There were a fair few of us Rose Farm today. The first thing we all had to do was to negotiate getting into the car park. The road repair crew had arrived to (hopefully) resurface the Tarporley downhill side of the road. There were vehicles everywhere with Rose Farm customers trying to get into the carpark - chaos abounds, especially as the Rose Farm shops and cafe were not aware that the road was to be re-surfaced.
I had prepared a route to Whitchurch to visit Benjamin's Bistro which had been visited by a Brisk Group a few weeks ago. So I had a gpx file, and Steve T, Ray S and Nick didn't! So for once it was like an old ride where only the ride leader knew where they were supposed to go and any mistakes were not obvious!
The problems started right outside Rose Farm's gate where Traffic Management said No! to a request to ride or walk down the hill toward Tarporley which is where I had planned to start the ride. So we had to grind up and around Quarry Bank, then to Eaton and finally back on track at Alpraham where we took Long Lane to Wettenhall. At Cholmondeston, there were more Road Closed signs which we ignored to take the open road towards Church Minshull. Turning right, we take the main road south turning off into Aston juxta Mondrum which is a small farming hamlet with good roads but blighted by fast tractors and large lorries.
Near Burland, I wanted to go down Ravens Lane to Ravensmoor but another Traffic Management team said No! and we had to marginally divert to get to the Farmers Arms crossroads at Ravensmoor then onto Sound and Aston. We turn off here bound for Burland and thence Ightfield. This is a long uphill drag into the strengthening southerly wind.
Recognition arrives as we are now not far from lunch - just Ash Parva and Ash Magna and thence the little lane via Edgeley Bank, then cross the main road and into the town centre.
Another Road Closed sign as we take this final narrow lane - and it was really closed except for a slight gap in the fencing which allowed Nick to lead us into the out-of-bounds. There was a centre trench cut and partially filled as I gingerly went ahead to find the trenching digger sitting astride an open trench and driverless. So we went across the open trench and out to main road where the trenching crew are in their vans having lunch.
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| It'll be alright. - lunch is the other side of this closure |
We are now into the High Street but Benjamin's is full and the back-up cafe has gone upmarket and is shut. I then remember Jones Coffee House just a little further along the High Street where there is room in the inn for us.
It's warm and busy but it has food and drink and that is what we need. So three plates of smoked salmon and something else, plus a double cheese-on-toast hits the spot, along with excellent coffee. We chat about how Whitchurch is coming up in the world with all the modern housing and a full suite of supermarkets. There was more banter but I missed it as I had to hurriedly re-arrange a 1 tonne gravel big-bag delivery for Saturday as the promised delivery for Thursday was derailed by a burst tyre on the delivery wagon.
Only 20 miles to go now as Nick heads for home via Malpas and we three head out to Marbury. Cholmondeley Castle estate passes us by as we turn off for Bickerton. There is a discussion for the best way for Steve to get back. We opt to take the Peckforton lane ignoring the often mud-encrusted lane into Bunbury, which was the official routing. At the Beeston Castle turn, Ray peals off and heads for home. We two now turn down Dean Bank to arrive at Tiverton's "bottom".
Pausing at the Huxley Lane turn, I offer a couple of choices for Steve, and we opt for the longer but flatter route to Huxley then Corkscrew Lane into Clotton. Resting here, Steve calls Dave H to ascertain whether he can access Rose Farm carpark from the re-surfaced hill direction. He is in luck, and we split as he heads for a ride home and 56 long miles ridden. Well done Steve!
I battle on to Waverton and the Chester A41 ring road. Ray must have 75 miles as I clock-in with a long 81 miles today - the furthest I have been for a long time.
So many thanks to the trio blindly following me today. It must have been Cheshire's "Close the Lanes Day" today as we had four to contain with, but if it means smoother surfaces, then I'm not complaining.
CA
Photo ST
PS : The route above was the route we actually rode
This one is the one I planned See route map and/or gpx file download sans road closures.
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