1/3/25
Recumbent Ride
St David’s Day Ride on the Linear
It was pleasant in the sun when I went out to do a bit of shopping on the motor bike this morning so I decided on a bike ride this afternoon.
Once outside the gate, the wind made things feel colder than I’d anticipated. I wheeled the Linear to the road and got on. A different route today, right across a junction, along an estate road, eventually to turn right at a T junction. Arriving at Swanlow Lane then the A54 roundabout, straight across on to Delamere St.
A mile or so further on I turned right, downhill to the playing fields and out on to Grange Lane. Soon after, I was in the countryside and getting ready to climb the ramp to the Whitegate Way.
I’d not been feeling brilliant when I set out, and found my speed wasn’t as good as last time but it was pleasant enough trundling along listening to birdsong. I reached Whitegate station car park to find there’d been some work going on at the men’s conveniences with a couple of portaloos parked outside.
I continued through the car park to Clay Lane where I turned left downhill. After crossing Shays Lane Brook I got up some speed for the steep narrow climb after turning right on to Shays Lane. As I neared the top an oncoming car stopped and waited for me to get by before proceeding. There was still a climb after this point but it was less steep, and wider. The road levelled and I came to a T junction with Longstone Lane.
Left, then down a dip and up again, then right along pit lane to a junction with the A54. After getting across, it was straight for a bit before I turned right into Beech Road. A bit of uphill and downhill brought me to a T junction with Coach Road. Beech Road continued as a bridleway on the other side but I hadn’t planned to ride that way today. It still looked pretty wet. Best to try it after we’ve had a dry spell.
I turned left on Coach Road, which is dead straight through a large wooded area in both directions.
The trees were still pretty bare, but it wouldn’t be long now before they would be in full leaf.
Before long the old entrance to Oulton Park loomed at the end of the treescape. A little before it, there was a turning on the left into a car park. There are also some conveniences, which is handy to know, as they are easy to miss. I looked at a carved map of the area after leaning the Linear against an information sign.
Once back on the road, I went straight on at the next T junction to take some photos of the impressive former entrance to Oulton Park. Oulton Hall itself burnt down around 1952 and the Park has been better known for its motor racing circuit since then.
I set off left down Park Lane then out of the trees into Rushton Lane. Alongside the ancient red wall of Oulton Park, then down a steep dip and up the other side. Rushton Lane became Dogmore Lane and I turned left into Kings Lane to find the wind in my favour, not directly behind, but helpful enough.
I rode easily down a dip, up the other side and easily to Hickhurst Lane to turn left. It wasn’t long before I came to the T junction with Hall Lane and went left again. Soon I was approaching a red light on the downhill approach to Darnhall Bridge which turned green in time for me to take a run up for the climb up the other side.
Once over the summit, it was a leisurely trundle to my back gate which I passed then turned back to a little further on, just to round up the mileage.
Distance 16.5 miles. Max 25.8mph. Average 7.7 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 396 ft. According to Bikehike.
