Your ride today....

[Richard A Thackeray]

Bike selected; Gran Fondo. Bone-dry roads, & I was intending to stick to the tarmac
Weather; quite warm, broken cloud-cover, a slight breeze
Photographs from today; unless dated otherwise
Geograph used, to illustrate points not covered by my own images (& to give a map location)



First off!!

Apologies, as I may ramble on about locations that I pass. not where I'm going to end up
As usual...……………
Not a long ride, more of a 'potter' to take some photographs, for the albums on my 'social media' (just FaceBook), and for the various photography threads on here
Out over the railway bridge, adjoining Normanton Station (the merest/slightest shadow of its former self), through Lee Brigg (an 'annex' of Altofts)
Down Birkwood Hill, the 'tarring & chipping' of a few years ago, now resembling a 'scalping', with the road actually starting to dip several inches at points, between drains!

Over the Aire & Calder Navigation Canal. at 'Stanley Ferry', on this bridge, heading from right to left; http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/191204
Crossing the River Calder, on this bridge, heading towards the camera; http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4008710

With the Grade 1 listed Aquaduct carrying the 'A&CNC' over the Calder, to my left; http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3511340

To the end of Ferry Lane, ignoring the Trans-Pennine Trail & Wakefield Wheel signs along the (as it's known locally 'Nagger Lines', as it was a horse-drawn wagonway) the new Nellie Spindler Drive heads off, as part of the Eastern Relief Road
Who?, this courageous lady, buried with full military honours, & the only woman buried with 10,000 Soldiers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-40976974


On to the Wakefield - Aberford TurnPike Road, as it was created during 1788 - 1789, to be (now just A642 Aberford Road) through Stanley, past the demolished St Peters Church
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1182507

On the right, there's Gordons Tyres, a tyre/exhaust distributor that took over the old Cinema building
Originally known as the 'Clog & Rhubarb', as those were the two biggest products of the area (after Coal), with WH Lambs, known as 'Clogger Lambs being exactly that; a Clog/boot factory
The local farmers, & 'Cloggers', provided the land, and built the cinema; http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/966696

Opposite, the former Toll-House, on the corner with Lake Lock Road, with a curved wall
Tuesday 3rd January 2017


Then there's the Mechanics Institute, now an office (or was, for a damp-proofing company)

Monday 3rd May 2004


Followed on by the site of Stanley Station, now The Chase, sheltered housing & OAP bungalows in the trackbed, a platform wall is still there, as a retaining wall


As we get further up Aberford Road, it's changed greatly, as there was a railway line here, & the original (well, up to late 60's?) road climbed to cross it on a bridge
The 60's route can still be seen/followed as a footpath, up to the previous road-junction
The new road-layout can be seen here - if you change the 'transparancy', Newmarket House was a bar/restaurant, for a few years
Best displayed on desk-top/lap-top
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=53.7247&lon=-1.4599&layers=168&b=1



Next, it's the sprint across the roundabout that's over junction 30, of the M62, taking primary over the slip-road, & watching for traffic coming up the 'off' to join Aberford Road
A fairly good stretch of road now, but busy towards Oulton, & Rothwell Sports Centre

Down to the next roundabout, where there's the lovely 'Nookin' (a magnificent 'half-timbered' house, with a date of 1611 - though some believe that's a date of rebuild, not actual construction)


Friday 30th April 2004


Turning right at the roundabout, into Oulton itself, the first stop is the old School, built in 1877, & closed in 1966
https://www.britishlistedbuildings....and-primary-school-rothwell-ward#.W2gVkfZFzIU


The Methodist Chapel, for the 'Trig Point bagger thread'


A side trip around Farrer Lane, which has a few of the old houses was partaken of

This is 'Tudor Cottage', as it's named by the owners, the name-plaque has the date of circa 1500
https://www.britishlistedbuildings....and-13-farrer-lane-rothwell-ward#.W2gWMPZFzIU



Number 21/23 is (apparently) a Victorian conversion
No!!, not a converted Victorian barn.... .but converted in the Victorian era!!!!!
(I'd hazard a personal guess, that the cart-door was blocked up then, & it was still used for agricultural purposes?)



Then, there's a house with some serious money...….
This bridge isn't a folly/remnant of the landed gentry
It's from a house.. over Oulton Beck (oddly, the River Dolphin, upstream in Rothwell) to their garages!!!!!!




