Occasionally, we put together an unusual themed Stockport Community Cycling Club ride. This Not the A6 ride wasn’t certainly one of them. An urban ride, it followed the A6 up one side and down the other.

To add to the mix, Sarah was due to lead the second group for this ride but an injury put paid to that, so I stepped in.

We met at CERAcycloan.

We began by working our way through the edge of Offerton.

Then up Windermere Road.

Towards Great Moor.

Down Castle Farm Lane.

And on towards Hazel Grove.

Up Cow Lane.

Towards Torkington Park.

Out of Torkington Park and onto the racecourse estate.

Then following a path under the railway towards Hazel Grove golf course.

However, we turned instead towards the A6. After crossing the A6 we cycled a little way up Buxton Old Road, the old A6. Then turned into Mill Lane.

More twists and turns brought us out near Hazel Grove station.

Followed by cycling through Green Lane Park.

A little further on we made our way down the Mirrlees Fields path and towards Woodsmoor.

Next, we crossed over Bramhall Lane into Ashfield Road and then into Frewland Avenue.

Another crossing, this one over Garners Lane then took us into Cale Green Park.

From there, we weaved our way through Shaw Heath.

Down the back of Stockport College.

And into Stockport Exchange.

Where we took a short break.

Back on our bikes, we cycled around the edge of the town centre, under the motorway …

And up towards Heaton Chapel.

After passing Heaton Chapel Rail station we briefly picked up the new Heaton Moor cycle route.

For a short while, we joined the A6, left Stockport and journeyed into Manchester. Turning off the A6, we made our way to Cringle Park.

Then onto the Fallowfield Loop.

To Highfield Country Park.

Through which we returned to Stockport and came out onto Nelstrop Road.

More weaving through back roads took us back through Heaton Chapel.

Followed by South Reddish.

Then Heaton Norris.

Then arriving at Heaton Norris Park. After cycling through the park along Wilkinson Road we returned to the A6 again.

We cycled past the front of Merseyway Shopping Centre.

Up the Mersey Square hill, before arriving at the front of the town hall and the A6 once again.

Finally, one final crossing would see us head off and navigate our way through Mottram Towers and back to the start.

We had cycled over 17 miles. This urban ride had contained many twists and turns showing just how difficult it can be for cyclists to get from north Stockport to the south of the town, or vice-versa, without encountering the busy traffic along the A6. Indeed, we hadn’t managed to entirely avoid the A6. To do so would have required an even more circuitous route than we had cycled today.

You can view our Not the A6 ride route below: