- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Yesterday: I still had my challenge ride to do and only had two possible days to get it done before the end of the month. I chose yesterday and the weather looked pretty good for it. A last minute issue was that work wanted me to do some training in the evening with just 48 hours notice. I politely refused as I expected to only just be getting back at the time they wanted to start. I decided on an "easy" century as I didn't know how good the legs would be with not enough riding. The Raleigh was already prepared with only the tyres needing to be checked in the morning.
It was dark when I got up and dawn by the time I got out into a cool morning that felt properly like autumn. It was quite overcast so I needed my lights for longer than anticipated - they were freshly charged so that wasn't an issue. I headed over Lyth Hill to get to Condover and added mileage by going to Wheathall and Berriewood before heading to Acton Burnell via Cantlop and Pitchford. This road was busyish for the time of the morning but most of the traffic seemed to be heading for Concord College so it was better going through Frodesley and along the old Roman road.
Low cloud was hanging round the Stretton Hills - fortunately not quite low enough for me to climb into it as I headed over Folly Bank. I paused in Cardington to get some photos then carried on towards Longville and Hughley. Not much traffic on this road but what there was I seemed to meet in the most awkward places. At the first junction after Hughley a couple of workmen were putting out cones and road closure signs for the road I'd just ridden, so that was well timed. I paused in a gateway shortly after this to have my first snack stop.
On the road to Lower Springs I got hooted at for being in the way of a new Defender. I didn't see another vehicle after this until reaching Cressage, having gone via Harnage Grange. The sun was breaking through by now and the day was becoming quite pleasant, though still a little cool. I took my usual route, climbing to Uppington and Bluebell then descending Bluebell Lane (sounds prettier than it is). At Walcot I found the road to Withington closed so no chance to add mileage here, although I didn't think I really needed it by now.
At Rodington Heath I found one of the bad bits of road had been resurfaced, then in High Ercall the same had been done through the village and up Silver Hill, making it much more pleasant to ride. It's taken them about ten years to get to it.
At Heath Lanes I took the lane to Ellerdine Heath as it's a better maintained bit of road. I met two horses along here and was followed by a lorry with excavator on the back which wasn't able to go as quickly as me as it was quite a tight fit.
The crossing of the A442 went fine (this is a busy and fast bit of road that always makes me nervous). I had toyed with the idea of taking a right at Eaton on Tern and heading through Cheswardine. This would have been a relatively long climb and into the wind so I decided against it this time. I was about ready for another stop by this point and there is a convenient place to do so just at Ollerton.
Moving on into a headwind I was going fairly well to Stoke on Tern but got baulked shortly after, where a static caravan was being delivered to a site just outside the village and they were taking up the whole road while trying to remove it from the lorry. Fortunately there is a wide verge so I was able to walk past alright. The waiting motorists weren't quite so lucky. The legs were starting to ache a bit by the time I reached Market Drayton which made me realise that I might have pushed on a bit too quickly earlier. I wasn't overly impressed with the driving through the town, having two separate incidents where people flashed other cars to pull out of side roads into my path.
As a result I didn't feel generous when I encountered a lorry wanting to turn in to a farm and felt bad afterwards about not being polite and letting them go first.
At Longslow there was a scary moment when a postie stepped out from a concealed gateway and we just missed one another. She was quite apologetic.
After that it took a little while to settle back into a routine. There is a steepish hill to climb near Styche Hall and I got to the top of it before realising I'd forgotten to change down from the big ring. By Calverhall I was going well again. I took my usual route through Ightfield, which adds a bit of distance but did slightly regret it, partly due to the bad surface and partly due to meeting a large tractor & trailer going much too fast for this lane - it was tight getting past and they left an impressive skid mark and a reek of burning rubber from the trailer wheels. I met their equally fast colleague a bit further on where it was wider, but on a corner so I still needed to pull in right to the edge of the road to avoid the trailer.
