10th September 2009: Seacombe Ferry

I can understand the reluctance to start every 8 weeks from Ness Gardens as, at first sight, the Wirral Peninsula seems to have limited cycling options away from main roads and suburbia.  However today five of us explored places popular in Victorian times with a circuit including dry marshland, The Wirral Way, past people's back gardens, across sand dunes, along promenades, docks and through the oldest Public Park in the world; and with a glorious 22 C sunny day to boot.  We traversed the only Coal Mines in Cheshire (did you even know they existed?) at Little Neston, rode through the former principal port to Ireland (Parkgate), past The Titanic owners house at Thurstaston, all the way round the coast to the site of the former New Brighton Tower that was 49 feet higher than Blackpool.  Excellent pint and scoff at Seacombe Ferry Hotel - remember from 1200 to 1500 for the future.  Then down past Birkenhead Docks and through the Park, Oxton and Poulton to the Victorian playground at Raby Mere, before the final 4 miles back to Ness.  In fact the whole day was one long series of glories past, a bit like the riders, with 41 miles back to Ness.

BMac