8/7/21
At Last! A chance to go out on the Linear. It’s been uncomfortably hot recently particularly in the afternoons and I had the wizard wheeze of going out this morning. By the time I got sorted it was about 11 and getting warm. Since I’ve not ridden it for about a month there were the usual pre flight checks and oily squirtings, mirror adjustment etc.
Sunscreen applied, shapeless sun hat in place, out through the back gate and away. What is the sartorially challenged recumbentist wearing today? Anything but cycling gear, apparently, though my track mitts are still holding out. Apart from the aforementioned woodland camouflage hat, an actual shirt (cooler than a T shirt, today) old black Chinos, and my gardening shoes, which will be for the bin before long, to be replaced by something slightly higher in the pecking order of decrepitude. My battered cords took that route a few weeks ago when they became too ‘orrible even for me, and the pockets fell apart. Maybe it’s a bloke thing. Maybe I’m a slob.
A slight breeze noted, low key start with a few stops to fine tune the mirror, into Swanlow lane and a stop at the uphill traffic lights before continuing to the A54 roundabout. This is traffic light controlled and today I come to a stop at red. Noticeably hot now but better when rolling, trying to find a compromise beween getting hot from exertions and maintaining a cooling breeze. I ought to know by now being that I run hot anyway and that unless I’m going down hill, it ain’t gonna happen on a day like this. I was expecting a decline in fitness since I haven’t been out for so long, but it is the heat that detunes me more than anything.
Nevertheless I continue down Delamere St. On passing St John’s church I glance over the low wall and note the rows of Victorian gravestones. Maybe someone has cut back the undergrowth, but I don’t remember seeing them so clearly before. On to Chester road, then right on to Dalefords Lane to Sandiway. Down the steep dip under the old railway bridge, then the slow climb up the other side. Not much traffic today, but I can feel myself getting hotter. Frustratingly, the lane gives the illusion that it should be downhill, but my speedo and my legs tell a different story.
I come across two mountain bikers riding along the pavement after they cross the road from the right, ahead of me. I’ m actually gaining on them, but before my head explodes from the excitement they turn off down a path and disappear.
A downhill at last to where the road crosses a bridge over Pettypool Brook . I manage to get some speed up so there is not such a steep climb left up to the more level road to Sandiway. I slow down at the back of a queue of cars at the traffic lights but don’t have to put a foot down as the lights change and I get across to the other side just as it turns red. To the acute junction with Weaverham Road and turn right down the gradual hill to the crossroads with Norley Road.
Straight across, pedalling slowly to the slight hump of the railway bridge then down the long downhill to the crossroads on Mill Lane. Nothing coming, so straight across to go downhill on Gorstage Lane then under another railway bridge, sharp left up a short steep climb to a junction with Forest Street. Sharp left again to the T junction with West Road and then right down a long steep hill on Sandy Lane before climbing again to the junction with the dual carriageway of the A49. Straight over then right then left on to a parallel cycleway. Shortly afterwards I come across a couple trying to push a British Racing Green MGB into their drive. I stop and give them a hand to push. The woman says “First time out this year and it conks out”. The man says nothing. Probably wishes I would go away.
Obligingly, I carry on my way. A compact dark furry creature runs from the left undergrowth to the right across the cycle path, possibly a vole. It’s gone by the time I reach the spot. A little further on I cross a lane then cross Acton Bridge Swing Bridge. I’m starting to heat up after pushing the car and riding so slowly along the path.
I stop to take a photo and look at the map.
My original plan had been to continue along the A49 then turn left towards Runcorn on the A533. According to the map (which is quite old and in need of an updated version) the path along the river is a footpath but I can see a sign from the bridge which says it is a bridle path. Here is a combination of a trail I’ve not ridden before and a route that cuts the corner of riding along two A roads. What’s not to like? While I’m putting my stuff away I see several competitive looking cyclists stopping and turning right opposite me. Perhaps there is an event on? A bit hot for all that sweaty stuff.
I ride to the junction with the path to the bridleway. It turns sharply back on itself on a downhill hairpin. It’s a bit nadgery but I get round without falling off. I reach the start of the bridleway.
The bridleway starts out as a narrow lane sized path of white crushed stone. Every so often there is a speed hump. Initially I hear a clunk as I pass over every one. Stand not fully folded after the photo stop! I fold it properly and the clunking stops. The path is well shaded by trees and very pleasant to ride along.
