The History Tour

 ...so named as today, like many of my  rides, include snippets of local and often little known history.  Which makes blog writing even longer as I like to verify my statements with links.  So here we go...

16 riders accumulated at Hobsons Cafe this morning, assembling for a chat and a photo and then setting off in two groups.  Two new riders, some newer and returning, some long standing regular riders.  Rain of recent days and weeks seemed to be keeping off, although still a strong wind.

I think only myself and my wrinkles are really in focus this time,
as I had no 'official' photographer!

I led a slower / beginners group, dropping to the river and following it along to the Grosvenor Bridge.  No photo today, but I may have mentioned here before that it was the longest single span bridge in the world when it was built, and remained so for thirty years (not eighty as I thought!).  It was opened in 1832 by Princess Victoria.  It is a grade I listed building, and remains the longest single span masonry bridge in Britain.  Grosvenor Bridge (Chester) - Wikipedia.  And then, of course, around the Racecourse - this first one and oldest still in use in the world built in 1539.

As we were stopped, a couple of cyclists came by - none other than Val and Norm from our Summer evening rides group. So we had a quick chat, enough to update Norm where we will be this coming Wednesday evening, and we waved them on their way. 

We continued along the river, and past The Cop (a skateboard park by a bend in the river as it heads out of town - apparently it used to be a warehouse that shipped Cheshire Cheese to London (taken from a blog, nothing on Wikipedia) - this had been deep in water earlier this week with flooding, high tides and high winds.

We had some very black clouds,
but only a tiny bit of rain in Shotton

At Saltney Ferry I again stopped, to assemble the riders and ponder whether to cross here and use the lane around the airfield to Hawarden, or continue on the river.  At this point I met Lionel, whom I have known for many years, and who rides with the Watsons Wanderers.  He said he had had quite a head wind coming down the river, but we should be OK (in fact it was across us, but I think slightly on our shoulder, so not too bad).

At Shotton we crossed on the blue bridge, and negotiated some paths to bring us to the side of the main road by Asda, where there is a quieter road to Aston.  We were then able to cross the main road on a bridge and continue to Hawarden.  After climbing Upper Aston Hall Lane, we paused in a gateway as Ruth's chain had come off.  We noted a rather fine gateway to a new small housing estate, and a small stone name plate which stated 'Poor Clare Colettines'.  Rowena recalled that there used to be a nunnery, and often the nun's would look after to bring cats back?  Mary Googled for us, and discovered that it was indeed a nunnery, for the nuns of Saint Collette who are now only really found in Picardy.  My own Google search found that the Nuns moved to a Nottingham Convent, due to rising maintenance costs.  The monastery was established in the late 1920's, when the steelworks was in full swing, so they had 'only' been there for 90 years 

Now we made our way to St David's park and across the main road using a selection of cycle and footpaths, and then on the Northop road to the Fisheries, another new cafe.

On arrival the other group was already there and had ordered, so we filled the other end of the long table the cafe had put together for us and placed our orders.

Heading back involved a tiny, steep and wet lane dropping down Shotton Lane to Shotton, where we crossed the river on the railway bridge, and then trundled back down the Greenway.

The long way round

Back to the ladies rides for a new year of cafes and fun, our 10th birthday year.  The first planned destination was about the closest cafe we visit, unless we loop back to Kingsway!  Meadow Lea is a large cafe at the Mickle Trafford end of the Greenway, they were our Chester & N. Wales cafe of the year in 2015.  They are accommodating and even allow dogs, so I phoned ahead earlier in the week and booked for about 20.

34 riders turned up!  In fact, there were more, as Jane went straight to the cafe as she thought she had missed us (but in fact arrived at Meadow Lea before my group had even set off!), and Helen had been waiting for a delivery from B&Q, which came earlier so allowed her and two other newbies to come straight to Meadow Lea and meet us.

One new rider had only got fingerless cycling gloves, and I thought it was quite a chilly day.  On my way back from getting cash at the Co-Op, I popped into the chemist - they were selling kids woolly gloves for £1.  Bargain.  A few ladies popped in - not the warmest gloves but better than none!

As it was quite a cold morning, I brought out one group at a time to set them off, and see who was left so we could balance groups out.  First off, as usual, was the faster further group, headed by Alex.  It was so busy I did not remember to take their photo; they had a longer route planned so of they went.  Apparently they nearly stopped at The Bluebell Cafe, but we do try to all come together so they continued past.

Group 2, led by Sonia - I had to steal two leaders from this group to set up a fourth! So I sent these ladies on their way next.

