Monday 1st July 2019
Any day when it doesn’t rain is a good cycling day. Except, perhaps, when you need to head in a specific direction into a fierce headwind. Today, for instance. I was aiming for Liverpool via Southport and then down the coast, but a 25mph Westerly was doing all it could to thwart me. It wasn’t pleasant, but after an early lunch and some caffeine, the journey down the coast was much better – crosswinds weren’t such a problem. Thankfully it held off rain, although at one point it was drizzling. Well, I say drizzling if that’s what horizontal light rain mixed with sand is called. I’ve a very smooth complexion now, at least on the right side of my face.
My planned route took me along the last few miles of the Leeds – Liverpool canal which was very good if a bit slow.
I am staying in the Liverpool Albert Dock youth hostel and I was amazed to find it full of kids, not sad old guys like me! That is not my recent experience of youth hostels, so maybe things are turning round for the YHA.
Originally, I’d planned a quick excursion round the Wirral, but by the time I’d arrived, the wind hadn’t abated and my legs were complaining, so instead I went on a long walk round the city. My formative teenage years were spent listening to Radio City, so I have long held a fondness for Liverpool and it was great seeing all the old landmarks again, and on a sunny evening too! This is only a flying visit; I’m heading back home tomorrow, hopefully wind assisted!
Tuesday 2nd July 2019 I haven’t cycled much in Liverpool, but from the little I have, the city seems to have a better infrastructure than several cities I could name. There were plenty of blue route signs, and although dedicated cycle lanes were in short supply, the roads were wide and not congested. Therefore I spent some time cycling round the city this morning before heading ‘the long way’ home.
My first stop was to visit a street I’ve seen many times on the telly and wanted to see in real life. Carla Lane fans may approve.
Then, to balance yesterday’s post, I cycled along Hope Street to visit the Metropolitan Cathedral which is nowhere near as impressive as its Anglican counterpart. But I suppose throwing it up in just three years as opposed to 70 has its drawbacks. I also checked in at the wonderful Victoria Building at the University of Liverpool, which was the inspiration for the term ‘red brick universities’.
I am not a football fan (!!), but Anfield road happened to be on my way home, so, again, for balance, (sorry for sounding like the BBC), I swung by Goodison Park too. I was unimpressed by either. Anfield because I could hardly see it until I was in its shadow, and Goodison was just nondescript. (I am sure to have upset many fans now!)
The remaining journey home was lovely, passing by an incredible array of produce: I could name beans, wheat, barley, cabbage (red and green), potatoes and turf, but there was also lots of other ‘green stuff’. Coffee at Cactus Ray’s in Burscough is certainly worth a diversion in future.
