23rd May 2019: Alderley Edge (mod)

The sunshine brought out quite a few members to Delamere Station.  Dave H, Steve T, Andy, Neil, George and myself were all intending to ride. Ken and Dave M had just ridden out for coffee. No brisk group today, and there hasn’t been a brisk ride since the start of the month – where are they all?

Dave H had inspired today’s destination by talking about The Wizard at Alderley Edge on previous rides: its full name is The Wizard of Edge.  So it was that we set off via Acton Bridge and Great Budworth before heading NE to skirt High Legh and aim for Bucklow Hill.  There followed a moment of navigational uncertainty when the plotted route didn’t match the roads around the new A556 and we appeared on the GPS to be riding through fields. We skirted around Tatton Park and then, around Mobberley, we lost a pair of riders!  The “follow my leader protocol” had broken down with Dave and George missing a left turn. We noticed their absence and after a wait, guessed where they must have gone. We retraced out ‘steps’ and chased after them. Re-united, we approach the start of the long hill up to The Wizard which we tackled in our own different ways. All assembled outside the pub except for Dave.  Steve T went to investigate and eventually, both appeared, Dave having suffered a jammed chain.

I think this might be our first club visit to The Wizard, and we were all very pleased with it. Although the sandwich menu was within our usual price range, many chose main menu items costing £13-£14.  Regardless the food was plentiful and of very good quality. Many people were out in today’s sunshine, including many cyclists, although the pub itself was relatively quiet.

Photos by Steve T

 Refreshed and replete, we started our return which followed our outward route for the first few miles. We descended the hill with care given a very bad surface hidden by shadows from the trees. At the base, Neil remembered he had left his Garmin back in the pub.  He re-ascended, while the rest of us sat in the sun and Steve took more photos.

Re-united we took the lanes south of Knutsford, through Ollerton, Lower Peover and Lach Dennis. Our usual route onward was closed, which we disregarded and had a very quiet ride without any other traffic, but also without any sign of roadworks. When we reached the cross roads with the A530, there were 3-way traffic lights.  We could only assume that our lane had been closed to avoid the need for 4-way traffic lights.

A little further on we stopped at Shipbrookhill Farm café for ice cream, cakes and drinks. We continued through Davenham, alongside the dual carriageway and into Hartford.  We looped north to get to Sandiway and Cuddington, passing the Forest View Inn and taking Gallowsclough Lane.  This takes a sharp right turn, but Dave suggested that, as it was dry, we try out the track through the forest rather than continuing. This took us over a mix of sandy and moderately steep short rises, before bringing us to the car park off Station Road, just a few hundred meters north of our start. This saved at least a couple if road miles, and I didn’t find it too bad, but others might prefer to take the more usual route.

A good ride to a new destination, with some interesting diversions in good weather.  We cycled 58 miles, except for Neil who added another 2 miles and 300 feet of climbing by his return to the pub.

See route map and/or gpx file download

SH