For ride leaders, probably the most difficult part of planning a ride is finding somewhere suitable for a lunch stop. The latest Stockport Community Cycling Club ride to Cotebrook certainly lived up to this.

Sarah was down to lead this ride. Since it was Mother’s Day we decided that our usual lunch stop for the ride Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre would be too busy to accommodate our longer ride numbers, usually around 15-16 riders, so we decided to look for an alternative venue. A few weeks before the ride we had recced the route and had visited a number of places. Eventually we came across the Egerton Arms in Little Budworth and after discussions with pubs management agreed that this would be a great place for lunch. Then earlier this week the pub contacted Sarah withdrawing the original arrangements and attempting to put an unsuitable alternative in its place. After last months Peover Heath Ride saga where we turned up to find the pub had closed down a few days earlier, it seemed history would repeat itself. Sarah decided instead that our lunch stop would be the Delamere Station Cafe. Would it be open however? After our recent travails, nothing could be taken for granted …

The ride started at Great Warford and as already mentioned Sarah was leading the ride. I was the back leader. To add to this we had run 17.5 miles the previous day and I had been struggling with a pain on the outside of my right leg just above the knee. Today’s cycle ride was going to be a testing day to say the least.

With the wind behind us 10 cyclists set off at a good pace passing through Ollerton and Lower Peover on our way to Davenham.

At Davenham we met up with Andy S who had been unable to make the start of the ride.

From here we cycled through Moulton to Whitegate.

We continued on cycling through Norley and along the edge of Delamere Forest.

Finally we arrived at the Delamere Station Cafe …and thankfully it was open.

We have been here before and it always provides good hearty food ideal for cyclists and walkers.

Since we lunched at Delamere, our revised route after lunch meant we didn’t quite make Cotebrook. Instead we now turned and we made our way back towards Whitegate instead.

This time however at Whitegate we turned towards Northwich and Wincham. And whilst we had enjoyed the wind on our backs on the way out, the return journey would be mainly into a headwind.

Then through Plumley.

And finally it was back through the Peovers and Ollerton.

  

By the end of the ride we had cycled just over 47 miles and climbed about 1600 feet. It had been a great route and good test for us all …and my recent right leg pain had not been a problem today. That was definitely a plus. Yes, it had been another great day of cycling.

You can view our Not Quite Cotebrook route below:

[sgpx gpx=”/wp-content/uploads/gpx/notquitecotebrook2015.gpx”]