out to Aston then up via Mouldsworth to Alvanley, and finally, the hill round the back of Frodsham to top out on the road to Kingsley. We then dived down towards the Weaver and along Cliff Lane (a No Through Road apparently with no cliff either) to exit at Acton Bridge. Here we said goodbye to the countryside and exchanged it for the suburban delights of Weaverham, Hartford and Davenham. We take the Bostock Green bypass and then enjoy the industrial delights of Road One of Winsford Industrial Estate (think Bumpers Lane x 4). Finally, we exit this wasteland via some green belt and then back into the edge of Winsford and the Old Star Pub on the Church Minshull road.
There’s a wake due in soon, so we are corralled into the snug with road-side cafe food coming via the attached Diner. The diner proprietor warms to us and soon the generous, tasty and inexpensive fare arrives quite quickly. We all celebrate Tom’s Big Birthday and Ivan and I venture a second pint. As Ivan entertains us with railway tales of yesteryear, Ray surprises us with his choice of music on the electronic juke box. Tom is somewhat quiet, no doubt contemplating life post 60!
The route back takes around Winsford’s western edge and out into the open countryside once again bound for Delamere via Norley. Only 42 miles and we were back at Manley at 15:00 so that Steve could collect his car. We four then head for home with 60+ miles on the clock. It hardly rained, which was a bonus for this enjoyable and entertaining ride.

CA

12th December 2013: Winsford

For a murky mid-December day there were a surprising number of riders at Rose Farm. I had prepared a ride to the "Coach and Horses" at Bradfield Green, but a call the evening before found that the pub was closed for refurbishment. So a hastily re-hashed route was loaded up on my iPhone. The tandem two are just arriving as we are leaving but nevertheless plan to meet us in Winsford for lunch. We i.e. Ray, Petar, Stephen, Paul W, Brian, Dave H and Bryan set out on a northerly sweep to Delamere via the top lane at 500+ft past Summertrees. Then swooping down past the Yeld, we end up racing through Delamere to Hatchmere crossroads. Here Dave H and Bryan cut the corner to access the start of the Whitegates Way down at Waste Lane at Cuddington. We however turn left and right up Forest Lane for the downhill run to Crowton. Turning back towards Norley Bank, we take the tiny Sandhole lane to skirt around the steep climb up Norley Bank. The road surface deteriorates until we can ride no more due to a fallen tree preventing any circumnavigation. 

Photograph by Brian MacDonald

So back we go, and steadily grind up Norley Bank. Here it is just a matter of turning left and right around the diving lanes to access Waste Lane and the long flat run to the exit into Grange Lane and onwards to Wetherspoons. We have 21 of the 41 miles now completed. The Tandem Two arrive just after we have eaten and are making their own way back to Rose Farm. So after a very rapid repast, we all set off for Darnhall, but confusion soon sets in when a schools-worth of juniors are crossing the road with a police escort. Ray, Stephen and Petar having been caught up in it, don’t realise that all of us have turned right. A phone call later sets them on the correct course. Meanwhile Bryan and Dave H are making their way back to Rose Farm by the obvious direct route. At the Church Minshull turn just off the Winsford to Nantwich road, Ray, who is now by the "Boot and Slipper", calls to see where We Three are. After a long phone discussion, Petar and Stephen decide to call it a day and go the direct route back, whilst Ray continues on left to meet We Three. So We Four now take the B5074 south for lanes anew. Turning right into Aston-juxta-Mondrum, we head for Barbridge along nice straight and dry new lanes. Here we motor north up the A51 turning off on the back lanes of Calveley bound for Eaton. We grind up the last hill to walk across the A49 and back to Rose Farm. We arrive back at 15:20 with 42 miles ridden, despite several delays due to phone calls and two re-inflations of Brian’s rear tyre! Paul heads for his car, as We Three ride back towards Chester. Brian peels off towards Duddon, and Ray and I head for home. It’s just 16:15 as I get home with 70 miles to bank, and surprisingly no rain in evidence.

CA