1st September 2023.
I’d hoped to get this ride done in August but with one thing and another, and uncertain weather, it didn’t happen.
As I set off in the September sunshine from my back gate there was an undercurrent of cold. I had on a light fleece, usual black trousers and general purpose shoes. Black cap, shades and track mitts.
The object of the exercise was to largely retrace my route of a couple of months ago on the Linear which took me through Northwich locks and along a riverside path then along a bridleway to get a more or less direct comparison between it and the Spirit in the same conditions.
So, through the lanes to Swanlow Lane, right at the uphill traffic lights, over a hump then downhill to the turn off to the town centre. A free ride down the hill until a hesitant driver held up traffic while waiting for uphill traffic to pass some parked cars. Come on mate, you could get a bus through there! Fortunately he and his train of following vehicles got going before I had to stop and put my feet down. Onwards to the A54 lights where I waited with the traffic for the green, then over the steep camber and into Grange Lane. It didn’t take long to reach the point where it turned right. Two cars came in the opposite direction, one passed then I turned right before the other came. I got a gratuitous beep so I gave a cheery wave and pressed on.
I passed a group of teenagers while passing through the built up part of Grange Lane. One of them shouted, “Hey! Do a wheelie!” No need. In my mind I’m doing a permanent wheelie while riding a recumbent.
Down, down until I reached a broken surfaced dip and even though I chose the smoothest line I was grateful for the suspension. Up the other side then squelching through the mud by the entrance barrier to the Whitegate Way.
Up a gravelly ramp to the rail trail. I could feel my face burning, and I was certainly warming up. Masses of encroaching undergrowth, the sun dappling the trail. The trend was uphill but despite that I got enough speed up to create a small breeze. A few dog walkers and cyclists about, but generally pretty quiet.
The shrubbery rolled by, I reached the bridge over Dalefords Lane then the trail levelled out and I came to Whitegate station car park. I stopped to briefly inspect the plumbing, took my fleece off and stuffed it in my bag, then got under way again. I heard a horse whinny behind the screening foliage but by the time I got on to the trail again there was no sign of it. I rolled past the old platform and heard the clink of cups and the clatter of cutlery from the cafe. Tempting to stop but I carried on, and before I knew it I was beyond the platform end and through the station bridge.
As I pressed on the surface became muddy in places. I soon realised that a lightly loaded small front wheel and a muddy surface don’t make the best of bedfellows. I need more time with this bike to get confident with slippery situations.
The muddy patches soon cleared and I was able to get rolling at a decent rate again. I came to the ramp for Kennel Lane bridge and tried to rush it. I stalled near the top. Needed to change down sooner! I turned onto the bridge. The first part of the lane was rutted and muddy which made for exciting going but after crossing another lane the surface was drier which made for better progress. In fact I was quite pleased with the ride here. Before long I had a decent downhill stretch on to tarmac then uphill towards the A 556.
Here I turned right in Sandiway towards Northwich, after waiting for a gap in the traffic. There’s a good long downhill on the dual carriageway towards Northwich before turning off. Out of Sandiway and down the hill I went, then starting to go uphill again before turning left and climbing to the junction with the old Chester Road. From here it was a steady freewheel to Hartford and Castle.
Right into Darwin St, then under a railway bridge into an estate at the end and out on to the River Weaver at Northwich Locks.
A boy and his mum passed by as I was taking some photos and the boy said, “Look Mum, that’s a really really nice bike”.
All the footbridges over the locks were open today so it was easy to get across with the bike. Certainly there was a steady stream of cyclists pedalling across despite signs prohibiting cycling.
Through a barrier, across a footbridge then right along the riverside path. A couple of barriers by the Rowing Club, then a clear route to the A556 bridge over the Weaver.
A view of the swing footbridge back to the locks seen from the rowing club.
The surface is good, mainly crushed gravel. I passed by a stretch with several boatyards on the other side and many boats and small ships tied up nearby.
Beyond this were a couple of benches so I stopped and took a break.
A Chinese family cycled by on a variety of mountain bikes and folders, all chatting away in Mandarin or Cantonese, I have no way of knowing which.
A group of young mountain bikers rode by, one of them said, “That’s a cool bike”. “Thank you”, I replied. This bike attracts a lot of attention, more than the Linear, if that’s possible. Maybe it’s because it’s bright yellow. Gonna have to get myself a humungous chain lock, I think.
I got under way again and was soon under the A556 bridge. I stopped for a photo since I took one here with the Linear last time.
I noticed that the kissing gate to the Weaver Parkway had its gate pinned open. Last time, I went up the steep incline to Davenham as though it is possible to get the Linear through each gate on its back wheel, it’s a bit of a faff. They certainly weren’t pinned open last time.
So I continued my riverside ride. The surface on this stretch wasn’t so good as the Northwich side of the A556 bridge but the suspension certainly helped. All the gates were wide open so it was straightforward getting through them.
It was a pleasant ride with the occasional dog walker but I didn't see any cyclists.
I passed under the tall viaduct where the West Coast main Line crosses the Weaver downstream of Vale Royal locks. The path has railings between it and the river here, though when I originally used to cycle this route years ago with the kids there were none. Perhaps we were all a bit bolder then.
Shortly afterwards the locks came into view. I crossed over to take a picture in front of the sluice before continuing along the riverside trail.
Finally, approaching Meadowbank bridge there was the last gate. This had its swinging gate in place, and it was a pedestrian sized one, too short to get a standard bike through. The Spirit is slightly shorter than my tourer, but still wouldn’t go through on its wheels. Up on its back wheel it went, the front wheel turned through 90 degrees, the gate swung beneath it, and down on its wheels again on the other side.
A short trundle among some trees, a couple of muddy patches then a right turn on to the Meadowbank bridge and then left on to Bradford road. An uphill, gradually easing and letting me click up through the gears past the salt mine, level, then a cooling downhill to turn right at a dropped pavement and get on the lower end of the Whitegate Way. Cool, shady and gradually uphill, I passed a couple with a dog then another couple jogging downhill and looking a bit grim faced.
I came to the old Catsclough crossing with rails set into the roadway. Here I turned left on to a rather bumpy track which gave the suspension a good work out. I came across a fallen ivy covered tree which just left me a little space to squeeze through between it and the hedge bank. Downhill, then a steep and rough climb up to Grange Lane to turn left to the sports complex. Through the playing fields following the tarmacked path to the exit barrier. I paddled through with the Humpert bars just clearing it on either side. Just as I was getting going again a mountain biker with all the gear zoomed down the steep lane and squeezed through, going the other way, He said “Hi”, I said “Hi” and we both continued our separate ways. I pedalled on up the steep lane to a T junction.
Uphill through an estate, changing up then left on to Delamere St. As usual it was slow going to start with but the road gently undulated and I built up speed. Adjusting my speed as I approached the A54 roundabout I slowed as a batch of cars went past then dived into the gap behind them trying to build up speed to get over the deceptive rise at my turn off. Pedalling steadily, the patient traffic gave me plenty of room when they passed until I came to a stop behind a queue at Townfields road lights.
Speeding up easily downhill here on green I was able to carry some of that speed through my uphill turn off without having to struggle for too long in lower gears. Then followed a leisurely freewheel through the lanes to my back gate.
Distance 18.7 miles. Max speed 29.9 mph. Average 7.0mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 598 ft according to Bikehike.
The Great Glen, wasn't quite what I was expecting either 
