17th May 2018 : Chelford (brisk)

The brisk riders today were, John M, John W, Nick, myself and new SGCC member Colin  as a guest rider. The day is a continuation of sun and little wind making it perfect for riding.

Leaving the café, we headed towards Cotebrook passing Little Budworth via Park Lane and on to Whitegate. As usual there seem to be plenty of road closed signs, but as cyclists we are able to pass.

Arriving into Winsford and the Flashes, riding down hill towards the sharp bend there is another blocked road; zig zagging through the concrete blocks we cross over the wooden bridge spanning the river Weaver and join NCR 5 and the bumpy track up to Davenham. Passing through the town we have another two roads closed before Lach Dennis!! 

Continuing along some very quiet lanes, we are on the outskirts of Knutsford and I had tried to route us through without being on the main road. Unfortunately, as we were joining the A5033 into the town, Nick was unable to follow and the hares had taken a right hand turning and pulled up to wait for the tortoise, you’ve never seen one go so fast. In time trial mode, he was zooming past us head down and into Knutsford.  John W had to go at 27 mph to catch and pass him to advise we had turned off. Regrouping, we rode through the very bumpy potholed streets of Knutsford before re-joining the traffic lights on Toft Road (A50). Joining the B5085 the road to Mobberley is enjoyed and on towards Alderley Edge.

As we near this town there is an increase of vehicles which are mainly Chelsea Tractors. There was a little concern of "are we heading up the Wizzard". No, we take a right turn before town and ride the A535 which was fortunately a good road and we were happy going a few miles at 20+ mph to Chelford and the Egerton Arms inn. Not the first time we have visited this inn. There was a reasonable selection on the menu but for a lunch snack perhaps on the expensive side.After our lunch is consumed we get ready to set off, what a pleasure when re-emerging outside it is warmer than inside!!

Our route takes us via Goostrey and Middlewich and on to Winsford via Clive Green Lane. As we arrive in Winsford, we take the lane heading towards the Weaver river and join the cycleway and avoid most of the roads around the town. As we head up Weaver St, most of us will remember the handy cycle shop half way up the hill, now a Chinese takeaway. No more emergency stops here. 

Winsford's Weaver Park

Going via Townfield Drive, we join the little lane that leads to the A54. Nick in the lead, we are soon accelerating along the A54 before turning into Rushton lane and skirt around the walls of Oulton Park. We had decided a tea stop at Tarporley would be welcome, so it is through Eaton before arriving at the Old Fire station Café. John W continues on to Chester whilst the remaining group enjoy drinks and cakes in this excellent café.

Colin leaves us here to cycle home to Mouldsworth and Nick back to Rose Farm to collect his car. John M and I ride out via Brassey Green and Waverton and back into Chester. A good ride on a sunny day, with good companions. Hope Colin joins us again. Good to have John W out to as he is a must to have on the front to pull us along. A round trip of nearly 60 miles plus the ride out and back so another 80 miles recorded 16mph.

See route map and/or gpx file download

ID

Photo John W

6th April 2017: Delamere to Chelford (mod)

Assembling in the Delamere Station Cafe, everyone was complaining about how cold it was:   certainly chilly after recent days, and overcast. I had a route prepared to the Egerton Arms at Chelford, and a group of seven were prepared to ride: Jim, Dave H, Macca, Bob, George, John B and myself.

I planned a standard route out to Acton Bridge, but Jim suggested we ride along the banks of the River Weaver instead.  This was much more pleasant and the surface dry.  We passed along without being troubled, as previously, by the grazing horses and passed under Acton Bridge to avoid the traffic. From there we headed to Comberbach and took a big loop around Great Budworth before crossing the A556 at The Smoker. We passed through Lower Peover and Ollerton, and joined the A537 for the final kilometre to the pub.

Photos by Macca

The Egerton Arms was more than usually busy with two large parties, but we were squeezed onto a couple of tables.  The volume of customers was obviously testing the kitchen as we waited a long time to get our food.  However, when it eventually arrived it was of very good quality and with beers to match.

