Today was the best day of the week weather wise for a ride and I had in mind a 42 mile ride to Dearnford Lake for lunch. I set off on the normal route and was soon close to Dearnford but was totally enjoying the ride and fancied something more challenging.
I had just the route on my Wahoo Elemnt. A 83 mile round trip to Tilly’s in Bunbury and then via Nantwich and Wybunbury to join up with the hilly part of my usual route back from Jodrell Bank. Then at the end going down some new roads for me in the Maer Hills and onwards to home. Perfect!
After turning left in Tilstock I was soon over the border in Wales and heading onwards to Malpas.
After Malpas, I decided to head down the west side of the Peckforton Hills through Burwardsley, rather than the usual route down the flatter east side of the hills. Some great views over the Chester side of the hills with Ellesmere Port in the very far distance. The cookery school in Harthill (see picture below) looks like fun – must look it up sometime as I’d love that.
After skirting around the base of Beeston Castle I was wondering about trying the Castle cafe for lunch but it was shut today. Oh well, guess it’s Plan B and the excellent Tilly’s in Bunbury.
Tilly’s was very busy with cyclists and I got chatting to a few from Poynton near Stockport and one from Chester. Always a pleasure to meet fellow addicts :).
From the cafe, it was a nice ride down to Nantwich, through town and onwards to join up with the hilly section of my Jodrell Bank route near Madeley. Love this road as it’s really scenic looking out over the sweeping valleys. The bluebells in the woods in spring are stunning too.
After these hills, I took a different route via the Maer Hills which worked out really well and I was soon heading into Bishops Offley and more familiar territory.
From there it was an easy ride home via Cheswardine and Sambrook.
A great day out on the bike and 83 miles in the bag on a very sunny but very cold day.
Route: click here
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