Group 3, formed with Linda and Cheryl as leaders, posed nicely for their photo too. They then set off (after a hurried route discussion.)

Group 4, my group.  Mr Rosie, our usual photographer, his fingers must have got too numb waiting in the cold, as no picture is on my camera.  In fairness, he did say to check but I know his pictures are usually good.  Will be checking from here on!

So, I had the shortest distance, which was a good job as by the time I had everyone sorted it was 10:30 before we left.  I had some new and a little nervous riders, so we waited and kept together.  Past the Zoo, no animals out today! Down Butter Hill and long the road above the canal.  

The one photo I took on the way!

It was a very simple route, and the weather remained grey and gloomy - in fact I am sure it was getting darker!  

'Before' photo of cakes -
although there is not an 'after'
as they replenished them all!

My group were first to arrive at the cafe, who had laid out a long table through the middle of the cafe!  As the groups started to arrive, the queue grew and snaked around the somewhat horrified and bemused local customers - it is a surprisingly popular destination so it was a good job I had booked ahead.

We sat and supped, I mingled and chatted to as many as I could, makes a nice change being first in and served early!  People drifted away, as we were at the end of  the greenway it is such a short hop home we did not nee dto reform into groups, although I did bring the last stragglers home.  I returned with as many as I left with, although different faces except 1!

Sunshine, rabbits and bacon

For the last two years we have used the September ride as a gentle introductory ride, out to Nets cafe using the Greenway and Burton March route.  It is a flat 11 miles and mostly off road.

Managed to forget my camera, don't know why everyone cheered!  But these days your phone doubles up well, and the ride is such a straightforward one it does not lend itself to many pics.  I was riding with a couple of new ladies - one has taken about a year to 'pluck up the courage' and join us.  I did reassure her that quite a lot of people do take a long time from first contact to first ride; and there is nothing I can say to change that - although without fail once they do come out, they love it!

This year we had twenty riders, with our largest age gap to date of 75 years between our Octegenarian and a lady who brought her daughter age 7!  The youngest ever fab lady rider managed 11 miles altogether, great as her furthest before that was 6 miles!  When she is a bit older hopefully she can join us more regularly; but I think you need to be able to comfortably cover about twenty miles to come on the rides.

We arranged to meet up at the turn off; and I arrived with 12 waiting (this was good as my sums calculated 7 behind, plus me!)  I assured them we were all fine - there had been one puncture early on and the two new ladies were a bit slower but steady.  As I waited I could hear a donkey in the woods.  as you do!

We had had heavy rain in the morning but it had cleared by the time we met.  One or two light showers was the worst we had, which is why the Greenway looks so wet.  The sun did come out as the morning progressed.  No photo at the cafe - by now I was in 'morning-after-need-cooked-breakfast-and-a-coffee' mode, and the only spare seat was with another ladies group - Carol and a couple of Breeze ladies.

I headed back at the end of the group, rounding up the two newbies as it started to get a bit complicated by the industrial estate.  One mentioned she would never have thought to carry on through the estate coming out, even though it is well signposted.  Hopefully it is the first of many new cafes she will visit with us!

View across the Marsh bulrushes
to the Flint Bridge at Connah's Quay

View back to blue skies at the sandstone
outcrop at Burton Point

Swans and Sheep across the Marshes

September is a time of new starts - new terms, new places to live for students, new lives in some cases (can you tell I am taking my eldest to Uni in a few weeks?!)  It heralds the turning point away from summer and towards chillier autumn days.

In 2013, The Burton Marsh cycle route to Nets Cafe at Denhall fisheries was newly open, offering the ladies yet another new cafe to add to our growing list.  It was also an opportunity to encourage people out who may not have ridden before, as it is flat and mostly off road.  It felt like an appropriate ride to repeat in 2014.

20 of us met at Kingsway Cafe; another nice thing (for me) is that we do not need as many leaders, and in theory everyone can ride at their own pace.

Or so I thought.

Climbing up onto railway embankment
at the start of the Marsh route

I set off at the front at a fairly fast 14-15 mph (I did say it was flat!), expecting people to just relax and follow on in their own time.  However, the outcome seemed to be that everyone pushed themselves (OK, maybe not everyone) to 'keep up'.  I realised that it can actually take a bit of confidence to ride at a pace that is comfortable for you, and not feel concerned or harassed as other rides seem to disappear into the distance (all the more noticeable on a straight railway line - you can see people for ages, getting smaller as the gap widens!)  Maybe we still need to split into smaller pace-matched groups after all?

