Cycling
Group Leader: Stuart Jones
Mobile: 07795 981730
Email: info@knutsfordu3a.co.uk
We are a small group of 15 members who enjoy a good bike ride with the bonus of ‘cake and coffee’ midway on our ride. We invite anyone to join us who wishes to get out into the fresh air for a morning, enjoy some exercise and have a friendly chat over refreshments.
We currently run two different types of ride.
- Our ‘short’ ride. Normally about 30 km (20 miles) at a gentle pace.
- Our ‘long’ ride. Usually between 60 and 90 km (40 to 60 miles), a bit faster pace but nothing too arduous
We generally go out once a fortnight, unless the weather is particularly awful. Most routes start and end in Knutsford
A typical short ride would be a sunny morning ride through the lanes beyond the Whipping Stocks to Jodrell Bank where we sampled the refreshments on offer. A long ride could take us out to Manley Common at the edge of Delamere forest, where there is an excellent and exceedingly cheap farmhouse cafe, before returning via Tarporley. It is not unknown for longer rides to include two cafe stops.
We will always go at the pace of the slowest rider and never leave anyone behind!
The examples of routes below are getting a bit old – they will be updated shortly.
October 2019
Four of us (me, Chris, Steve and Gwen) set of from the Leisure Centre at 10 am, down Sudlow Lane, across Plumley Moore Rd, then right on to Trouthall Ln, first left on to the back lanes cycling over to Foxcovert Ln, right at the Tee junction with Free Green Ln and on to Grasslands for coffee and cake. Gwen left us after coffee to cycle home to look after her new puppy. The three of us cycled back to Knutsford via the Tree of Imagination, Plumley Moor Rd and Sudlow Lane. Weather was fine but the dark clouds were gathering. The distance covered was 23 Km. Very enjoyable leisurely ride, good company, good conversation, excellent coffee and cake.
Bill Baker
Thursday 12th April 2018
Seven of us set out from Tatton Park Knutsford gate at 10am yesterday, led by Ian. The weather was a little breezy and on the chilly side as we rode along the Park driveway. We slowly climbed the rise out of Rostherne village to cross over the old Chester road and from this point we cycled along lanes few had been on before, which was most interesting. Skirting around the village of High Legh, we crossed over the A50 for our refreshment stop at High Legh Garden Centre. That was of course after the scratching of heads in the car park, trying to work out how the ‘cycle parking frame’ worked! None of our bikes would fit into the spaces, without fear of damage. Perhaps we misjudged, and it was, actually, a climbing frame for toddlers! Thumbs up for the newly refurbished café. Light and airy with plenty on offer. Brown teacakes – that’s a first! Not the best we’ve had apparently, but acceptable. Scrumptious cherry scones. A bonus was an extra toasted teacake; a miscount by catering staff, but it was accepted gratefully and polished off by a couple of our group. Onward south towards Arley and Bate Heath before heading east, beneath the new underpass at the M6 junction, then waded through the floods of Moss Lane, onto Green Lane, then Tabley Road back to Knutsford, where various members peeled off to make their way home. No incidences with tyres or chains, thankfully. Many thanks to Ian for leading us on a great new route. It was a 16-mile round trip.
Thursday 8 March, 2018, despite the snow flurry, the ride went ahead.
3 of us, David, Chris and myself, braved the wet and the wind along the very muddy Sudlow Lane, where farm buildings are being renovated in one or two places. Turning left onto Plumley Moor Road, then across to Free Green Lane we passed the Tree of Imagination at Lower Peover. Our refreshment stop was at the Snowdrop café at Grasslands nursery.
Snowdrops was the buzz word all morning it seems. Snowdrop café, clumps of Snowdrops all along our route, and, in the café we were sat beside a large print of …
…Snowdrops.
But, of course we couldn’t return home without having a photo taken among the lovely display of SNOWDROPS. Please see the attached photos. The distance was 15 miles.
Chris has kindly ‘offered’ to lead a ride along the Green Way at Chester/Church Stretton, which will of course mean driving over there with bikes. Looking forward to it. Watch this space!!
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We meet twice a month on the second Thursday and fourth Monday. Try us before you join!