Bruntwood Circular

I spent years trying to ride as fast as I could and as far as I could and became disenchanted with cycling. It always seemed to be some sort of a race. Then, a couple of years ago, I bought a new bike, - It’s not a fancy bike. It didn’t cost thousands of pounds. It’s a hybrid and it changed my view of cycling. Now I rarely go on a main road, seeking out lanes and riverbanks and canals and ginnels and side roads instead. I don’t care if I get lost. That’s part of the fun and the adventure that’s come back to cycling. I talk to people. I see wonderful stuff: herons, jays, magpies, rivers and canals. If it’s a public footpath I make a point of tinkling my bell by way of warning and I’ve never had a cross word yet from the dog walkers. Instead we have a laugh. Mutual respect. It’s the same with pavements.

Bruntwood Circular

Time: Just under an hour

·         Leave Sherborne Rd, heading West, to the end. Go straight on. Ignore the turn under the railway bridge and follow the path alongside the railway track. This will bring you out at Roscoe’s Roundabout. Turn left. Under the bridge. Turn right, crossing the road at North West Mountain Bike Centre. Turn right – under the bridge and enter Abney Park.

Cheadle Mill

·         Go straight through the middle. Turn right at T junction. Veer right to go round the back of the Hall and out onto the main road, opposite Mill Lane Cemetery. Turn right towards the Alexandra Hospital. Pass it, heading for Cheadle Mill (recently renovated for luxury apartments) along Mill Lane. 

Bruntwood Hall

·         Just before the Mill turn left up a track. This will bring you to Cheadle Village Hall, known as the Drill Hall. Turn right just past it and then left into the car park of the White Horse Pub, where Ted Heath once stayed.

Path in Bruntwood

·         Cross the road at the lights and go up Wilmslow Road. Turn right into Broadway at Downs Bridge. Go to the end and turn left into a little cul de sac called Kingsway. Follow this to the end and you will see away through to Kingsway pavement on your right. Turn left to go up the hill. At Cheadle Royal roundabout turn left onto Wilmslow Road but then crossover to the other side and pick up a cycle path marked Heald Green and Wilsmlow.

·         After about thirty yards turn left into Bruntwood Park and follow the way to the drive. Turn right. Up to the car park. Left and down the hill. Cross straight over and up Shiers Drive towards Cheadle baths. Turn left and into Brookfield Park.

·         Turn right at the green bridge, cross the stream and emerge onto Brookfield Rd. Follow to the end, then left and cross Councillor Lane and pick up the 558 cycle route, turning left onto St David’s Rd and back towards the railway bridge and right to return to Sherborne Road and Cheadle Heath. Turn left at the end to rediscover Morrisons.