Passing sandstone bluff (Burton Point)

Out past Saughall we were caught up and passed by another group - they came up behind a little quietly and surprised some of the ladies at the back - but we all passed single file and safely - turned out to be a few from the Bike Factory including Dave Quinn (the owner). I have known Dave for more years than either of us care to remember (29 years) so we chatted for a little while (as his group became distant spots)before he left us.

Crossing the Boardwalk

After about 8 miles we branch off to the right and into Deeside Industrial Park, and the new solar panels at the Toyota factory.  I had not seen them before, but was assured by my cycling companion at the time that they had been there 'ages'.  It was not until we reached the MOD firing range that I recalled the last time I had been out this way - in January this year four of us met up (through the power of Facebook!) and had an extra pedal out in lovely sunshine if not a bit windy; until the weather turned black and nasty and we were pelted with hailstones and gale force winds on our way back!





We watched a flock of swans take off and fly over the marshes, and a huge flock of 
penned in sheep.










Nets cafe were ready as ever and served us well with tea cakes, scones and bacon butties; as we sat outside in the gradually improving weather.  People drifted off home as suited them, until the final band of us headed back to Chester.

Heading back

Boxing Day Bash 2011

I will admit it is quite hard to drag yourself out of bed on Boxing Day, especially at 8am in order to catch the best of the day and be back early enough!  But that is indeed what a few ladies (and Tim and Dave mostly of Wednesday evening rides fame) did!

We have not managed the Boxing Day bash for a few years, due to snow and ice.  So, it was lovely to revive the tradition.  Four of us set off from Hoole down the Greenway, picking up Jo on the way.  We use a very straightforward route direct to the Railway Bridge where it croses the Dee, where we stopped for a photo and to soak up some of the warm but watery sun.



Boxing Day at Shotton Railway Bridge



Waves up the river



We then head back up the riverside path to Chester.  We had sun, but it was also very windy. however, we were fortunate to not be plagued by too much of a headwind, although we had a wonderful tailwind on the final approach into Chester - also causing huge waves along the river!



Blue Moon Cafe



Our ways parted by the Old Dee Bridge, but the ladies took the opportunity for a final coffee stop at the Blue Moon Cafe, before heading home to get the families up and moving!

18 miles.

Pilgrimage and puncture!



A sea of yellow!

 Despite some tremendous winds and rain and hail for most of the week, Saturday morning again dawned with blue skies and sunshine.  It was not warm, .9 degrees Jo informed us as we gathered at the cafe.

8 of us rallyed round and set off up the Greenway - but we only got as far as the bridge when Lesley informed us that her tyre was flat.  "I don't know what to do" - so we all took a job and helped her change her tube in no time (with a running commentry!).

looking more like a wrestling match than fixing a puncture!

After that we were in the sunshine and into the lanes round Guilden Sutton to cross the A51.  Straightforward route to Walk Mill, where we were welcomed as always by Caroline, serving scones, cakes and toast.  After further purchases of flour and bread (Linda brought her saddlebag especially so that she could get a loaf!), we headed back towards Waverton.

Walk Mill

A little parting of the ways meant that 5 of us left Waverton, and crossed the A41 to go to Saighton and in Huntington, much to the annoyance of a bus driver, who told us we should not be two abreast.  (I have news for him and have been in touch with the council!).

A sunny 16 miles.

February ride to the Fisheries (or 'the one that got away')

Outside Kingsway Cafe

 I love it when you get blue skies and sunshine in February.  Last week force 7 gales were ripping branches off trees and rain through the week, even up to Friday night, did not bode well for Saturday morning.  But the forcast held out as promised and the morning dawned bright, sunny and quite mild.

Fifteen gathered and, leaving nearly on time, we set off down the Greenway.  We turned off at Blacon Station and made our way to drop down Clifton Drive to Sealand Road.



Lisa helps Sharon change her tube.



Not very far down Ferry Lane came the cry from behind 'Puncture'.  Darn it!  I handed the lead to Moira, explaining the route to the cafe, and sent the ladies ahead with her.  By the time I got back to Sharon (culprit!) and Lisa (hero), the tube had been taken out, replaced and pumped up with gas cannister - all that was left for me to do was take a picture!



Lesters Lane from Bretton



We decided not to take the short cut but to go for it and catch the group - which we did just at the top of Manor Lane near Hawarden.

We all continued and shortly arrived at Chester Lakes cafe near Balderton.  We filled the cafe and were very well looked after.



Leaving Chester Lakes with fishery on the right



The return journey had the usual staggered departures and four of us made it back to Kingsway!

21 miles.