Larkling Ride: Winnington
A longer flatter one this week with a damp start and a chilling wet climax.
Greg, Dave, Sue, Steve, Mark, Ian, Jen, Janet, Nicola, Craig, Ewan, Raph, Steve, Pete, Andrew.
It was fairly cold and drizzly in South park. Good to see new member Steve P turning up again after last weeks punishment.
At roll call Chris decided he was going with the Larks, and announced me as Larkling ride leader (oh dear). We hung with the Larks for a couple of miles until we turned off where they carried on at Broken X.
From there it was on the lanes over to Goostrey, Lach Dennis and Davenham. Then it was quite a bit of jinking left and right to get to the cafe at Winnington Garden Centre just outside Northwich. This cafe was a new one on me. When we got there it was nice and quiet with fast service. Simon G was already there, sitting outside in the cold?! As usual in any new cafe I had a cake starter. All conversation revolved around Covid 19, and where was the best place to still get toilet roll.
“I bet we will have to ban the cafe stops soon!”
When we got going again Mark decided to come back with the Larklings after coming out with the Larks. We crossed the Weaver and I think everyone was surprised when the route pointed us back down toward the boat lift. We crossed the footbridge and into the car park where my Wahoo promptly lost the trail. About half the group wanted to turn back to the roads, but Dave had already set off onto the dirt tracks, so everyone followed him into the woods and we eventually emerged near The Flashes and rejoined the official route.
From Wncham we headed to Over Tabley, where again there was some indescion about which route to take. The official one had up going around two rounabouts to get over the M6 & A56. Some people were suggesting a bike path cut through which I have done before on the Sunday Easy Rides. We stuck to the official route and were on pleasant quiet lanes over to Knutsford. From here it was back over the M6, two more times and into Lower Poever.
It was at this point we got to Sandy Lane. Simon G had warned us about this at the cafe, but Chris claimed he didn’t know what Simon was on about. It was a real mud fest. Steve P hit the deck (for the second week in a row) and many chose to walk this fairly long section, which also had several gates. It was just a very muddy bumpy farm track. The group really strung out for this section, as everyone found their own way to get through. We couldn’t hep but notice there were no other cycle tracks in the mud, meaning the Larks chose NOT to come this way.
After this Dave decided he needed to get back, so left us. The rest of us rode on to Peover Heath and onto Chelford roundabout for the Congleton Lane return to Siddington. Around this time it started raining and we caped up ready for the final push up Pexhil. Kevin set a strong pace all the way up which thinned the group right down to just four at the summit.
The official route had us turning right toward Gawsworth but most people just wanted to get home by now. At Broken X we said our Good-byes. I escorted Steve P back to South Park where his car (hopefully still) was.
The scores on the doors:
57.10mi
4:33:14
2,641ft
12.5mi/h
Cheers Chris for planning.
Ians top tips:
As these rides are falling into the “self led” format, it’s advisable where possible to have the route on your GPS for the ride, just in case you get nominated.
If you know in advance you will be leading the ride, it’s probably best to properly familiarise yourself with it (and to remove all the off road sections)
Also the route got changed last minute on this one, (due to cafe uncertainty), this meant some people had the older route on their GPS’s - muchos confusion. So try to download the route as late as possible.
Ride safe
Ian