With the weather forecast looking more like the Costa del Sol than the Wirral, today's ride was changed to keep us all from melting. Dave H suggested a trip over to West Kirby, and, armed with my local knowledge, I set off with Dave H and Anthony towards the picturesque village of Thornton Hough.
After weaving our way along a few quiet country
lanes, we soon arrived in Thornton Hough before making our way onto the Lever
Causeway. Anthony was clearly feeling full of energy and was keen to push
ahead, so, in the interests of team spirit (and self-preservation!), I
suggested a couple of hydration stops to give Dave H the chance to catch us up.
Feeling adventurous, I decided to take a shortcut
towards Landican Lane—a route we hadn't used for several years. It didn't take
long to remember why! The lane looked as though it hadn't seen a hedge trimmer
since the last Olympic Games. Undeterred, we soldiered on, emerging at the
other end without a single scratch, puncture or disappearing cyclist. Success!
With the sun trying its hardest to roast us, I
guided the group through Arrowe Park, making the most of the welcome shade.
Thanks to a bit of local route knowledge, we stayed relatively cool before
arriving in Hoylake for the most important part of the ride... lunch!
The excellent Barbettes Café didn't disappoint.
Pie, chips, peas and gravy were the order of the day—a meal guaranteed to
replace every calorie we'd just burned (and probably a few extra!). No one
seemed too concerned.
Suitably refuelled and moving just a little more
slowly, we headed back via Ness Gardens and joined the Wirral Way. It proved to
be the perfect choice, with the tree-lined route providing welcome shade and
making the journey home far more comfortable.
As Dave H had an ongoing hospital appointment
later in the day, we kept up a good pace on the return journey. We covered a
slightly shorter route than usual at around 25 miles, but given the heat,
nobody was asking for extra miles.
Another enjoyable day on two wheels, good company,
plenty of laughs, excellent food—and, most importantly, nobody melted.😁
RB
A shortish ride given the expected heat, but an exceptionally interesting and enjoyable one. I particularly appreciated cruising through Arrowe Park, and picking up a bit of history from Ray here and there. Ray's Wirral knowledge and assured leadership made this ride a little gem for Anthony and myself.
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