At Prees it seemed a good point to pause by the church for my lunch stop, after which it was a good descent down the hill into the village then a flat run to the station. I had the wind helping now which was good through Whixall to Northwood. I thought about going through Bettisfield for a change but when I started along that road it was so rough I quickly changed my mind and stayed on the main road to Hampton Bank then Welshampton instead. The climb past Stocks Farm was as rough as I expected but the legs didn't feel too bad so it was steady, if not particularly fast to Ellesmere. I took another quick break here and opened the jelly babies. The road to Lee had signs saying it was closed - I'd decided to avoid it this time anyway due to the traffic that usually comes from the ABP factory about this time but worried that they might be using my alternative route instead. Fortunately that didn't seem to be the case and it was a nice ride to Hordley. Another cyclist came past while I was at the junction deciding whether to change my route again - I decided against it and turned towards Baschurch and was surprised to find myself reeling him in and able to overtake by the time we got to Lower Hordley. The good pace continued for a bit longer, except where the road briefly turns into the wind.
I had my final snack stop about a mile from Baschurch which gave the energy for the rest of the ride. I didn't have my planned detour into the pretty part of Baschurch as the school was just breaking up and I wanted to get away from the traffic as quickly as I could. The dip and the climb at Milford felt easier than expected considering the miles in the legs and I found I could push on to Montford Bridge quite well. The climb over the hill to Bicton is usually where I'd struggle on a ride of this length but this time I got over the climb much faster than I'd usually manage - it wasn't like doing it on fresh legs but I certainly wasn't plodding. Feeling good I decided to take the long (but flatter) way back past Gains Park, the new Bowbrook estate, Nobold and Meole Brace. The last climb wasn't fast, but again I wasn't struggling so I'm happy with that.
107.56 miles at 13.8 mph moving average. 9 hours and 20 minutes including all the stops. Really happy with that and it keeps me in the challenge for another month.
Quite an overcast and misty morning as I cross Lyth Hill.
Caer Caradoc has its head in the clouds as I prepare to climb Folly Bank.
Cardington.
Hughley. This location was used in the Powell and Pressburger adaptation of Gone to Earth.
Atmospheric along Wenlock Edge as the sun tries to break through.
If ever a road was less aptly named.
At Stoke on Tern.
Market Drayton.
From my lunch stop at Prees.
Activity on the canal at Ellesmere.
It was dark when I got up and dawn by the time I got out into a cool morning that felt properly like autumn. It was quite overcast so I needed my lights for longer than anticipated - they were freshly charged so that wasn't an issue. I headed over Lyth Hill to get to Condover and added mileage by going to Wheathall and Berriewood before heading to Acton Burnell via Cantlop and Pitchford. This road was busyish for the time of the morning but most of the traffic seemed to be heading for Concord College so it was better going through Frodesley and along the old Roman road.
Low cloud was hanging round the Stretton Hills - fortunately not quite low enough for me to climb into it as I headed over Folly Bank. I paused in Cardington to get some photos then carried on towards Longville and Hughley. Not much traffic on this road but what there was I seemed to meet in the most awkward places. At the first junction after Hughley a couple of workmen were putting out cones and road closure signs for the road I'd just ridden, so that was well timed. I paused in a gateway shortly after this to have my first snack stop.
On the road to Lower Springs I got hooted at for being in the way of a new Defender. I didn't see another vehicle after this until reaching Cressage, having gone via Harnage Grange. The sun was breaking through by now and the day was becoming quite pleasant, though still a little cool. I took my usual route, climbing to Uppington and Bluebell then descending Bluebell Lane (sounds prettier than it is). At Walcot I found the road to Withington closed so no chance to add mileage here, although I didn't think I really needed it by now.
At Rodington Heath I found one of the bad bits of road had been resurfaced, then in High Ercall the same had been done through the village and up Silver Hill, making it much more pleasant to ride. It's taken them about ten years to get to it.
At Heath Lanes I took the lane to Ellerdine Heath as it's a better maintained bit of road. I met two horses along here and was followed by a lorry with excavator on the back which wasn't able to go as quickly as me as it was quite a tight fit.