I'm running out of time now, so will have to leave the trip there

Hope someone enjoyed it??

 

[Lilliburlero]

Had a cracking club ride out to Cafe Ventoux yesterday. A big turn out with 20 of us setting off at 7`ish for one of the best group rides we`ve ever done, I`d rate this ride = to the rapid Skeggy ride we did a few weeks back, but Skeggy was so much easier than this one. There were some sharp up and downs around the cafe that were a bit of a bugger and I was glad to see the back of them to be honest . 100.5 miles bagged at 18mph with 5267ft of elevation with a group pub stop near the end, that was nice . Great ride with all of us sticking together and seeing it through as a group. Great day

Me at the cafe, far left

 

[C R]

Ride yesterday.

Out early to try and avoid the heat. Set off about quarter to seven with the plan of trying a new route, and my second metric half.

Started up Hatfield Bank, then Stonehall Common, Pirton and past Croome towards Pershore along Rebecca Road. There were some clouds that kept the sun at bay

Though it was starting to feel a bit warm already.

After climbing to the top of Rebecca Road there is a swift descent into Pershore, were I took the left for Pinvin. The road is shut to motor vehicles at the roundabout before the High School, but the cycle path is open. So onwards, over the A44 and then right for Trockmorton past the airfield. Then for Bishampton and Flyford Flavell to cross the A422 towards Droitwich past Grafton Flyford. I like riding in these quiet lanes, but at this time of the year the hedges are quite thick and tall, so the landscape views come and go through the breaks in the bushes.
This is the view of St Kenelm's Church tower in Upton Snodsbury from such a break in a hedge where I stopped for a drink and a nut bar.

Once refreshed Huddington was my next waypoint, before picking up Trench Lane all the way past Dunhampstead. Over the level crossing, then the canal bridge, and then a left towards the M5 and a left again in Plough Lane back towards Worcester.

By now the Sun was already beating down, as the clouds had disipated and I started flagging a bit, so stopped for a drink and a breather for a few minutes.

I had planned to ride back via Spetchley, but as I was feeling a bit tired I went past the Hospital instead, then the County Hall and down Red Hill for home.

32 miles in around two hours and a quarter of riding time at 14.2 mph, second metric half in the bag. Map my ride says 1000 feet of up, but google says 666. As someone mentioned in another thread a Maiden gig tonight I will go with google's value just this once. Up the Irons!

 

[postman]

Ok 30 miles .Longest for a bit,don't get impressed it was only Boston Spa via Thorner flat as a pancake,with just a couple of stretches.Now sad thing is my mate Dave,we cycled together for the first time today.For some reason known only to him,he has bought a 29 er.A chunky mountain bike with tyres like a motorcycle.He is 72 and it it too heavy for him.At one stage we were doing 4.4 to 5.2 mph.Because of that he was wobbling allover the place,i can see how he fell off last time he was out with his other cycling buddy.He is going to put slicks on to see if it improves things,i hope it does.I felt awful when he told me to set off on my own,as he was going to walk up the road as it gently started to rise.I set off and got going to 18mph within seconds.I hope the slicks do make a difference,because i can see it is spoiling his enjoyment and rides of any distance over 30 miles,will be difficult for him.He also said he might sell it,he has only had it about nine months,and never even taken it out on a tow path.It was great to be out with him.

 

[TigerT]

My ride today was the shortest I‘ve done in a long while. Just 8kms!

I‘m back in the UK to see family so I went for a short ride with my Dad just into the next town for Coffee and cake, then back again.

Not the level of equipment I’m used to. Had to borrow my step sisters old bike. A 10 speed (of which you can select only 3!), brakes reversed from what I‘m used to, bent handlebars and riding on the other side of the road. But it was good fun. Probably the first time we‘ve been for a ride together in 30 years.

My borrowed ride and my Dads posh new e-bike.

Coffee and cake, the most important part of any ride. Though not really deserved today!

 

[skudupnorth]

Yesterday I completed my 10th imperial century ride of the calendar year by riding a circular route from home (Littleborough) to Newton le Willows and back. Fellow CCers who have ridden routes devised by @ColinJ will know that whether it is a day long century ride or a local 30 mile saunter you will be guaranteed the highest quality scenic splendour in quiet country lanes – usually with plenty of challenging hills. I ride these stunning routes regularly with Colin. Living in the Pennines it’s good that we both like riding up steep hills – fellow masochists! To use football parlance his rides would be top of the Premier League.

