After a very pleasent weeking staying with Andy and Helen up in Macclesfield  it was time to mount my trusty Dawes Horizon and set off and do some cycling.

Set off from Andy and Helen’s around 8:30 in the morning.  Headed off across the nearby park heading for the Congleton Road.  Nearly headed off to Leek but spotted this and double backed finding the Congleton Road. Hit Route 70 just after Warren. Thought I shouldn’t be heading east so went West via the sign saying Route 70 via Henbury.  Good weather for cycling, relatively cool and overcast. 

Carried on and turned left at an unexpected fork.  Ended at Alderly Edge which surprised me. Shortly after this had a Nemisis like descent. Fast and not being able to see what was coming up next.

Not long afterwards could hear and see planes taking off and landing.  Alarm bells began to ring.  Saw a rather interesting tree trunk carved into an owl shape so stopped to take a picture.  Decided to press on and try and find out where I was. Cycling along I could hear something caught up in my wheel.  Stopped and found a thorny twig imbeded in my front tyre. Pull it out I could feel the air leaking out through the rubber. Short stop to swap over the inner tube blowing the seal out of my pump and I was off again.  Saw a sign for Ashley station so I stopped to see where on the train ran. Discovered that Iwas on the way to Crewe under the bit of my map hidden by the enlargement of Chester.  At this point decided to plough on for Chester and overnight there.  Decided to head off on the main road rather than continuing along route 70.  Found Knutsford where the tourist office provided me with the Cheshire cycle tour map allowing me to work out that it was about another 30 miles to Chester and I should be able to do it in 3-4 hours.  Rang up the YHAand booked a place to stay at Chester, photocopied the page for Chester out of the Cheshire street maps in the library and then set off on my way just after two.

Took the A road for a bit before swinging north to find Route 70 again.  Sucessfully found it and came across Acton Bridge.  Fascintating swining bridge with still the original wrought iron gates in place though raising arms now perform their function instead. 

Carried along my way sucessfully until I ran out of markers and ended up by Cuddington station. Someone had turned a route 70 sign round I think directing me the wrong way.  Was very frustrating after having cycled up two longish hills and to get back on course having to cycle back up their opposite sides and another hill. Was rewarded by getting to cycle through Delamere Forest.  After getting through it stopped and spotted a message on my mobile phone from Andy so rang him back. 

Continued ontowards Chester getting there just after 5:30 just in time to buy a compass before the shops closed. Had a well earned mango and passionfruit fappacuino before wandering around and around the old streets taking photos of the two tiered shops before heading over to the YHA.   In all I managed about 60 miles that day which I was pretty pleased about given the earlier hiccup.

Found I was sharing a room with a couple of Canadian lads over in England for a few weeks.  Being Liverpool fans they’d been off to see Liverpool play at Anfield before their move to a new ground. They’d also been to see the England under 21’s play.  Headed off to see Harry Potter and the Order the Phoenix.  After walking back found my left knee hurting some what.