The river is quite busy with small boats. A paddle boarder casually passes by. I pass several walkers and cyclists. The day is getting hotter but as long as I keep moving and make the most of the shady spots I’m still OK.
The path winds about a bit and is a little overgrown but passable. I come to a long elegantly arched modern footbridge and notice an impressive set of sluice gates to the right as I ride over it. I pass a female walker on her own walking briskly in my direction. She has a no nonsense air about her. A rugged individualist, no doubt. She says “Hi”, I say “Hi” and we carry on our way.
A little further on I come to Dutton locks and stop for some more photos. The walker I passed earlier goes stolidly by.
There is a crowd of maybe 20 walkers at the picnic area and they suddenly emerge in a flurry of poles, shorts and sun hats and head off in the direction I want to go. I mount up and pass them while there is still space, riding on the well trimmed grass alongside the locks.
It is just as well, as the path soon narrows and has a lot of undergrowth at the sides. I find myself playing nettle roulette with alternately one hand raised, then the other, in a strange ritual dance to avoid the stingers. Fortunately they take turns in growing on one side at a time. I haven't got the knack of riding with both hands raised yet. A set of long sleeves and good gloves would be useful here, if rather hot. Eventually I grind to a halt with the tendrils of some creeping plant becoming entangled with my left side handlebar and brake cables. Where is that handy machete when you need it? I dig out my Swiss army knife in lieu and am soon under way again. There is something to be said for over seat steering, or my trusty Revolution Country Explorer, at times like this.
The path opens out and I see my solitary walker in the distance. A couple of mountain bikers go by in both directions. I come to a gate and a fork in the path. It seems pretty clear that I need to go right, and the left turn probably would give me a route to Kingsley and Delamere Forest across the river which is an interesting option for the future. I pass a chap peering at a tablet while his mate holds his bike. I reach the gate at the same time as the female walker from earlier on who holds it open for me. I thank her and she says “No problem”.
We go our separate ways and I find myself on a fenced track with fields either side. Everything is dry, and there is no shade here. Although there are vehicle tracks they haven’t formed ruts and it is easy to ride in the middle.
This goes on for a mile or so until I reach another gate in a hedge. A sign says to lift latch and push gate which I can just about reach over the front wheel. As I go through a couple of walkers with a shiny black Labrador arrive from the other direction and hold the gate.
I find myself in a grassy field full of young cows. I wonder if I might cause a stampede on this unfamiliar vehicle but they are far too interested in munching grass to take any notice of me. There is an obvious path straight across the field to another gate. It looks like it could get messy if the weather was wet. There is no shade here today and I am beginning to get uncomfortably hot.
This gate has a similar sign to lift latch and push but approaching it from slightly downhill I don’t have enough reach to to be able to hold the bars and push the gate. Also the gatepost is not vertical so the weight of the heavy wooden gate pushes back rather than staying put once opened. I manage to lift the latch and push the gate with the front wheel. I try to turn so that I can get out of the field while the gate is at 90 degrees but the gate begins to swing back, the loaded rack bag above the rear wheel causes the bike to flip and over it goes. I manage to hold the gate by leaning back on it and have to semi drag the bike out beyond the gate. If I wasn’t hot and sweaty before, I am now. I rearrange the mirror, check the gear levers and set off along what is now a farm track. I realise that the bike computer bounced off when the bike went over and go back to find it. Fortunately I didn’t run it over and it is OK.
I am uncomfortably hot and there is no wind here. I carry on until I reach a junction with three bridleways signposted. I stop and look at the map and inevitably the route to the A533 is uphill, becoming a lane. The hill steepens and I can see the summit is the canal bridge over the Trent and Mersey canal. I keep plugging on and as I approach the bridge I hear engine noises, and a large white van comes over it, filling the lane and causing me to pull into the bank and stop. Fortunately I laugh in the face of hill starts nowadays, Ha! Ha! Har de Har! and once he has gone, just carry on. I also carry on sweating, as once over the bridge, there is a little more climbing, then left on to the A533 for Runcorn.
Not too much traffic but the mirror is slowly vibrating downwards following its recent bump and I can’t see what’s behind. I will be turning off this A road soon so I just keep going. I will tighten it when I can find somewhere shady to stop. The sun is right behind and above now so there is no shade. In patches the tar is rising to the road surface making a sticky noise as the tyres pass over it. It’s definitely too hot for comfort, but at least there is a slight breeze.
