She believed she could, so she did

In the midst of a fifth heatwave, we had a day of cloud which was most welcome.  However, Kingsway Cafe was closed for most of August, so we were homeless again and decided to meet at Okells in Hoole (see blog post from Feb this year).  So, Social's updated, I called to Kingsway 'just in case' and popped a poster on the
shutter.  I initially thought 'oh, the helpful charity shop can lend me some sellotape, and I will ask them to take it down' (my number was on it); but that was also shut, as was KANRA (Residents association).  So, Kingsway Barbers came to the rescue, but declined a photo!

Rick had kindly bought me a coffee, so I headed down to Okells and met the gang, all sat around a couple of tables.  I did suggest thinking about making it our new home; but we will have a think about it.

10 riders (9 bikes, as we had Team Tandem)

Car parking, and some bike parking

More bike parking at the side

Sarah was not riding so kindly took our photo, and after a chat we finally set off.  It was then a bit of a challenge to extract ourselves from Hoole, with a reversing lorry, queue of cars in Charles Street, busy Hoole Road to try to turn out onto (staying all together and with the car behind sounded their horn - rude!), and then a final synchronised right turn into Ermine Road.  After a tight left to join the Greenway we were finally on our way.

We joined the canal and headed for the river, where Sarah and I recalled our Wednesday evening just gone when we came this way to see the partial lunar eclipse.  There was a hive of activity at Saltney Ferry bridge, with quite a few cars and a couple of kayaks; I was wondering if there was a tidal bore coming through, but we were a bit late so I didn't want to stop and ask.

No photos after this!  We were on the main road, then with a few hills we were quite strung out.  Up and over Caer Estyn, dropping to Caergwrle and then a short bit of main road to the cafe.

Cabin in the woods.  A lovely stretch of road from The Holly Bush pub

Blog post title

The story goes that the owner of this cute little cafe used to run the nearby care home with her husband.  After he passed away she sold the care home, but started up the cafe, as she had always wanted to do this.  I understand the cafe opened a couple of years ago

Anyway, all refreshed and rested, we set off for home; losing riders at various points as people head directly home.  I had reversed the route we used to Alyn Waters last year (See August 2025 post, "Minor Mechanical Matters"), and it was perfect - the little lane is very near to the caff, and except one car was very quiet.  Then through Alyn Waters to Llay, with a downhill drop to cross the Alyn stream and A483.  

Almost autumnal as leave falling already

Showing how dry the weather has been

Before the railway bridge is a favourite lane of mine, alongside the main road to
bring us out at the bottom of Gresford Hill, and then directly back along the Old Wrexham Road and in to Chester via Eccleston and Handbridge.

By the time we crossed the Old Dee Bridge there were only three of us, but the river was very high, and I saw a few chaps with cameras, so I think the bore had just come through - shame we missed it.  After this I navigated us back to Kingsway.

25 warm and dry miles, a few hills, and more memories!  See you next month

Cheers!

 It is a long hot summer, but the perfect way to cool down is a short slow cycle ride, maybe in the trees, but with frequent water stops.

I had not long returned from a week cycling (on e-bikes)in Croatia, and we had frequent stops to rehydrate.  With two new riders out this month I did not want to scare them off, so we set off on a gentle trundle up the Greenway and along the canal.

Perfect blue skies!

Earlier in the year there was a fabulous couple of fields full of poppies, and despite the long dry spell there was still some colour to be seen.

After leaving the Greenway and crossing on the blue bridge we negotiated the elevated bridges at Queensferry, and made our way up through Mancot and Ewloe, heading for a new community cafe at Buckley (The Rise).  However, after spending some time navigating footpath barriers with the Tandem, disentangling a stuck chain, and small medical issue, Team Tandem decided to head back home, and the rest of us agreed that Buckley, with additional hills, was a stretch too far and we decided to set our sights on Hawarden Farm shop instead.

On our way, we paused at the top of the hill in Hawarden, and I noticed a door and what looks like a font, very old, that I had not seen before.

And indeed, it is a 'House of Correction', possibly dating from 1740! Read about them here

I can't see anything about the 'font', though.  I welcome any thoughts.

Anyway, we had a delightful and refreshing stop at Hawarden Farm shop, before dropping down to the edge of Sandycroft, and around Hawarden airport. 

Back along the river, and canal.  We do have some delightful waterways and cycle routes in Chester!

Cheers!

Coffee Done Right

 Halfway through the year already!  My summer plans had wobbled a little, as it was my big girl's 30th birthday, but she may of may not be working.  So hubby and I instead booked a 'Boat and Bike' Cruise in Croatia.  Cross reference e-bike post last month as we ended up on 'e's - but maybe I'll do another post about that.

Suffice to say I was then away for the Fab Ladies, but a few leaders kindly stepped in, plotting a route to Kelsall and arranging the finer details.

Photos courtesy of Linda and Collette:

Well the sky certainly looks ponderous but as usual we brighten any dull day.  As I am behind and writing this blog post in August, we are at the end of what is being described as the fifth heatwave this year, so this looks nice!

Jane posted on the Whatsapp "Fabulous ride ladies and fabulous cake xxx"  Probably sums it up!