Chelford has a significant agricultural history, having been home for over 100 years to a large livestock market, only closed at the end of last month.  We witnessed more modern farming practice as we left the pub, with 5 massive tractors and associated implements churning up a smallish field opposite.  We soon had plenty of time to speculate on what they were doing (we came to no conclusion) as Jim’s saddle became loose.  Repeated efforts to fix it onto the seatpost failed and we concluded that something had snapped off. Short of riding all the way back without a saddle, Jim had only one option: to phone his emergency breakdown service and retire to the pub.  We later heard that Jim bravely sustained himself with coffee and cheesecake until Mrs Jim was able to effect a rescue.

The return route took us through Goostrey and Lach Dennis for a welcome stop at Riverside Farm Café just before Davenham.  Coffee and cakes were consumed, except for Macca who claimed that on such a cold day, he needed an ice cream.

The rest of the ride should have been straightforward, but after we passed the crossroads in Davenham we lost Dave and Macca. I cycled back to find them, but there was no sign and we couldn’t reach them by phone.  Knowing they knew the way back we continued.  I took a new route for me through Hartford village into the back of Sandiway and Cuddington, and then past the Forest View Inn to Norley and so back to our start.

We had covered 52 miles on a cool, dry and eventful ride - Jim had been rescued and Dave and Macca were not too far behind us, though Macca did suffer a blowout from a pothole on the very bad westbound surface of Ashton Road - still a good ride.

SH

4th August 2016: Chelford (brisk)

There were a lot of us at Manley today, so two groups where always in prospect. The Briskers consisted of Tom, Steve T, Dave P, John M, and myself along with guest rider Andy B. Andy had ridden over from Mold and was keen to join the 60 miler today. We set off out around Mouldsworth and Delamere Forest bound for the Egerton Arms at Chelford. The weather was threatening rain and did so as we end Onston Lane near Acton Bridge.

Do we put our wet weather gear on or not? We did and needed it, but as so often happens, as soon as you have it on, you need to take it off again and vice versa. As on the Long Ride, a few riders got ahead of themselves around Little Leigh, but I went with it today as we marched on towards Great Budworth. Conscious of the recent anti-cycling publicity hereabouts, I take the northern bypass which actually meant we were spared the drag up through the village itself. Maybe the Cheshire Cycleway 70 can be re-routed this way now?

We now are motoring along towards Tabley Brook when Andy christens his first ride with us with a puncture. I remember that John W did the same on his first ride to Barthomley. In and out of busy Knutsford, we get a mini-drenching and, just short of the pub, shelter under a very large tree. As ever, the Egerton Arms is busy yet always welcoming, and soon we are ordered and watered watching the rain pouring down outside.

Andy B peeping out from behind the tree.

Big houses need big Sky dishes!

Soon its time to leave, and I plan a re-route via Bate Mill. Jodrell Bank looms over the landscape as we make our way, in improving weather but strengthening wind, towards Goostrey and Middlewich. A mini-diversion here takes us along a short section of the canal path before entering the metropolis of Winsford. It's not a pretty town, so we head on out via Cassia Green to Sandiway.

I'm feeling thirsty, so plan a major diversion to the “Lounge” cafe at Oakmere Lodge Country Park. We sit outside in the sun reflecting on the reason for pink bales of silage amongst other things. Our roving farming reporter John M finds the reason later. See http://www.fwi.co.uk/news/share-your-pink-bale-pictures-with-farmers-weekly.htm. I've had enough of hills today so junk the planned return via Norley and Delamere for a run down Kelsall Hill and the back way out of Ashton towards Manley. So 60 miles around with Pocket Rockets on and off – a grand day out and Andy has still to cycle back to Mold.