Eventually I reach my turn off, though in fact I continue straight on to Barker’s Hollow Road while the A533 goes left to Dutton. I come to a spot with an overhanging tree where I take a breather in the shade and sort out my mirror. I can feel my face radiating heat and the heat rising from the tar-sticky road is opressive. It feels as if my sweat is evaporating as soon as it appears. A gradual climb follows in a straight line with the sun baking down. A slight relief going down a shady dip over the Keckwick Brook then up the other side and back into the sun.
Over the fields to the left in the distance is an ornate tower which I think is a vent shaft for the tunnel that carries the canal to Runcorn. Soon the road levels off and I come into Preston on the Hill. I suppose the reason for my gradual climb is in the name.
I turn right into Summer Lane which puts the breeze at my back -not enough for a decent tailwind but enough to lose what little cooling effect I was getting previously.
The road continues to climb gradually with no shade for several miles and I’m grateful to finally come across a triangular lay by on the right with two angled field gates and a good stand of shady trees.
Once I stop, I can feel the breeze and I make the most of the bike seat to sit and cool off while drinking a can of lukewarm cola and eating a packet of crisps in the shade. I dig out the map and confirm that this lane leads to the A49 directly opposite a bridleway which connects to lanes leading to Antrobus.
I get under way and soon get uncomfortably hot again. Since I turned on to this lane I have been able to hear the traffic on the M56 though not see it but soon the lane runs parallel to the motorway and there is a line of trees between the two on the left. They don’t do anything to muffle the noise but at least there are patches of shade. The lane continues to rise then turns away from the M56 and levels for a short distance before meeting the A49. Directly opposite is a sign proclaiming a bridleway.
After waiting for a break in the traffic I get across and dive into a sort of leafy tunnel. There are entrances to very private houses along here, the surface is a bit uneven but it suits me to travel very slowly and cool off. I come to an unsignposted junction and follow my nose.
A tall mountain biker passes me at an unfeasible speed. Hot and bothered as I am, there is no chance that I could follow him. I come out of the trees into a series of lanes. I carry on, following my nose and eventually come to the A 559 opposite the Pot and Bottle where I turn right. The trend is downhill in this direction though if I want to do more than 12-14mph I have to pedal, and get hot. Eventually the downhill steepens and I get up to 30+ mph which feels much better compared with my overall speed so far.
Past Great Budworth to the bottom of the hill by Budworth Mere, then the climb up to Higher Marston, levelling out, a dip again to Wincham Brook then up the climb to Wincham traffic lights then on to Lostock Gralam. Over the station bridge then down to Wade Brook. There is a torrent of muddy water flowing in the road as I climb ever so slowly and sweatily up the other side to some temporary traffic lights where work is ongoing to fix the burst water main which is the source of the torrent. The light goes green just as I get there and in a few yards I come to the A556 which is barriered off to prevent motor traffic crossing the dual carriageway. I get over via the pedestrian access.
I get going again, through Lostock Green, shaded by some houses either side of the narrow lane before following Birches Lane to Lach Dennis. I turn right here into Penny’s Lane then left into Crowder’s Lane which leads me to the A530 which I get across between vehicles into Davenham Road, which is actually just a lane with big ideas.
I am really suffering from the heat now with cramps to my legs above the knees which I find that I can reduce by slowing my cadence though I still have to stop several times to recover. Putting a foot down makes it worse as when you raise your leg to start off you get cramps in your outer thigh which it takes a few revolutions to recover from. My mouth is very dry and I’m finding it hard to concentrate. An annoying tick has been accompanying every pedal revolution for the last few miles and it is more annoying because the Linear is generally so quiet. I suspect the drive side of the bottom bracket, or the chain ring bolts. A memory from my schooldays surfaces. "Twiddler, you're an annoying tick!"
I think I might be suffering incipient heat stroke and take it very slowly over the humped Trent and Mersey canal bridge, shortly followed by a climb over a railway bridge which continues up a small hill. I then lose height again over a crossroads with more unclassified lanes then cross over the River Dane on the picturesque old Shipbrook Bridge of which I would have taken a picture if my concentration was not elsewhere. Then follows a steady pull uphill to the bridge over the A533 just before Davenham. By now I am sustained by the prospect of the BP garage in Davenham and its minimarket. I am travelling very slowly and stop in the shade several times.