Well, it certainly looks a nicer day now - this is a lesson to all who draw back the curtains in the morning and decide not to come!

This is apparently 'Coffee done right' - as stated in the window of the cafe.  To me, Coffee done right is after a ride with fabulous ladies!

Other quotes:

"Thank you for a great ride and thanks Linda for leading our group"

"Thank you Linda , I really enjoyed the ride 😀🚲🚲"

"Thank you for a lovely bike ride 🚴‍♀️"

Meanwhile, a 'postcard' from Croatia...

To 'e' or not to 'e'

That is very often the question.  In relation to cycling, there has been quite a growth in 'e' assist bikes, meaning your pedaling is assisted, not that the battery pushes you along.  We have a few riders who have an 'e'bike, and Chester & North Wales also allow 'e' bikes on events.

The reason I mention this is because a couple of days before today's ride, one of our group messages me to ask if her friend could come along on an e-bike.  I replied that she was of course welcome.  In addition, a new lady called to Kingsway Cafe to say hi, and again to ask about getting a new bike.  Her current bike (a shopper) is quite old, heavy and not very reliable.  She is looking for a new bike, and we talked a little about options - I suggested popping to Bren as a second hand bike may be enough for now to see if she enjoys riding with us and to get her out, whilst she considers a new bike, and she was thinking 'e'.  Please see more about e-bikes at the end of this post.

As we have a few ladies with e-bike, she had the opportunity to ask questions and have a look at a couple, whilst the rest of us finished our coffees/ tea's.

All signed in to the three groups, I managed to get everyone out for the photo, (taken by an unsuspecting passer by!) before sending each group off ahead of ours, whilst I phoned the cafe to let them know there were about 18 of us.  

Many wanted to go in the 'slow' group, but no-one gets left behind.  A few even said they may want to turn back a little earlier, maybe feeling daunted by the distance?  In the end everyone came all the way to the cafe and back.  

We set off along the canal

Bishop Bennet's Way

We paused by a pull in, which Sheila noticed had a sign for the Bishop Bennet Way, and asked me what that is.  I know the route vaguely, and have ridden some sections but it can involve stiles,fields, and tracks.

My research for the blog tells me William Bennett was born in London, became Bishop in Cork, and was particularly interested in tracing old Roman Roads, of which we have a few locally, so it is named after him.  It is 34 miles, but not a circular route.

Peckforton in the haze

Today was dry, sometimes a little sunny, warm and maybe a little muggy.  Weather forecasts (and again, I never look at these) suggested rain or thunder later today (but we had none of that).  It was quite hazy though.

Thatch cottages and cow parsley

It is May, and I have said before how I love the flowers in May - hawthorn, cow parsley, lilac trees, and fabulous azalea's in Bunbury

The Sheds cafe is relatively new (certainly new to us), I had spotted it on another ride earlier in the year.  It is an alternative to Tilly's a usual favourite in Bunbury, but the staff were very pleased to have us visit, and were lovely.  They were very grateful that we had been so patient with the longer wait for food (but I highlighted once people are chatting, they have no concept of time, or (usually) where they are!)

See, there are some shadows

The cafe also sells a few little items, including t'shirts and stickers by I guess a local artist (or linked to the cafe) - this dude made me think of the groups of young people (Duke of Edinburgh?) we had passed around Beeston, some with matching green rucksacks.

As we crossed the canal at Wharton's Lock (by the Shady Oak) I noted a barge

(not a narrow boat) chugging along, quite an unusual sight.

We had a couple of mechanical/ technical issues in my group - some tetchy gears that may or may not change, a soft tyre (pumped up at the cafe, with the help of
several pumps), and finally a bolt on a mudguard, which spontaneously and suddenly decided to work loose.  This took a few of us, mostly pointing and offering advice!

'e' chats - I asked the 'e' ladies about their bikes:

Gabrielle - has had hers for five years, it is heavy and old, but does the job.  Rowena has had her e-bike for two years, a Specialized 'Vado', she says she loves it!  Mary decided to get one in her 70th year, she has had it a few years now, it means she can keep up and can keep coming out; she is pleased to be an active rider in the group.  Jane has an e-bike but came out under her own steam today, she was pleased she could manage without.  But it is there for her trips away, such as a recent one to Ingleborough (they have some good hills in Yorkshire!).  Cycling UK have a good article on choosing an e-bike - read it here.  But rest assured, you do not need an e-bike to keep up with us, and if you do have an 'e', you are most welcome to come along too!

+++++  Update! +++++

In June I was away with hubby, on a Bike and Boat tour in Croatia.  The bikes in question were e-bikes; we had originally booked normal bikes but then discovered we were the only ones on our boat without 'e', and decided it would be wise to upgrade.  It worked out really well, as it was extremely hot, and some hills.

We found the bikes quite heavy, several people fell off when stopping/ stopped but no injuries (and they had not really cycled much before this); But they were quite easy to steer.  Four settings (Eco, Tour, Sport, and Turbo), but we mostly used Eco or Tour, (with a little bit of Sport up a particularly long hill).  It was helpful too on tracks, so we could easily set of and keep momentum without wheel spinning.

Hubby is converted, but I will stay with my 'muscle bike' (as our new Kiwi friends call non-e bikes!) for a bit longer