CA

Photographs by John Mills

12th May 2016: Chelford (brisk)

It turned out to be the sunniest and warmest day of my cycling year so far as I rode out to Rose Farm. Predictably quite a pack out today, so the Famous Five (Paul, Tom, John W, Ray and myself) set off promptly bound for the “Egerton Arms” at Chelford. Out via the bisected Heath Green lane, we zoom through Eaton before turning sharp left, through Ruston to the gates of Oulton Park. Darting through Lower Budworth and passing their own “Egerton Arms", we hit the A54 where we turn right and motor down it for a mile or so. Taking the narrow Blakeden Lane, we pass at the back of Cheshire County Constabulary then to wiggle through Winsford and onto sunny Middlewich. The route is customary as we pass Clive Green then through the Cledford housing estate and finally onto Cledford Lane heading East towards Brereton Heath. 

Photograph by Clive Albany

Ignoring the cycleway signs, which would have taken down a very bumpy NCN71, we circle and end up at the gates to Davenport Lodge. As the namesake owner is busily finishing his back garden back in Guilden Sutton, we crunch down the track to the bridge over the River Dane and the seclusion of this lovely hidden valley. The River Dane runs a long way from Axe Edge, within yards of the source of the Goyt River, passing Three Shires Head on its way into the Weaver near Northwich. Onwards through Swettenham, we can see the Lovell radio telescope across the fields as we head straight through Goostrey bound for the Egerton Arms at Chelford. 

According to the pub website - “The pub itself dates back to the 16th century when as a coach house and pub, gentry and royals would freshen up before their formal visit to Lord Egerton’s estate at Tatton Park, just a few miles away.” We have visited just once before in a very chilly January 2014. They looked after us very well then, just as they did today despite a near full car park. The ride back via Lach Dennis and the Whitegate Way is uneventful with the wind now behind us. The Station House cafe is just closing at 15:00, but offers to sell cold drinks and ice creams to us, which is very gratefully received. Back at Utkinton having “ figure of eighted” Oulton Park, we have ticked off 56 miles at 24C. Running back to the Chester area, we all have 80+ miles on the clock today.

CA

30th January 2014: Chelford

It was a raw and a very grey day but dry: a rare event, being dry that is, this January. I’d been looking for ride inspiration and found the May 2011 ride to Little Warford. That day, I recall, had been very wet indeed. I looked at the route and modified it to go to Chelford, and added in a few twists and turns to skirt the edges of Northwich, Middlewich and Winsford. So eight of us set off (Paul R, Ray, Paul W, Roy, Stephen, Dave H, Ivan and myself) for the 26m outward leg via Little Budworth village. The road bridge at Whitegate Way was closed off, but we squeezed through to take the right at Marton into Salterswall. Here we skirted the town through drab suburbia to exit at Clive Green bound for more suburbia at Middlewich. Paul R peels off, needing to get back in the early afternoon. Finally, we are back into countryside along the Dane Valley Way towards Goostrey. Here, Dave decides we are not going to get back before sunset, so peels off. He needn’t have worried since we get back to Rose Farm by 15:30. More fresh lanes find us arriving at the Egerton Arms on the main road East of Knutsford. What a find! They allocate us a table, by a radiator, take our food and beer order at the table, and bring it all in double quick time; and it was very good and it was a busy pub to boot. Worth a re-visit in the summer, methinks. 

Photograph by Clive Albany

It hasn’t warmed up (about 3˚C) as we travel towards Knutsford, and at Ollerton, turn SW on the run to Lower Peover and Lach Dennis. It’s a fast run to Davenham, and then a ride along the side of the busy dual carriageway towards Sandiway. Here the only excitement of the day occurs as Stephen repairs a broken chain link. Along Cuddington Lane, Roy points out Gary Barlow’s former stately pile - is this the second piece of excitement I ask myself? No reply comes back. At the Vale Royal Abbey Arms, Roy peels off bound for Runcorn, and Ivan heads directly home for an early shower. Soon Stephen heads up Heaths Lane hill bound for home, and we remaining three get back to Rose Farm at 15:30 after 50 very cold, but dry miles. Ray and I motor for Chester, and arriving back home an hour later, I find I’ve clocked up a satisfying 77 miles.

CA