Unfortunately, I do not possess the same patience and meticulous attention to detail required to plan routes of similar quality. When planning a route I tend to decide on the total distance I want, choose the town or village that will be the furthermost point, and use the excellent cycle.travel route planning website to do the rest. I use the ‘via’ function to manipulate the route to take in roads and tracks I want to include. I also like to plan routes that have a good chance of encountering the more usual prevailing westerly wind for the return leg. My other criteria for yesterday’s route was that I wanted to include a lot of off road. I was pleased to achieve that with in excess of 75% being on established off road cycleways and tracks. By ‘off road’ I do not mean technical rough stuff with rocky surfaces. I’m too old and frail for that! What I mean by ‘off road’ is decent surfaced traffic free paths and tracks that are easily possible to ride on thin road bike tyres. Though I chose to use wider tyres for added comfort. The various sections of cycle paths and tracks I rode yesterday included the following:

- Rochdale Canal

- Quiet lanes and tracks from Birtle (just east of Bury) to Walmersley (2 miles north of Bury)

- Kirklees Trail and ‘feeder tracks’ Greenmount to Tottington and Bury back to Greenmount on the return leg – Sustrans NCN route 6

- Cycle track through Leverhulme Park, Bolton

- Roe Green Loopline

- Ellenbrook Loopline

- Leigh Busway

- Sankey Canal towpath

- Sankey Valley Way

- TransPennine Trail

- Various minor tracks in Salford

- Sustrans (Irwell Trail) NCN route 6 from Salford to Greenmount (via Radcliffe and Bury)

My route took me through or near to the following:
Littleborough, Castleton, Heywood, Birtle, Summerseat, Greenmount, Tottington, Harwood, Breightmet, Bolton, Walkden,Tyldesley,Leigh, Lowton, Golborne, Newton Le Willows, Sankey Bridges, Latchford, Lymm, Rush Green, Warburton, Hollins Green, Cadishead, Irlam, Astley, Worsley, Moorside, Salford, Radcliffe, Bury, Greenmount, Summerseat, Bury (Limefield), Birtle, Heywood, Castleton, Littleborough.

It was amazing how much off road riding that included! I need to do a bit of tweaking before I repeat this ride as there was a 9 or 10 mile stretch of road from Leigh to Newton Le Willows that I would prefer to avoid. I think it might be possible to use the Bridgwater Canal for some of that. Any thoughts on that @skudupnorth (Steve), as I know you live in nearby Astley and have recently posted about the superb Leigh Busway and Ellenbrook interconnections?

I have attached some pictures I took yesterday that mainly show the quality of surface of some of the above mentioned trails.

Doing this route on a Sunday proved a good decision as the stretches of actual on road riding were very quiet.

Oh I wish I had known you were in the area,i would have come out to play ! The A580 ( East Lancs) has a good cycle path that stretches all the way to Newton Le Willows, I use it a lot up to the roundabout at Warrington Road before I head towards Cultcheth. You could use the canal up to Leigh but the path has not been fully surfaced on a section past Astley Pit and it pretty hard at the moment but turns to bog in winter. Again you can ride down Warrington Road and join the A580 cycle path again so it might be better to join it from either Ellenbrook or Astley.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Utilitarian ride today. Work truck broke down, so rode from the garage into Bath to pick up a hire van so I could get on with work. Anybody would think I was making up excuses to ride through the Two Tunnels. (Again)

 

[Spiderweb]

Tonight’s ride was the last before our family road trip to Italy. I really pushed myself and the old Tricross went well.
25.4 miles in total with an average of 18.9 mph. Really pleased with that, fab ride.

 

[Littgull]

Oh I wish I had known you were in the area,i would have come out to play ! The A580 ( East Lancs) has a good cycle path that stretches all the way to Newton Le Willows, I use it a lot up to the roundabout at Warrington Road before I head towards Cultcheth. You could use the canal up to Leigh but the path has not been fully surfaced on a section past Astley Pit and it pretty hard at the moment but turns to bog in winter. Again you can ride down Warrington Road and join the A580 cycle path again so it might be better to join it from either Ellenbrook or Astley.

