Just a Ride

Peaks, Plains, Cow-Parsley, Hemlock and Canal Bridges.

The rain had passed, the wind dropped and the sun was shining as the six of us (Nigel, Ewan, Mark, James, Simon R and myself) set off on a ‘where’s where’ of the  Cheshire Peaks and Plains. Hurdsfield, Kerridge, Pott Shrigley, Adlington, Mottram, Alderley Edge, Birtles, Gawsworth, Gurnett and Macclesfield. 

Approaching Kerridge we turned a deaf ear to Nigel’s suggestion of an off course short cut via Bollington Brow and continued our circuit of Macclesfield, reaching Artists Lane before the chain gang. We paused to re-group and for photos before heading off.

An al fresco bio-break near Hocker Lane allowed time for a brief evaluation of the verge flora.

After a short discussion Ewan declared the flowers in debate were a type of hemlock and after adhering to the Wheelers code of ‘take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but tyre tracks’ we continued towards Gawsworth and Gurnett. Our progress was briefly interrupted by the closed swing bridge over the canal at the Fools Nook which gave time for an acknowledgment of the great canal engineer James Brindley who was apprenticed in Gurnett.

We reached The Park Tavern at about 20.40 in time for beverages and food.

In total approximately 27.7 miles, 1500 feet of climbing at an average speed of 15.3 mph.

Cheers

Steve