Tuesday 21st September 2021
I’m on the road again! This time I’m heading South, not to a new area, but one I’ve not visited much in many years. In the late 70s I spent a lot of time around Knutsford, Northwich and Tarporley with a number pinned on my cycling vest. At that time I took little notice of the scenery, just my watch and the strip of tarmac in front of me (and probably another cyclist who I’d be trying to catch). Today, I changed all that and travelled slowly on less busy roads through villages which previously were only known to me through a signpost off the A54 or A556.
I have also had a desire for a while to cross the Silver Jubilee Bridge linking Runcorn and Widnes. Last time I was in that area they wouldn’t let me cross because they were refurbishing the bridge and I had to travel with my bike on a bus over the new Mersey Gateway bridge. Today, however, I managed to ride across on a wonderful dedicated cycle path. Getting through Widnes was very smooth also; in fact, I seemed to miss the town completely and was on the bridge before I thought about it.
Runcorn, however, is a different matter altogether. I’d only been there once previously, and generously thought that it was my carelessness in map-reading that caused my stress. Not so. It’s still an awful place. There are plenty of cycle paths, but getting on the right one is challenging. And the one I needed seemed to cross and re-cross the same road unnecessarily often. Unless they were different roads which all looked the same. There were plenty of signposts, but unless you’re familiar with local area names, they don’t help much. Just before I managed to escape, I passed a Holiday Inn and remembered that I’d been lost there before.
I wasn’t looking to tick off any more “100 Climbs” on this trip, but since one of the climbs (Frodsham Hill) was almost directly on the route, I had to include it. My problem was that I was also looking for a lunch stop, and the ideal place came up soon after I’d started the climb. So after dinner, I had to cycle back down and start again, otherwise my time would have been painfully slow if it included an hour in the pub! (Just checked, and it was painfully slow anyway. But then which idiot tackles a hill climb on a touring bike with loaded panniers? Oh.)
The last 35 miles or so were uneventful, and I arrived at my accommodation in the village of Madeley soon after 5pm. Madeley is a village, but boasts a duck pond which is almost bigger than the village it sits in, but more interestingly, it boasts two Indian, one Chinese, and two British restaurants and also a chippy and a couple of takeaways! But one of the restaurants is a ‘private dining room’ which sounded expensive and the another didn’t serve food on Tuesday. So I ended up in Madeley Heath (about a mile away) which had its own array of eateries.
I’m currently enjoying a pint and waiting for my food, and feeling just pleasantly tired.
Wednesday 22nd September 2021
I forgot to mention yesterday that I passed directly by Oulton Park race circuit, but the eight-feet-high walls all round the perimeter prevented me from seeing anything. I could hear motorbikes behind the wall, but that was poor compensation.
My digs for the two nights in this area are wonderful once more. I am getting to like Airbnb more and more. I’m staying in a normal house but it is filled with many arty artefacts. (Just realised, are artefacts always arty? Is that what it means?). The landlady produces pottery along with her daughter and also makes bespoke jewellery, screen printing and many other creative things. All beautiful stuff. My bike is currently locked to a very heavy kiln in her concrete shed, so is unlikely to get stolen. Chatting to her this morning, I find that she’s also a maths teacher! So my theories about right brain and left brain dominance have gone right out of the window.
The purpose of today’s trip was to revisit Shrewsbury, a town I fell in love with on my first visit just a few years ago. I’m glad to say that I still like it. It reminds me very much of Durham with the sweeping loop of the river and its maze of narrow streets. Where Durham wins, however, is with its cathedral. There is a Catholic cathedral in Shrewsbury, but it’s only 165 years old and not hugely impressive. More grand is the Anglican church of St Chad which isn’t much older but its unusual round shape and splendid location lends it a much superior quality. In my opinion. Don’t nag me if you disagree.
On the way to Shrewsbury, I enjoyed a coffee and cake in Shawbury. Whilst there, I estimated that 90% of the customers were personnel from the RAF station close by. It made me wonder whether they actually sell food on the RAF base, or whether this café is so good as to justify the half-hour walk into town. From the quality of the food I experienced, it’s probably the latter.
Just outside Shawbury, I came across a splendid ruin which the map suggests is a former castle, but looks more like it was a stately home. Still ruined, though. Moreton Corbet (castle, house or ruin) is now owned by English Heritage who allow free entry. Wow!
The cycle ride home was splendid. I didn’t notice the headwind coming out, but I certainly felt the tailwind home. Let’s hope it keeps up tomorrow and blows me home.
Tonight, I’m eating again at the Old Swan at Madeley Heath. I did try to support the local pub (the Offley Arms) but they were fully booked. Couldn’t even squeeze in a table for one. But the Old Swan is admirable, if a touch more expensive. And I know the waiter now.
Yesterday was quiet, but tonight the waiter had let my usual table (don’t worry, I let him know!) so I was now seated beside a table for four but seating three. Two women and a bloke, probably a husband of one of them. The two ladies chatted all evening, barely taking a breath (except to drink their Chardonnay), whilst the bloke sat looking miserably into the mid-distance and occasionally sipping from his pint, being completely ignored. His only purpose being to pay the bill, and they’re not at that stage yet, so the poor chap’s superfluous. I considered inviting him to my table for a chat, but thought better of it. I’ll leave them to it.
Time now for a brisk walk home and an early night.
Thursday 23rd September 2021
After a lovely night’s sleep, I awoke to sunshine and 14°C and a 15 -20 mph Westerly breeze. The first two things are great, the third, less so, since I needed to head generally Northwest today. Still, I’d expected rain, so it’s all good.
I enjoyed quiet roads once more, but there was one incident when the road I wanted seemed to have been replaced by a super new bypass. It was heading in mainly the right direction, so I followed it as it curved in a beautiful arc to intercept with the road I needed after half a mile or so. The trouble was, it passed 30 feet below the road I wanted, with no obvious way to access it. So I had to trundle my bike and panniers up a steep grassy banking and hoist it over some Armco. It was just like touring with Jim Solan!
Google Maps is great at finding cafés, and today’s gem was in Goostrey and sat just a few hundred yards off my route. The apple flapjack was marvelous! It’s clearly well known to cyclists, since a group turned up as I was there who were on first name terms with the owner.
I passed within a mile of Jodrell Bank, but never saw the big telescope. I saw the smaller one quite clearly, so how’s that possible? Are the scientists there experimenting with an invisibility cloak?
I wasn’t looking forward to navigating through Altrincham and Stretford, but it was a really smooth journey, mainly along the Bridgewater canal. The worst bit was in Bolton when, once again I clashed with school throwing-out time. I thought I was safe at 2.15, but the paths were full of teenagers in blue and black uniforms. I also found myself passing the school in Rivington when all 1600 pupils were leaving and consequently blocking the road. Well, actually, it was the parents in the cars who were doing the blocking, the kids were just wandering between all the near-stationary vehicles. At least it was 3pm, and so to be expected.
I have travelled through Trafford Park a few times recently, but today was the first time my route-planning software had directed me past the Kellogg’s factory. It’s massive, with buildings spanning both sides of the road, but sadly, didn’t smell of Frosties, or anything, really. I never saw the factory shop either, or I’d’ve filled up my panniers with Cornflakes. I do like a bargain.
There was a real vanilla-y smell at one point on the canal at Patricroft but I couldn’t identify the source. At the same place, the canal was the colour of a cup of strong builder’s tea, but I’m informed that this is due to iron ore, and that it doesn’t smell of vanilla. It looks good in the photos, though.
I’ve no other cycle trips planned for now, but I’m sure some idea will emerge before long.
