No Mans Heath (mod)
With Dave Heath rejoining us for his first ride after his hip operation Bryan had promised an easy 35 mile’ish flat route to welcome him back. After waving off the brisk ride from Rose Farm the moderate riders comprising Bryan, Mike M, Dave & Liz P watched as Dave Heath stowed his walking stick and with a somewhat unorthodox procedure mounted his bike. Once on board everything was fine as we cruised familiar lanes through Clotton, Huxley and Tattenhall en route to No Mans Heath. Just after Tattenhall Mike M left us to return home for another engagement. The remaining four of us continued south through Clutton and Tilston where we took the Malpas road deep in conversation. At Simmonds Green we nearly missed the turning, remembering just in time to head through Ebnal and on to No Mans Heath in the spring sunshine.
The Wheatsheaf Inn is always worth a visit with its choice of ale and good food. We passed up the sausage board today in favour of the two mains for £10 together with a pint of ale. After a relaxing chat it was time to make a move. Once on the road we enjoyed the quiet lanes through Bickley Town, Chorley and a circuitous route to Brindley. It was great to soak up the Cheshire countryside at an unhurried pace with daffodils lining the verges and blossom on the trees. The promised afternoon tea stop was Tilly’s Coffee Shop in Bunbury where we settled down to coffee and coffee cake. Then it was the final leg to Tarporley and back to Rose Farm Garden Centre.
A great day out at a steady 11 mph overall average and 37 miles covered. Dave Heath had confirmed to us all that he was making good progress and would soon be back riding every week.
It was then time for me to leave the others for the ride back to Chester. A circuitous route back today but with the sound of the new born lambs in the fields a great way to end a wonderful day. Distance from Chester and back exactly 60 miles.
See route map and/or gpx file download.
BW
Jodrell Bank (brisk)
Six of us set off from drizzly Rose Farm (Ivan, Mike G, Andy, Ray, Martin and myself) leaving the others who were going on the “Dave Heath post-op ride”. We were heading for Jodrell Bank area today. A feature of this ride was the off-road sections down Cheshire cycleway routes 71 and 73. We by-passed Tarporley by taking Heath Green and then via Eaton on to Wettenhall and Winsford. There is no easy way around Winsford and finding the 71 eastwards was a small challenge. Taking the canal path off Clive Green Lane, we headed north into Middlewich only to find the path under repair resulting in a deviation through acres of suburbia. Eventually we left the urban sprawl behind, taking the 71 over the M6 to Brereton Hall. The Hall lane soon deteriorated into a farm track, yet it is still the 71, and just rideable in the dry. Turning left we headed for Davenport Hall – a certain rider’s country seat (dream on!). The imposing gravelled drive continued into a hard surfaced old lane going down into the lovely Dane river valley and then pops up close to the Swettenham Arms (worth a visit next time). Taking Sandy Lane (deep ford notice alert) half of us braved going through the ford. Soon we were in Trap Street, Lower Withington and the hopeful welcome of the Red Lion. The food was nicely presented, a bit pricey but tasty unlike the sour-faced manager! The sun was now out, and getting ready outside after lunch we noticed a duck on its nest in the pub window box – totally ignoring all of us.
Photograph by Clive Albany
Soon we were passing down the lane behind Jodrell Bank that boasts the largest Sky+ dishes in the UK. Given that we were early away from lunch, a tea stop was agreed upon to top up the somewhat meagre lunch portions. So we headed via Blackden Heath and the just rideable farm lane that is the short cut to Townfield Lane to get over the M6. Onwards through Davenham and a shimmy under the Northwich by-pass found us on the cycle path along the Northwich bound side of the A556. Up into Cuddington and Norley we were soon at the Delamere station café for bread and butter pudding and tea. Martin shoved off back to Utkinton and he will have rode 50 miles, while the rest of us went via Ashton to the greenway. The Chester group put in a 75 mile round trip in dry and overall pleasant weather conditions.
See route map and/or gpx file download.
CA
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