A Brutalist ride around South London

 A bike ride in celebration of Brutalist architecture 

I have been wanting to watch The Brutalist. Given all the praise it's been receiving across the media, and my slight penchant for this type of architecture I think it's worth watching. I had thought of going to watch it on my birthday a few days ago. But in the end, I worked out that it's 3hrs 35 minutes and 15-minute duration, plus travelling time to get to and from the cinema would mean I'd spend a large chunk of my day in a darkened room. 

That's understandable if you have a a migraine or are an old-skool photographer. I don't fall into either of those categories, and preferred to spend my celebratory day doing a selection of activities in daylight - albeit slightly grey daylight given the dreich weather.

Crystal Palace Sports Centre (designed by Leslie Martin and Norman Engleback, 1957)

However, by way of commemorating this type of chunky architecture which became all the rage between the 1950s and 1980s, I decided to do a Brutalist architecture themed bike ride in my South London neighbourhood.

There are lots of well-known Brutalist buildings in London with iconic status - a number of them are even Grade II listed: The Barbican Centre, National Theatre, Centrepoint, Trellick Tower, Brunswick Shopping Centre.

I do plan on riding a circuit to take in these famous buildings. On this day though, I chose to stay local and went around Beckenham, Penge, Crystal Palace, Dulwich, Herne Hill. Interestingly, I didn't think I would find much in these places as they are largely aesthetically pleasant neighbourhoods with much older and stylish looking public buildings.

But in fact you're never far from Brutalism - weather you like it or not, it's all around - be it a block of flats, a sports centre, library, hospital, or even a work of “art”.

Brutalist buildings I saw on my bike ride:

Brandon House and Porchester Mead housing blocks, Beckenham Hill 

Queen Adelaide Court, Penge (designed by Edward Armstrong, 1951)

Dawson's Heights, Dulwich (designed by Kate Macintosh, 1964)

Blanchedowne, Denmark Hill Estate (Camberwell Borough architects, 1946)

Loughborough Junction industrial zone and Higg's Yard seen from Ruskin Park 

Hurst Street Estate tower blocks, Herne Hill (Lambeth Council architects, 1968)

Monolithic seating area, "Stonepenge" in Crystal Palace park alongside statue of Joseph Paxton, architect of the original Crystal Palace 

Crystal Palace Athletics Stadium Jubilee Stand, 1977

Brutalist architecture definitely gives a “Marmite” reaction - people either love it, though more often, loathe it. I must say I belong to the former category, and harbour the feelings of awe when I first saw such buildings as an eight or ten-year old. It made me feel inspired to be associated with such structures. As a child of the 70s these buildings provided very useful facilities for the people at a time when housing and leisure facilities were not easily available.

My ride lasted longer than anticipated, as I stopped many times to take photos. In the end I was out for just under three hours - not quite as long as The Brutalist, but still long enough!

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The sound that sucks the joy out of cycling - the puncture fairy

Getting punctures can be one of the most frustrating things when out cycling, particularly over the winter months. I had so many punctures that I almost gave up my bike rides. But a hunger to ride the Etape du Tour kept me going.

I must say, I have had a wobble in my preparation for the Etape du Tour. I am normally pretty motivated in the things I do, but my patience has been tested recently. 

Over the Christmas period and in the early part of January my rides have been plagued with punctures. The wet conditions have just led to ride after ride being interrupted, even aborted due to a puncture. 

Punctures: they happen and they're frustrating 

I don't enjoy my rides as I even feel anxious when riding. Every time I go over a bump or see broken glass I feel stressed thinking, this is it - ride over. And of course it then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when that heart-sink moment comes, as the bike suddenly becomes sluggish to handle, and I see that the tyre - usually the rear one - has gone down like a failed meringue.

That happened on Christmas Eve while I was out in the lanes at Cudham. After folornly changing the inner tube, I decided I no longer wanted to continue along these damp roads on a tyre with a sub-optimal amount of air. (I am not physically capable of pumping a tyre up to 90 psi with a hand pump.) So, with Dunton Green just being a short distance after Star Hill I rolled down to the station and wended my way home, thanks to Souteastern Trains, via Sevenoaks and Orpington.

I then got another puncture on Boxing Day, this time in Brockwell Park, Herne Hill. With it being local, and in any case having no choice due to no trains running on this public holiday, I hobbled home. Thankfully I salvaged the ride session by picking up my cyclocross and doing a comparatively stress free, albeit more energy taxing ride on fatter tyres.

There had been other puncture incidents in Hyde Park,  and at Elmers End, too. This compares with previous years when I might have had just one puncture a year if that. 