Once over the top the gradient eases. I pass Davenham church and feel every pedal stroke as if it is going to be my last. I come to London Road and turn left, still gradually uphill. I roll slowly into the bike stand in front of the garage minimarket and with an effort make myself lock the bike up. It’s now about 5pm.
It is delightfully cool inside and I grab a chilled drink and an ice pop. Once outside I find nowhere to sit that is shady. There is some shade by the pavement from the houses across the road, and an overhanging shrub by a neighbouring wall. The base from a now-absent sign suggests something to sit on but I soon get off it. It is one of those water filled ones and the temperature is such that you could brew tea with it. I retreat into the limited shade from the shrub. The wall beneath it radiates heat like a fire brick. Still, it’s shade. In front of me two men try to jump start an old Ford Capri. Once they succeed there is a cloud of petrol rich exhaust fumes. Normally it wouldn’t bother me but today the smell makes me feel nauseous. I step round the corner on the pavement and finish my drink and ice pop. Feeling a bit better but still fairly grim, I just want to get to somewhere shady and out of the sun.
I get going and find that I am coping better. Continuing up London Road there are many mature trees which help to provide shade. Once over the top and rolling downhill things are much better again, and I don’t feel like stopping now. Turning right and onto Jack Lane there is much less shade but I’m making good progress. I turn right on to Niddries Lane and find that I’m climbing more easily with no trace of cramp. I soon reach the unpaved stretch then am going downhill in a relaxed manner to the tunnels under the railway. After the glare of the afternoon sun the tunnels’ road surface is hard to make out but I don’t come across any new potholes or obstructions. Taking it easy on the shady downhill to Meadowbank swing bridge then out into the sun on Bradford Road.
On the gradual climb past the Rock Salt Mine the heat begins to get to me again but I keep slowly on and in a very short time I reach the tree lined entrance to the Whitegate Way. Soon after I turn in three teenagers on electric bikes steam past but I don’t feel too bad about it, after all, they’re electric.
I change my sunspecs for clear lenses then dial back my effort to a more comfortable level in the hope of keeping my temperature down on this shady rail trail despite the uphill trend.
I’m out on Grange Lane turning left then down a dip and up again and I surprise myself how well I’m doing considering how 40 minutes ago I felt I was at death’s door. I come out on the level then cross the sports complex car park. There are many cars parked here, loud music and a marquee visible. I manage to miss the crowd and get on the path to my exit. I can really feel the sun again, draining away my energy. Hardly the Negev desert, but it highlights how sensitive my system is to a few degrees’ change in temperature at the moment. I approach my old nemesis A-frame barrier but despite getting into bottom gear ready for what has become an easy climb beyond it, the windless sweltering heat at this point persuades me to get off and slowly walk through and up the hill. To use a technical term, I’m pretty much pooped due to the heat.
I get back on where it levels out, pedal through an estate then onto Delamere St, right down Woodford Lane, then across the A54 dual carriageway and through estate roads to my back gate. I start pouring with sweat once I stop, and drink several pints of water over the next hour or two. It takes me a few hours to be back to normal.
On reflection, I should have taken more liquids with me, and having been distracted from my original plan (which would have got me home sooner) should have chosen a more direct route back to make up for the time taken up by my off road wanderings. Still, it has been an interesting experience and a reminder that I don’t do heat very well.
Distance 38.87 miles. Fastest definitely over 30mph but didn't break through the 32.4 barrier today. Average 8.1mph.
Total Ascent: | 1039 | ft | |
| Total Descent: | 1039 | ft | |
| Start Elevation: | 188 | ft | |
| End Elevation: | 188 | ft | Elevation |
| Min Elevation: | 29 | ft | Gradient |
| Max Elevation: | 283 | ft | |
.. back through Winston and Eppleby where i had my usual coffee and scone+jam ,took the scenic route back through Darlo and out through patches lane. it got a tad warm in the afternoon but i adapted and over came
. this not working lark seems to be suiting me well... 55 smiles 
If the first chap hadn't given permission to ride I'd have walked the bike through without quibbling.
We did part amicably after I explained though.
) The climb up Shore Lane seemed a bit easier after the adjustments mentioned recently. At the top I paused for a drink and realised I was getting through it quite well and wasn't sure if I'd have enough 'til the end of the trip.
