The last few Stockport Community Cycling Club rides have been rather wet affairs. So it was a pleasant surprise that this last Sunday before Christmas ride to Goostrey brought dry and relatively warm weather for this time of year. There was a caveat to that, for there was a strong wind blowing.

Nonetheless it was a healthy turnout at Wilmslow for the last ride before Christmas (no doubt in preparation for the large amounts of food about to be consumed over the coming week). Jim was leading this ride and I (Andy) was back leading.

We began by heading out through Warford.

From here we turned towards  Marthall.

It wasn’t long before we stopped for a breather. We were cycling constantly into a headwind.

And then the Peovers.

On our journey we passed Jodrell Bank.

Soon we were arriving in Goostrey.

However, this didn’t mean it was time for lunch. No we still had another few miles of cycling to do first.

So we set off for a quick loop to Cranage …

…before returning to Goostrey.

  

NOW it was time for lunch!

This was taken at the tea room at Goostrey Home and Leisure. When we arrived it was packed with cyclists. There must have been over forty of us. No wonder it took a long time for the food to arrive.

Back on the road after lunch and we headed for Boots Green.

Crossing the A50 we headed towards Swan Green.

Back at the Peovers, Little Peover to be exact, we passed the Tree of Imagination.

Next we turned on to Middlewich Road and made our way to Ollerton.

From Ollerton we cycle towards Alderley Edge.

And along the A34 bypass for a while.

Finally we arrived back in Wilmslow.

This was an enjoyable pre-Christmas ride. One of two halves, a ride into a headwind to Goostrey, followed by a wind-assisted route back to Wilmslow.

You can view our Goostrey route below, which although it shows just 24 miles, was in fact over 27 miles (since I missed recording the first few miles):

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