Putting on new Continental tyres for front and rear wheels hadn't made much difference. It's not necessarily a negative reflection on the tyres, but probably more an illustration of the condition of the debris-covered and pot-hole infested roads these days. It's not helped by the fact that our roads are almost permanently damp with all the rain we've had over winter. 

My road bike is a bit "old skool" with no disc brakes, and the wheels aren't set up to hold tubeless tyres. So I may just have to suck it up - which sadly also leads to the joy of cycling being sucked out of me.

Given that there are other sporting activities I like to do like running, swimming, or even ice-skating, all of which are low maintenance and don't require hours of practice, it would be easy enough to ditch the bike for a hassle-free activity. After all, I do cycling for my enjoyment. There's no fun in sitting at the side of the road in the wind and rain fixing punctures.

So I decided not to do anymore riding for the time being. For about a week I felt quite relieved to not have to get out and ride during these dreary winter days, and was happy to hear about my sporting mates' tales of derring-do from the warmth of my home, while looking at their records on the Strava app. I was looking forward to spending Sunday mornings going for a mini run, followed by playing my flute or clarinet, and maybe doing some crochet or reading a book. 

But of course there was the small matter of the Etape du Tour which I had entered and paid for, along with all the other logistics, and more importantly my friend Angie with whom I had organised to do it with. I didn't want to let her down, particularly as I was the one who had been going on about what a great event it is.

Deep down, I wanted in. I wanted to be part of that massive merry band of 10,000+ riders wending our way through the Alpes-Maritimes, one of my favourite parts of the world. 

Also being in my mid-50s you don't know how much longer you will be fit for. There are lots of illnesses or other things that can suddenly generate from here on in. Sadly, a few people I know have even died suddenly. 

Without wanting to go any further down the morbidity road, I'll just say the whole carpe diem spirit began to wash over me and I realised I do want to ride the Etape du Tour and give it my best shot. So I will get in some miles for January.

What I decided for January and February would be to ditch the road bike and do all my rides on the cyclocross bike.

So that's what I've been doing. It's not ideal given the sluggishness of the bike on the road, but it's better than nothing, and is probably making me stronger - which isn't a bad thing.

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Photo of the day - 5: Vegetable gratin - good cold weather food

I do like a bit of home cooking. Ever since I got an allotment four years ago, I have been keen to have home-made meals using the crops I have grown. It has made me totally turned my back on ready meals and takeaways. Taking an active interest in my food has helped me maintain a healthy diet and stay off snacking, so that I can appreciate my meals. As the weather gets colder I like to have soups and what I call "warming" food. One of my favourites is vegetable gratin. Sometimes I do a plain old Gratin Dauphinoise with potatoes, sometimes a gratin with homegrown courgettes. Today I went to town a little and threw in various vegetables - courgette, parnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms. Then I put single cream with garlic, onion, and fennel seeds, and cheese on the top. Into the oven for about an hour, and hey presto! The vegetable gratin is nice and filling, without much sugar, and great for appetite control. It's a bit like mountain food that gives me energy to be out on a cold day hiking or skiing. This vegetable gratin gives me the energy to do a nice long run or bike ride on an autumn day. Well, I just need to do a long a run or bike ride now, and not sit on the sofa watching Netflix!

Cycle route: South London to Surrey and Kent lanes

As social distancing measures is getting more people to take up cycling, new cyclists are keen to find cycle routes they can ride for their leisure. With the glorious weather we have been enjoying in the UK for the last couple of months it's not surprising that people want to ride.

Here is a local cycle route from my home in South London, around the Kent and Surrey local lanes. It's a short route that can be done in under two hours - maybe one hour if you're a finely tuned athlete. I call it the "scout camp loop" because it goes past a scout camp along the way. It's a nice little route to do if you don't have a lot of time but want to feel like you've trained. I generally do it early in the morning before work, or in the late afternoon, after work.

The ride starts from near Elmers End, a common hang-out for bike riders in South London. There is a Tesco superstore nearby for any last-minute provisions or a cashpoint. Mind you, unless you are going there before 8am you may be in for a bit of a queue in these times of coronavirus.

Part 1


Apart from a fast descent at Spout Hill, the first half of this ride is mainly uphill, though nothing too steep apart from two sharp ramps. One comes early in the ride on The Glade, and the other one is on Featherbed Lane near the half-way point, just after the Scout Camp at Frylands Wood. After this ramp you are rewarded with a stopping point at The White Bear Pub. Well, actually it's not a real reward as government restrictions mean the pub is closed. However, there's a patch of grass you can sit on, or a wall you can lean against. When I went past yesterday, I saw a couple of motorbikers who had stopped and were having a mini picnic on the grass. There are benches and tables, but the owners have closed them off. Hey ho!

