This Portland Basin 2022 Stockport Community Cycling Club ride followed our annual AGM. It was our first following the sad death of the founder of the club, Jim Court.

Business details out of the way, many of the attendees were keen to get out cycling. A ride out to Portland Basin has become a tradition following our AGM’s. It was a cloudy though fine day for it.

Graham was leading the ride (and I took up back-leader duties). So, he duly set off in the usual direction.

The trouble was, the route Graham had been given and had distributed to the ride leaders, wasn’t the traditional one! During Covid, Jim had created a second separate and completely new ride out to Portland Basin, and this was the route we had on our Garmins. It seems Jim had one last check for us, that we had uploaded the correct route … and we had failed!

After returning to the start we tried again. Since Graham didn’t have a Garmin, Sarah took over as leader. The skill of a good leader is the ability to delegate Graham informed us.

So, back on track, we weaved our way through Woodley and joined the Peak Forest canal.

Following the canal required a couple of uses of bridges to swap over from one side to the other.

At one point, we passed some very protective parents of an injured young goose.

Following the canal eventually brought us to Portland Basin at Ashton-under-Lyne.

We took a short break here.

Soon we were on our way again. This time we were following the towpath of the Ashton canal.

This took us through Guide Bridge and Fairfield before we left the canal at Openshaw and joined NCN Route 60.

We then followed NCN Route 60 through Gorton.

Then joined the Fallowfield Loop and made our way towards Reddish.

Next, we weaved our way through North Reddish.

Through Reddish Vale.

And through Bredbury Industrial Estate.

Finally, we arrived back in Woodley having cycled 16 miles.

It had been another enjoyable cycle ride. One we are sure Jim would have approved and enjoyed … even if there was initial confusion over the route. 🙂

You can view our Portland Basin 2022 route below: