Ivan was keen to get out on his new steed today but wanted to limit the overall mileage to about 60 miles. I obliged by crafting a ride from GS to Holt and thence to Poole for lunch. Where's Poole you say? – this one's not near Bournemouth but is on the Nantwich to Wettenhall road.
We set off from GS at a pace meeting Dave M on the smoothly resurfaced Bruera to Aldford road. At Maggies there were a few riders there already and many more to arrive. The Brisk group today would be small as Ken was only out for coffee with Ray S only out until 1200 and Shane had similar restrictions. So it was just Nick that accompanied Ivan and I to the Milking Parlour cafe in Poole. Ray came with us for a few miles but turned for home in Stretton.
We set off following the Wind Whisperers group out to Shocklach. At the top of Wetreins Lane, we somewhat unexpectedly turned left through Stretton and onto its mill at the back of Carden Park on a circular diversion to Tilston. Here we espy Alan and Steve T deciding which way to go for their ride. We now take the slowly rising Grange Lane for 3 miles where we meet Neil's group again at the A41 crossing. They are off Wrenbury way as we were. We push ahead but rest at Hamptons Post Office where the Whisperers pass us pedalling towards Cholmondeley Castle where we catch them up and press on to Wrenbury by crossing the A49 as they shortly will as well.
Passing through Wrenbury, we veer off to Sound thence to Ravensmoor rather than taking the direct Nantwich Road. A left off Marsh Lane takes us down Tally Ho Lane which although now spot repaired, is a bumpy challenge at speed. At the A51 lights, we take the Nantwich bypass road until the canal bridge and dive down along Poole Hill Lane alongside the canal itself.
Soon we are on our least favourite north-south road from Nantwich to Winsford aka Wettenhall Road 'enjoying” its specially designed potholes and strafed surface. At Poole itself we find the Milking Parlour cafe in the small roadside development of Gates Farm Enterprise Park which also includes Cheshire Cycles and Imagination Lane – a children's play emporium.
We are the only punters in the cafe at this early hour of 1215 so the food comes quickly and is of good quality and a fair price. We are soon replete and out in the sunshine again taking Stoke Hall Lane to Barbridge. A shoot up the A51 for a mile allows us to access Calveley Hall Lane to bypass a lot more of the A51 until we get to Alpraham.
We slide around the back of Bunbury heading for Beeston Castle. Here Nick heads for Tattenhall and home whereas Ivan and I dive down passing the Shady pub heading for GS via Waverton.
We arrive back in GS having completed 57 miles at 16.8mph! How is that possible? – well it wasn't very windy, the roads were dry, the traffic was light and Nick and I were chasing Ivan up every incline as he engaged "leg-assist" on his new Cervelo road bike i.e. just a bit of light motor assist.
Nick and I were quietly jealous of the "leg-assist" today as we both hit 65+ miles once we got home with somewhat tired legs. So once again we manage to ride little-ridden lanes to new cafes all in a familiar area either side of the Holt to Nantwich A534.
See route map and/or gpx file download
CA
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