22nd July 2010: Lower Peover

With wet weather forecast for the day I wondered how many members would be meeting at the Windsurfing Centre for today’s ride.  My concerns seemed well founded when Kate called to say she wouldn’t be coming, and then Clive emailed to say he wouldn’t be there either.  The ride out in pouring rain even had me wondering whether it was worth the soaking!  By ten minutes to eleven only George (on his third ride with us) and myself had made an appearance, but Ivan soon made the numbers up to a respectable three.  So at just gone eleven the three of us set out in waterproofs up the sandstone ridge to Newton before descending to Kingsley and up to Acton Bridge by the back lanes.  The usual fast descent down to the Weaver Navigation was slowed by the head wind by at least we could hope for help later in the day on the way home.  At the turn off for Little Leigh we stopped to swop waterproofs for windproofs: yes the rain had stopped and it was drying up.  By Comberbach and Great Budworth the day was warming up and a further stop was needed to discard the windproofs.

The plan was to lunch at The Dog Inn at Peover Heath but by 12.45 it looked that bit too far so instead we opted for The Bells of Peover at Lower Peover where we arrived at 1.00pm.  Although hardly your normal cyclists pub we were made more than welcome with good beer, good food and friendly fast service: just a pity one had to take out a mortgage in order to pay the bill!

Photographs by Ivan Davenport

By 2.00pm we were ready to leave the pub and cross to the beautiful timber church dating from 1269 (one of the oldest timber churches in Europe) with its stone bell tower.  We decided on the direct route back making time for afternoon tea at Summertrees, so after exploring the lanes round Lower Peover we head off for Lach Dennis, Davenham and the Whitegate Way in glorious sunshine.  From here it was an easy route through Little Budworth and Cotebrook followed by the hard slog up to Summertrees where we arrived at 3.45pm to enjoy a well-earned tea and slice of lemon cake.
Ivan took the lead for the remaining section back to the Windsurfing Centre via Oscroft, Tarvin Sands and Little Barrow to complete a wonderful round trip of some 52 miles.  From here the group split up to make our own ways home with me heading for Mickle Trafford to join the Millennium Greenway back to Chester.  If today teaches us anything it’s not to be put off by even the worst forecast.  What appeared to be a terrible day in prospect had turned into a glorious cycling day.
Distance from Chester and back a good 64 miles.
See route map and/or gpx file download.
BW