Yesterday: I managed to get my brother out for a ride.
He hasn't been on his bike since May so we headed out to do a leisurely ride on an easy local route. He said he wanted to try for about 20 miles so the route to Atcham, Upton Magna and back through Shrewsbury seemed like the one to start with.
We headed for Condover first, using the A49 for a short stretch and I was a little annoyed when a van towing a wide trailer squeezed past us with traffic coming the other way. No harm done thankfully and it was much quieter once we turned off the trunk road. Doug suggested the short cut through Allfield then I suggested the lane past Chilton which is hillier but shorter and quieter than going through Cross Houses.
Reaching Atcham we rode through Attingham Park, which wasn't as busy as last time I was here, before rejoining the road to Berwick Wharf then Upton Magna where we had a break at the cafe at the Haughmond Inn.
Starting off again, we headed to Uffington and along the old canal path, Sydney Avenue and into The Quarry. Plenty of people walking and enjoying the park in the sunshine here. Not many taking a trip on the boat though I noticed.
Finally we headed back the last few miles through Porthill and round the old bypass.
19.4 miles at 10.8 mph average. A nice ride on a good day for it (light wind and sunshine). Doug did really well and we managed to pace it so that he never seemed to be struggling despite how long it's been since the last ride.
On the old bridge at Atcham.
The new bridge. New is relative in this case as it was opened in 1929.
Doug in Attingham Park.
At the statue of Hercules in The Quarry.
