I got the 07:19 train from Liverpool to Crewe & was in Crewe just before 8:00. The first thing I saw on getting off the train was a well equipped bicycle workstation, with a stand, pump & tools for use by itinerant cyclists. All medium size stations should have these.
Leaving the station at 8:05 I head out of town on the A534 Crewe road, which was fairly quiet and had a cycle lane for most of it’s length (and a dead badger). At the Peacock roundabout I turned right onto the A51 Nantwich bypass, even early on a Saturday this was busy, with a lot of heavy lorries. After the Alveston roundabout the road narrowed & I had traffic queuing behind me on a few occasions.
I got off the road at Henhull Bridge and onto the towpath for the Shropshire Union Main Line canal.
The towpath here was narrow, but had a hard packed surface, so I was able to make decent progress. Past the junction to Llangollen at Barbridge the surface changed to grass, which continued until just before Chester. It was firm going & quite bumpy, I was glad I was on the MTB & even unlocked the suspension.
At Calveley there is a cafe & shop, shortly after this I crossed a bridge onto the left bank of the canal.
Lots of narrowboats, both at their moorings & pootling along. One or two causing a hazard for cyclists with their ropes. Not many dog walkers or anglers out here. I did hear & then see a hunt though.
Past Bunbury Locks and Beeston Crag, then the marina at Tattenhall with dozens of moored boats. At Waverton the towpath changed to a paved surface and progress became quicker, though I was sharing the path with strollers & dog walkers.
Into Chester by 11:30 and I had an all day breakfast at the
Artichoke Bistro on the banks of the canal (not cheap, but very nice).
Through the
Chester Canal Basin and then I picked up the
Chester Greenway This is a converted railway line with an excellent tarmac surface. After going through Blacon (a few chaps hanging around drinking Special Brew) it crosses the Welsh border and continues into the flat countryside.
At the bridge over the A563 Welsh Road I came off the Greenway too early & got lost in the Deeside Industrial Park until I found the road leading to the cycle route across
Burton Marshes. The firing range was in use as I pedalled across.
Past the Harp Inn and then Net’s Cafe to Little Neston where I zig zagged through the village to pick up the
Wirral Way , this is another old railway line & very popular with family groups & dog walkers, I made good use of my bell.
Into West Kirby by 15:15 and a stop for tea & cake at the lovely
Sweetpea Cafe.
From here I rode through Hoylake and around the top of the Wirral peninsula to New Brighton, and down to Seacombe for the 17:20 ferry across to Liverpool (£5:50)
Approximately 88Km or 54 miles in a total of 9 hours, take away the breaks & a few wrong turns and it was probably 7 hours of riding, all of it apart from the start and a few link sections traffic free.
The toughest part was the canal towpath, which was slow & bumpy. I did part of it a few weeks ago on a tourer, but was far more comfortable on the MTB.
If I was to do this again I'd ignore the Nantwich bypass and ride into the centre of Nantwich & pick up the canal there.
More pictures
