15/10/25
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Recumbent Ride
Well, actually, a picnic table near the end of the Whitegate Way. Got your attention though, hmm?
Rather a dull afternoon but mild for October. I’d recently fitted a 40mm Marathon Greenguard to the front instead of the 28mm Continental that it came with so this was going to be a test ride. Naturally I needed to do a bit of rail trail mileage to get a fuller picture.
So off I went, right out of the back gate, intending to turn right at the uphill lights on Swanlow Lane to freewheel to the town centre. The traffic had other ideas and it turned out easier to go straight on to continue along Swanlow Lane. There is a stretch of broken surface beyond the lights and it was noticeable that less road buzz reached the bars compared to the last time I came along here with the narrower tyres.
I soon came to the A54 roundabout and saw a queue of traffic so diverted left down a short road which led to a pedestrian controlled crossing. After pressing the button, once the traffic stopped I nipped across both lanes. Along a pavement and into Woodford Lane then left out on to Delamere St.
Parked cars were building up as it was approaching school run time. I’d hoped to get past the nearby primary school before the gates opened and to my relief, I did.
It was not long before I came to my turn off to the right into an estate road, then left into a steep downhill lane leading to a sports complex. Once more I was able to gingerly pedal through a gap to the right of the actual A frame barrier. As I sped downhill a walker with a dog appeared. I tinged my bell, he pulled the dog to him, I said thank you as I rolled past. Up a slope, sharp right, sharp left a little further on then right into an empty car park. Diagonally across, then left into Grange Lane.
Gradually downhill through an estate of houses, past a golf course, then more steeply downhill to rush a dip and up the other side. Approaching the access to the Whitegate Way rail trail I changed down ready for the steep ramp which was still out of sight beyond a bridge abutment on the left. Slowly through a narrow barrier, a sharp left without stopping, then up the ramp.
Reaching the more level trail at the top and changing up, “God, I’m good!” I thought as speed slowly increased along the top of an embankment.
I was a bit wary as from past experience such thoughts have led to a rapid deflation of the fragile balloon of my self esteem. But not this time. My tyres didn’t spontaneously explode, the chain stayed on, no squirrel immolated itself in my front wheel, I didn’t lose control and plunge to my doom down the unfenced sides of the high embankment. In fact, it was all rather calm and pleasant, with nobody else about. Plenty of birds, squirrels and other heard but unseen wildlife.
Rolling along on the gradual uphill there were plenty of fallen leaves though not the mass which I encountered here at this time last year. I’d noticed on my travels recently that it was a good year for acorns which were everywhere, perhaps explaining the presence of the many squirrels which were about.
Soon I was at the almost deserted car park at Whitegate station. I stopped to inspect the conveniences and carried on back on the trail. Past the old station, under a bridge and along a more level stretch.
There still weren’t many people about. I’d just passed an elderly couple with a small child when an intense white light became visible in the distance. Either someone had a phenomemal bike light or it was a motorbike of some kind. Sure enough, eventually the source of the light came by at a fair speed, no pretence at pedalling as there were no pedals, and it looked like a conventional off road motor bike except that it whined electrically by. The balaclava’d rider soon faded in to the distance.
You rarely see something like that on this trail. It irritated me in so many ways. An illegal, unlicenced, un numberplated e-motorbike being ridden on a bridleway. It was neither fish nor fowl. Impossible to get it legal for the road, yet blithely being used on a bridleway/cycling/walking facility without a care for anyone else. Not some ratty rundown i/c motocrosser, either, it was probably probably newish, off t'internet.
I continued, wondering if he would be coming back later.
Meanwhile, it continued to be a pleasant mid October day as I rolled past meres and wooded areas.
From time to time something got caught in the front tyre tread and zizzed round for a few revolutions before being spat out. Obviously not a lot of tyre clearance in that mudguard. I wondered if I could gain a few more mm of clearance without getting contact between the crank and guard. I might experiment once I got home.
I rolled along under several bridges before a downhill slope indicated that I was getting close to the main line, and soon passing trains were audible. I came to an information board and a picnic table at the point where the Oakmere Way branches off. I stopped for a break. On the other side of a fence was a field full of bullocks who initially showed an interest in me but then continued beefing themselves up on the lush grass.
It was very peaceful here. Apart from the munching and snorting from the field behind me, a nearby bird going tit-tit-tit tit-tit-tit-tit and a random crow cawing somewhere, there was an airy silence all round.
After a gourmet snack of crisps, a wagon wheel (the jammy variety) and a diet drink I hit the trail once more. I’d intended to go to the end of the trail then turn round and retrace my route.
It was tempting to go further and return home by road, but bearing in mind the time and likely traffic, it would be more pleasant to go back the way I came.
So I carried on downhill to where the trail runs alongside the main line then narrows and further on turns under it beneath a bridge. The trail is a permissive bridleway at this point, and various paths and gates are plastered with “no access” and “private property” signs.
I would have thought "permissive" would mean that anything goes, Bringing up images of an irate Mary Whitehouse, but apparently not.
I met a woman walking a frisky young black labrador. “That looks a fun bike”, she said, struggling to keep the dog by her side.
I passed under the bridge to the point where it meets Waste Lane. This is another permissive access which leads to Norley Road and Cuddington.
I turned round and took a picture of some gateposts with the bridge in the background. I could see how someone unfamiliar with the area might be a little daunted and have difficulty finding the actual way on to the rail trail itself from this direction. You have to follow this private drive under the bridge and turn sharp right straight after it.
I set off on my return journey trying to see it all with the eyes of a stranger.
A train rumbled across the bridge as I went under it. I swung wide to the left so I could have a straight run up the narrow steep first part of the trail when I turned right. Then once it widened and became less steep I settled back to make steady progress for home.
I soon caught up with the labrador lady and continued uphill, twirling those pedals. There wasn’t much traffic now. A sporty cyclist fizzed past in the opposite direction, and a jogger.
I passed through the thickly wooded area, remembering from my map that it was called Lobslack Wood. I wondered what the origins of that name were. I came to an area where there were lakes on the left but didn’t have a clear view as I went past. I could hear the raucous calls of many water birds. I wondered if they were gathering for migration, or if they’d just arrived.
The Station bridge at Whitegate appeared in the distance, and soon I was passing under it. The trend from here was downhill, and the bike rolled easily along, with little need for pedalling.
I was soon descending the ramp to Grange Lane, right through the narrow barrier, down a dip and up the gradual climb to the sports fields. Across the road, through the car park, and along the path between the playing fields.
Earlier I'd been able to get through the gap to the side of the A frame barrier in the downhill direction. As I approached the barrier I aimed for the gap again but it just didn’t work in this direction. There’s room to straighten up on the downhill side but not on the uphill side. I had to grab the seat and pull the back wheel sideways to be able to get through.
No problems getting going up the hill to the estate road at the top. Right here, then left on Delamere St. Traffic was hectic at the A54 roundabout so I turned off downhill to get through a gap in the central reservation, into an entrance on the other side then up the pavement uphill then left on to Swanlow Lane.
Right at Townfields Road lights then right between some bollards into an estate road. I followed the road to the right to come out on Beeston Drive. Left downhill here then left again into an estate road which wound about, another downhill and I was soon at my back gate.
Distance 16.17 miles. Max Speed 22.1 mph. Average speed 7.9 mph. According to Garmin.
Ascent 440 ft. According to Bikehike.
