Saturday 13th December 2014
Cleggy and Compo back together again. It's frosty, icy and damned cold. Thank you Tesco for thermal underwear (so fashionable as well under cycling shorts)
Cars slithering around on sideroads, pedestrians delicately picking their way along the white pavements, the two of us set out just after 9 in the morning from Cheadle Heath. Started up BirdHall Lane on the cycle pavement. All fine. Then cut up Tenement Lane, nothing much untoward. It's a fine day - no snow or rain.
Crossed over Bramhall Lane and onto Broadway. Right to the end. Looks like a dead end but there's a secret gate that takes you through to Fred Perry Way (the mysterious Fred Perry Way) Turned left and went on for half a mile or so then cut right across Mirlees Fields. The frost actually made it easier to cycle across the long grass, making it firmer. Turned right onto the main path and along to the yellow gate. Cut left up towards Stepping Hill Hospital and, briefly, onto Barlow's Moor Lane and Bramhall Moor Lane to the lights at Sainsbury's. Crossed over and right along the cycleway till we came to Commercial Road. Left and past the closed Royal Oak then left onto Bean Leach Road. Road surface pretty OK. Past Glen Jakes stables and up to Marple Road.
Here at the crossroads, four or five cars. One not signalling. In two minds I turn slightly to pass the car and discover that under the tyres is black ice. Crash bang wallop - I land on left shoulder, crunching left knee. Nothing too serious. Be careful, I keep telling myself. Cleggy behind is fine, having escaped my tumble.
Big thanks to the young man, passenger in the car, who wound down his window and asked if I needed a lift anywhere.
Found it utterly impossible to cycle here, so tottered across the road and past the petrol station and up the hill, still on foot, till the entrance to Bongs Road on the left. Offerton Green first then Bongs. It's really steep here, but strangely, no ice! The Goyt Valley stretches below blanketed in mist, looking like a Christmas postcard. Past one farm then onto the main road left, the A627, past the garden centre on the right and then left after the bridge back onto country lanes. Phew. All good and we picked up a bit more pace.. Left onto Mill Lane and off through woods and fields all the way to the Pear Mill in Stockport. The huge white pear, shrouded in mist, looks like it's suspended in mid-air.
Left past Bredbury Hall and then down to Stockport, we bob across the roundabout and head right into Reddish Vale Park. Green non-slip surface on the hill up, so no problems.
Through the Vale and up towards Reddish under the railway tunnel along Mill Lane. Follow signs to Manchester Cycleway (Fallowfield Loop) Turn right onto the cycleway and go all the way up to nearly the end near Wright Robby. Here we drop down to follow signs for Sports City and the Etihad and cycle along the old Gorton-Stockport railway line now another cycleway. No frost or ice and the day is getting better all the time.
Finally hit the Ashton Canal (not literally of course) and turn left.
The Etihad Stadium now clearly in sight and the Hilton in the distance.
Everything goes very smoothly all the way to the bridge entrance to Piccadilly Village. Two workmen in high vis clothes shout a warning. Too late. The ridges on the wooden bridge are lethal. Crash bang wallop. Two cyclists sprawled on the ground. Bikes unharmed. Right knee and shoulder this time. This crash so bad that it takes a few minutes to recover. Cleggy is already bruised on leg!
"Chap near went in 't canal last week. No grip on that wet wood." One workman remarks. He's right. It's lethal. No grit, sand or warning.
Back on bikes for at least 50 yards till we realise that the York flags are utterly impossible to negotiate on a bike, let alone on foot. Pedestrians are slipping all over the place. Walking the bikes isn't easy as they keep slithering away towards the canal. Finally we make it to Piccadilly station.
With much relief we remount and cross the road to drop onto the end section of the Rochdale Canal which takes us to Castlefield, but, for the first time ever, I decide that it's too dangerous. There is no grip whatsoever on the flagstones. The usually lovely ride to Dukes 92 is cancelled.
We take the main roads through Manchester and cut across down to Castlefield and St George's. Down to the right and past Bennett's scrapyard and onto the Manchester Ship Canal. Here the path seems safer. We head West towards Sam's Place, red brick bar on the Ship Canal, near Old Trafford.
Here we head up Alex Ferguson Way and right along the main road then left towards the car parks for the football ground. Bruised and aching we keep going (easier than stopping)
Within ten minutes we have found the blue fencing and followed the signs to the Bridgewater canal with its brand new friendly surface. We head for Altrincham. This is more like it.
Between Stretford and Sale we stop at the Boddington pub (The Bridge) for a gorgeous cheese and bacon burger. (Highly recommended) and a small alcoholic beverage.
Refreshed we head along to Altrincham.
Turn off at the spray paint place and through, heading for Navigation Ind. Est. Cross the bridge left and left again onto Wellington Road and all the way through to Timperley Golf course. Here we turn left and head along the cycle path all the way to Brooklands roundabout, then it's on to Brooks Drive, recently resurfaced and de-cluttered. This is wonderful. Making good time and feeling secure.
Because of road closure till March we have to duck and dive along country lanes to get to the other Brooks Drive which then leads us up to Airport Orbital. We turn left and head for Wythenshawe. A lonely metro tram chunkers along.
Down Shadow Moss Road/Lane and right past Ferranti's (finally being knocked down). We head down Simonsway till we come to the lights then bob left and first right onto Brown Lane. This takes us to St Ann's Road. Left here and then right through a gate to the Industrial Park then it's downhill all the way home. Across to School's Hill and left into Cheadle and right to home.
The trek has taken about 5 and a half hours but we had a cheeseburger as well. Two crashes and no bones broken.
The old team is back together again!! Yay