Part 2


On reaching the pub, which is at a crossroads it's good to know the climbing is more or less done, and there is a nice steady 4-mile descent along Layhams Lane to look forward to. Then in West Wickham there is one 8% gradient on Corkscrew Hill. It's very brief though, and over before you know it.

The last part of the ride, through Elmers End suburb would normally be a road where you see many groups of riders steaming through in a chain gang. I have been known to cheekily latch on to those groups to test myself and remind myself that I've still got it (or not as the case may be)! But nowadays groups are banned, so instead I do a mini time trial over the last couple of miles back to Elmers End Green. It's nice to open the burners - if only just to feel satisfied that I have used up more than a few calories and will deserve my dinner!

Part 3


I recommend this ride for anyone new to cycling for fitness and wanting to test themselves by riding it fast. It is also fine for those who are looking for a leisurely ride with a stopover in a country pub (once it has clearance to be reopen). The roads aren't flat, but they are not too steep and they give you a decent work-out over a short distance. It also feels good to be in rural lanes, even though you are less than 20 miles from Trafalgar Square. You won't be alone on these lanes, as many cyclists will be in this area too. Just give them a wave when you see them.

Find the route and stats here on Strava


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Rapha Women's 100 - A Royal Ride to Windsor

Daily photo - 21: Belated Rapha Women's 100 - A Royal Ride

Stopover at Windsor Castle

Every year women all around the world cycle 100km on a given date either in organised events or in other individual rides, all in the name of doing the Rapha Women's 100.

It actually took place last Saturday, 14th September but I was busy racing. I also raced on Sunday so it was difficult to find the time to fit in a 100km ride. Finally I made a date with doing it on this sunny Saturday.

Whenever Rapha do these biking initiatives I like to get on board and find a theme, so this Women's 100 was called a royal ride.

It was basically a route that I have been wanting to do for ages but a combination of habit and laziness has meant that I generally stay in the lanes nearer to my home in Kent and Surrey.

Today would be a bit of an outing, and to mark the occasion I used the fancy Liv Avail Advanced Pro 1 I've been testing, and put on my favourite Primal jersey. I don't think motorists can say they didn't see me!

My ride started from home, in Crystal Palace. Anyone familiar with the area will know it's not regal, but the name fits with the theme.

The route took in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Hampton Court Palace, then Virginia Water Lake. I love coming to this part of the world. I get a cosy feeling as I ride past the exclusive properties in Virginia Water village, cross the main A30 road and see the panorama open up as the lake comes into view. It is also from here that my ride becomes largely traffic-free, as the route goes up through Windsor Great Park, and then after Windsor Castle the route follows bridleways (National Cycle Network route 61) to Maidenhead.

As it was a sunny day many people had the same idea as I did, to go there and see the other sights of The Royal Landscape. I passed the Totem Pole and then climbed up to reach the Guards Polo Club, before moving on to the Copper Horse statue at the top of the Long Walk.

It's so tempting to ride straight down the this 2.64-mile path straight down to Windsor Castle. Sadly cyclists are banned from this stretch so I have to take the long way round through the various mini estates of Windsor Great Park.

Snack stop at Maidenhead Bridge

One of these days I might have a rebellious moment à la Theresa May running through a wheat field, and ride my bike down this Long Walk and take no notice of anyone who shouts at me.

But today I followed the rules, as always, and headed to central Windsor, and then over Eton Bridge to take the Jubiliee riverside bridleway to reach Maidenhead. Even though the terrain was rough, it was okay to take the Liv Avail over it since the tyres are quite wide. It was like going over the "strade bianche" type roads you get in parts of Italy.

Maidenhead, in the Royal Borough of Berkshire was near the apex of my ride and it was here that I had a snack on the riverside near the bridge. Afterwards I made a pleasant discovery in the shape of Taplow, an even more upmarket place than Maidenhead. I felt a bit too dressed down, particularly in these parts.

From there it was a case of heading back to Windsor, again via bridleway (National Cycle Network Route 4) via Dorney rowing lake and Eton College, then onwards through Datchet ànd Wraysbury to end my ride in that idyll of Middlesex, Staines.

My Garmin recorded 64 miles, but I am happy to call it 100km. It was just good to have executed my mainly right royal Rapha 100 ride.

My route on Strava is in the link here.


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London's Cycle Superhighways - Commuting friend or foe?

