Sunday saw the latest Stockport Community Cycling Club eXtra ride, our more advance rides covering 50 miles plus. We have been to Appleton Thorn before as part of the eXtra ride series, however Julia brought us our lunch destination from a completely different direction.

The ride started at Gatley Rail station. We began by working our way through Altrincham, Bowden, Dunham Massey and Warburton. Next we made our way to Lymm.

From Lymm we headed on to Grappenhall passing by Thelwall and then on to Appleton Thorn.

  

  

Although the ride was titled ‘Appleton Thorn’ lunch was actually taken at the Cock O’ Budworth which is on the edge of Comberbach. By now we had cycled over 30 miles so lunch was something we were all looking forward to with eager anticipation. We were made very welcome as they had opened a spare room for us. The staff were welcoming and helpful, and the food was fine (if a little pricey). Although there didn’t appear to be many gluten-free options I am pleased to report that a lot of their menu options included freshly made food and so in fact was gluten-free.

  

The rain that weather forecasters were saying was due our way continued to avoid us, and suitably refreshed we set off for home by skirting round Great Budworth and then cycling through Mere.

  

Finally we reached Ashley and then it was round the airport back to Gatley.

  

We nearly made it back avoiding the rain. Unfortunately we were only a couple of miles when the rain started to appear.

We covered nearly 53 miles and this alternative route to Appleton Thorn took us down quite a few new interesting roads …or if we had been down them before they appeared new since we approached everything from a different direction! So thanks to Julia for a thoroughly enjoyable ride. Including the journeys to the start and finish Sarah and I had cycled some 64 miles all in all.