Route advice Stoke.

[neil_merseyside]

Not sure if this is the right forum please move if appropriate.

I'm riding from Wirral to Cheddleton in Staffordshire (via Overwater Marina Audlem) and need some route advice please. Cycle.travel can supply a route or two and easily an 80m with a very bumpy end going or using a flatter end using a canal twiddle west of Stoke gets an imperial hundred. I don't like/can't do bumps though...
So...
Does anyone know what the Caldon Canal towpath is like between Stoke on Trent (Shelton) and Cheddleton, I'll be riding on an audax bike with 25mm tyres so wonder if the canal towpath is suitable? I know the other way between Froghall Wharf and Consall Station/Black Lion isn't suitable, so wonder if it a bit rough, muddy, slow? Cycle.travel suggests gravel/compacted surfaces.
Any really good routes I should consider to cross Stoke, or an interesting route to either the North or South.

 

[FishFright]

I've ridden that stretch of towpath this year on 25/23mm tyres without any hassle. It's tarmac from Stoke to a little past Endon and hard pack the rest of the way . After Cheddleton its back to old school towpath and while rideable on 25's in the dry it's not ideal.



I live here , for my sins , so any questions ask away . Or send me a link to the Cycle.Travel route and I'll have a look.

 

[neil_merseyside]

I've ridden that stretch of towpath this year on 25/23mm tyres without any hassle. It's tarmac from Stoke to a little past Endon and hard pack the rest of the way . After Cheddleton its back to old school towpath and while rideable on 25's in the dry it's not ideal.

I live here , for my sins , so any questions ask away . Or send me a link to the Cycle.Travel route and I'll have a look.

So now it seems I'm doing this on Sunday so think a busy towpath and towns should be avoided, so I'm thinking of riding south to Market Drayton, down near Eccleshall, across to Stone, Blythe and up to Froghall Wharf, and if I get a move on I should make Hetty's

Any comments on route https://cycle.travel/map/journey/250369

 

[FishFright]

I've ridden almost all the roads on that route and you shouldn't have any problems.

Only one change I'd suggest is at Copmere not to turn let but carry on to Eccleshall and turn left at the mini roundabout as the road surface on some the lanes on your route have a rubbish surface , down the hardcore in places.

ETA There is a lovely pub at Copmere, The Star Inn, which serves some nice beers and food.

 

[neil_merseyside]

I've ridden almost all the roads on that route and you shouldn't have any problems.
Only one change I'd suggest is at Copmere not to turn let but carry on to Eccleshall and turn left at the mini roundabout as the road surface on some the lanes on your route have a rubbish surface , down the hardcore in places.
ETA There is a lovely pub at Copmere, The Star Inn, which serves some nice beers and food.

So a pub at 25m into my second half of the day, hmm let me think about that? What's not to like!
Sorted, thanks.

PS. So I'm having pancakes with Bacon and Maple Syrup at 25m, Cheese and Ham Oatcakes at lunch, so I probably need Pork Scratchings at the pub? (and beer).