Today I decided that the ride/commute to my mother's would be done using as few roads as possible. 42 miles later, if I ever propose such a ludicrous thing again, will someone please have me sectioned/locked up... anything but let me try that again.
It started well. At the bottom of my lane, there is the Whitegate Way, a disused and converted railway which runs for 6 miles to Winsford. No issues there, I use it at lot. I madly then decided that I would try my hardest to use as few roads as possible and headed off for the River Weaver and National Cycle Route 5. I didn't photo the kissing gates, because it was starting to rain and I could not be bothered. But they are of such a size that the front wheel needs to be at 90 degrees to your bike to be able to get the bike in & passed the gate. The 2nd one will only just fit a 15.5" mountain bike frame with the front wheel at 90 degrees... Anyhow, I did come across as really tolerant heron who actually stayed put and let me attempt to photo him/her and didn't fly off.
From there I headed off towards the Shropshire Union Canal which the off-road section of NCR 5 & 71 both follow and other than the bicycle barrier & steps down onto the canal towpath, it was fine and quite pleasant.
Then fun and games. I had planned a route that made navigation easy. It did not make cycling easy. Into Middlewich to the end of the canal and turn right - this is not a particulaly well used towpath and navigating the flock of swans (around 40 or so) was easier than some of the dogs I met. The swans just ignored me... "Molly" however, though it great fun to chase me run in front of me and then back again, repeat.
Further on, along a section that was clealy more well used by all, I met the first of the obstacles. There was a gate, but it did not open, so panniers had to come off, and I had to up-end my bike to get it through a diamond shaped hazzard which was almost not wide enough for walk through. OK so far, but not particularly impressed, not helped with the fact that the canal is not particularly 'nice' along that section either. Then randomly in the middle of nowhere, this hazzard.... (you can't go around it btw).
OK - Well I can deal with that, not too bad but still not necessary....
1 mile further on and I have come to the conclusion, someone somewhere really does not like cyclists... This one needs you to line up the bike first...
It carried on in that theme until I reached the section alongside the Wheelock Way.
I have never been so thankful to see the M6. It signified one thing and one thing only - 1 more uphill lock - lock 57 and I could come off the canal and use the Salt Line (converted railway) to get to my mothers. It took 2hrs 30 mins to get to my mother's off road.
I am sorry to say, THEY WON,
(sorry) I found a different route home. I got home in 1hr 54 mins by avoiding that section of canal and using the road between Sandbach & Middlewich instead - a nice, wide NSL single carriageway A road.