Thanks, Steve. It was a bit of a short notice decision to do that ride but next time I'm planning to be riding out that way I'll give you the 'heads up'.
I had a feeling the A580 East Lancs Road was the only viable alternative from Leigh to the turn off for Newton le Willows. It is a decent surfaced cycle path/pavement alongside it but my only reservation is that you have to endure the busy traffic noise all the way along it. That comes as a bit of a shock after all the previous miles on quiet country lanes and tracks. But if it is viewed as just a few miles on it as a means to getting to quieter and more scenic parts it's worth riding along it.

 

[skudupnorth]

Thanks, Steve. It was a bit of a short notice decision to do that ride but next time I'm planning to be riding out that way I'll give you the 'heads up'.
I had a feeling the A580 East Lancs Road was the only viable alternative from Leigh to the turn off for Newton le Willows. It is a decent surfaced cycle path/pavement alongside it but my only reservation is that you have to endure the busy traffic noise all the way along it. That comes as a bit of a shock after all the previous miles on quiet country lanes and tracks. But if it is viewed as just a few miles on it as a means to getting to quieter and more scenic parts it's worth riding along it.

No worries. It is a bit noisy but like you say,it is a good path but no way near as good as the quiet ones. My work commute is such a pleasure now I am using the old rail links to Bolton

 

[Dave 123]

My ride today was the shortest I‘ve done in a long while. Just 8kms!

I‘m back in the UK to see family so I went for a short ride with my Dad just into the next town for Coffee and cake, then back again.

Not the level of equipment I’m used to. Had to borrow my step sisters old bike. A 10 speed (of which you can select only 3!), brakes reversed from what I‘m used to, bent handlebars and riding on the other side of the road. But it was good fun. Probably the first time we‘ve been for a ride together in 30 years.

View attachment 422971
My borrowed ride and my Dads posh new e-bike.
View attachment 422972
Coffee and cake, the most important part of any ride. Though not really deserved today!

Where’s the battery in your dads bike?

 

[Mr Celine]

Yesterday's ride. I needed to get some miles in after a fortnight in France where it was too hot to ride any distance followed by ten days back home where all I could do was dodge the rain. I went for a 56 mile loop (really more of a rectangle) heading briefly north east, then south east through Melrose, then a long uphill leg directly into the south-westerly wind. Fortunately the wind was not too strong, it was a bit overcast but a comfortable temperature. At the day's summit at Alemoor I made a small detour to have a look at the reservoir dam, which is not visible from any public road. I rounded the last corner of the steep downhill access road and stopped suddenly on hearing a loud hissssssssss........

Fortunately is was a swan and not the P-fairy. Knowing how painful it is to cycle with a broken arm I stepped gingerly round Mrs Swan and her cygnet to have a look at the dam. Some dams are spectacular structures, but all the Borders examples are, like this one, spectacularly dull. The only thing this one has going for it is remoteness. Looking north east from the dam down the Ale Water, no roads, no houses, no people......

After ploughing on westwards into the wind for another five miles or so the road turns north and downhill, then north east down Ettrickdale, which is still looking very dry despite the rain of the last fortnight.

The map -

57 miles at 15.1 mph, 3440 feet upness.

 

[TigerT]

Where’s the battery in your dads bike?

It’s in the downtube, which is a lot bigger than it looks in the photo. It’s a very nice looking bike, but I didn’t get to ride it.

 

[Dave 123]

It’s in the downtube, which is a lot bigger than it looks in the photo. It’s a very nice looking bike, but I didn’t get to ride it.

I thought so, but it looks quite slim in the picture.....
As do you!

 

[nickyboy]

Did my hardest ride for quite some time on Saturday. In truth, probably too hard for my current fitness but, as always, it seemed like a good idea at the time

Glossop, Stalybridge, Uppermill all fairly standard...then the climbing really started. Three or four hills that were too hard for my lowest gear 36/28. Made it up them but it wasn't pretty

By the time I got to Meltham I was really feeling it. Found a nice cafe and sat outside in the sunshine and had a delicious home made cheese and onion quiche

After Metlham it was Holmfirth, Dunford Bridge and then home. The last 10 miles are basically downhill but my legs were gone

All in, 55 miles with 6,100ft of climbing. Need to lose some weight and get a bit fitter, then I can maybe give it another go