The crossing of the A442 went fine (this is a busy and fast bit of road that always makes me nervous). I had toyed with the idea of taking a right at Eaton on Tern and heading through Cheswardine. This would have been a relatively long climb and into the wind so I decided against it this time. I was about ready for another stop by this point and there is a convenient place to do so just at Ollerton.
Moving on into a headwind I was going fairly well to Stoke on Tern but got baulked shortly after, where a static caravan was being delivered to a site just outside the village and they were taking up the whole road while trying to remove it from the lorry. Fortunately there is a wide verge so I was able to walk past alright. The waiting motorists weren't quite so lucky. The legs were starting to ache a bit by the time I reached Market Drayton which made me realise that I might have pushed on a bit too quickly earlier. I wasn't overly impressed with the driving through the town, having two separate incidents where people flashed other cars to pull out of side roads into my path.
As a result I didn't feel generous when I encountered a lorry wanting to turn in to a farm and felt bad afterwards about not being polite and letting them go first.At Longslow there was a scary moment when a postie stepped out from a concealed gateway and we just missed one another. She was quite apologetic.
After that it took a little while to settle back into a routine. There is a steepish hill to climb near Styche Hall and I got to the top of it before realising I'd forgotten to change down from the big ring. By Calverhall I was going well again. I took my usual route through Ightfield, which adds a bit of distance but did slightly regret it, partly due to the bad surface and partly due to meeting a large tractor & trailer going much too fast for this lane - it was tight getting past and they left an impressive skid mark and a reek of burning rubber from the trailer wheels. I met their equally fast colleague a bit further on where it was wider, but on a corner so I still needed to pull in right to the edge of the road to avoid the trailer.
At Prees it seemed a good point to pause by the church for my lunch stop, after which it was a good descent down the hill into the village then a flat run to the station. I had the wind helping now which was good through Whixall to Northwood. I thought about going through Bettisfield for a change but when I started along that road it was so rough I quickly changed my mind and stayed on the main road to Hampton Bank then Welshampton instead. The climb past Stocks Farm was as rough as I expected but the legs didn't feel too bad so it was steady, if not particularly fast to Ellesmere. I took another quick break here and opened the jelly babies. The road to Lee had signs saying it was closed - I'd decided to avoid it this time anyway due to the traffic that usually comes from the ABP factory about this time but worried that they might be using my alternative route instead. Fortunately that didn't seem to be the case and it was a nice ride to Hordley. Another cyclist came past while I was at the junction deciding whether to change my route again - I decided against it and turned towards Baschurch and was surprised to find myself reeling him in and able to overtake by the time we got to Lower Hordley. The good pace continued for a bit longer, except where the road briefly turns into the wind.
I had my final snack stop about a mile from Baschurch which gave the energy for the rest of the ride. I didn't have my planned detour into the pretty part of Baschurch as the school was just breaking up and I wanted to get away from the traffic as quickly as I could. The dip and the climb at Milford felt easier than expected considering the miles in the legs and I found I could push on to Montford Bridge quite well. The climb over the hill to Bicton is usually where I'd struggle on a ride of this length but this time I got over the climb much faster than I'd usually manage - it wasn't like doing it on fresh legs but I certainly wasn't plodding. Feeling good I decided to take the long (but flatter) way back past Gains Park, the new Bowbrook estate, Nobold and Meole Brace. The last climb wasn't fast, but again I wasn't struggling so I'm happy with that.
107.56 miles at 13.8 mph moving average. 9 hours and 20 minutes including all the stops. Really happy with that and it keeps me in the challenge for another month.
Quite an overcast and misty morning as I cross Lyth Hill.
Caer Caradoc has its head in the clouds as I prepare to climb Folly Bank.
Cardington.
Hughley. This location was used in the Powell and Pressburger adaptation of Gone to Earth.
Atmospheric along Wenlock Edge as the sun tries to break through.
If ever a road was less aptly named.
At Stoke on Tern.
From my lunch stop at Prees.
Activity on the canal at Ellesmere.