London is fast becoming a cycling city. Gone are the days when cycling through the city was the preserve of daredevil commuters and aggressive couriers! Now, we have “normal” people commuting by bicycle. By that I mean the everyday man or woman in the street dressed in civvies, not the slightest snip of Lycra in sight, on a hybrid bike or one of the Transport for London (TfL) bike share cycles.

It is great to now have proper traffic-free cycle lanes where you are separated from the traffic. I love being able to ride from the City to Victoria, via Embankment and Westminster on a traffic-free path, also known as the East-West Cycle Superhighway.

And so do tens of thousands of other people! Shortly after this Superhighway (and the first section of the North - South Cycle Superhighway) were officially opened at the end of April this year TfL counted an average number of 1200 cyclists per hour using the East - West cycle route between Tower Hill and Westminster Bridge. As more people have heard about the Cycle Superhighway, and particularly as the weather has been very pleasant it seems like every cyclist in London is taking to the streets! So that 1200 figure is probably significantly higher!

When riding to work I feel like I am part of an unofficial Ride London event, or a Critical Mass ride. In fact sometimes there are so many riders that at places like Blackfriars Bridge or Westminster Bridge you have to queue to get through a couple of phases of traffic lights. You are basically in a cyclists' traffic jam!

So yes, cyclists on London's roads are now a feature, almost as ubiquitous as black cabs. Unfortunately cyclists may not always have the same world-renown reputation. People's opinions on cyclists are somewhat chequered - rather like the Uber cars!

The perennial criticism of cyclists jumping the red lights and not respecting the Highway Code remains. From what I see the majority of cyclists do respect the traffic lights, and the proportion of bike riders who break the rules is no greater than the number of motorists who do so.

However, the thing that is of concern is bike riding discipline among groups of riders. Last week a couple of cyclists were involved in a head-on collision along the East-West Cycle Superhighway near Blackfriars Bridge. The video has been shared widely, and it is clear when you watch it who is to blame. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt - not even the guy who ended up rolling off the segregated cycle lane and onto the main road, which thankfully had no traffic passing at that time.

I must admit that this has been an accident waiting to happen. When riding the North-South Cycle Superhighway up through Blackfriars and Farringdon the two-way cycle lane means that sometimes you get some idiot trying to overtake slower riders and then veers into the path of oncoming riders. Sometimes people don't hold their riding line and suddenly swerve left or right and almost knock into riders next to them. I have also seen riders crash into the kerb when going round a corner! Thankfully I have not crashed or been involved in a collision with other cyclists, though I have had to take evasive action when I had a couple of near misses!

It is great having these lanes, but is it time for riders to learn a bit about bike handling and riding in groups? Or maybe it is just part of the process when folks get excited about having their own cycle lane, and in time things will settle down. Let's wait and see, and hope there are no serious incidents that will prove the naysayers right.


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One day one photo - 4: A scrumdiddlyumptious bike ride

Happy birthday to Roald Dahl who would have been 100 years old today!

This casts me back to a photo shoot I did in Great Missenden a few years ago as part of an article I wrote for Cycling Active about cycle rides in the Chilterns.

It was a good day out, though fairly busy as parents arrived with their kids to go an visit the Roald Dahl museum for their half-term holiday treat.

Roald Dahl museum, Great Missenden

Andy Jones, the photographer managed to get a few photos of the mueseum, as well as Roald Dahl's old house, the shed where he penned his famous stories, and his gravestone.

In the UK media, people have been talking alot about Roald Dahl, whether it's to discuss our favourite books or our favourite words and phrases coined by Dahl. Talking of words, the Oxford English Dictionary has added six phrases from Dahl to this reference book of the English language: dahlesque, golden ticket, human bean, oompa loompa, scrumdiddlyumptious, witching hour.

I don't have a favourite book, but something that resonated with me was the extract from his book based on his life as a youngster, "Boy". There is a part where the young boy describes how impressed he is to see an older schoolboy with long trousers and clips, on a bicycle freewheeling down a hill with his arms folded.

The boy decided that when he grows up he doesn't want to become a doctor or a lawyer or the Lord Chancellor - he just wants to have a bike like that and go whizzing down the hill with no hands. It would be fabulous!

I know the feeling exactly. When I was younger there were many things I wanted to do - travel to far off countries, speak a foreign language, be published in a magazine, appear on telly, work in an ad agency, write a book, be an athlete or perform on the stage.... I have done a number of these things or am on the road to doing these things. But I have still not been able to freewheel down a hill on my bike with my arms folded. At my age my brain would freak out too much for me to dare have a go, not to  mention the fact that if it went wrong it would have far-reaching consequences!

The other thing that I remember most about Roald Dahl was the television programme "Tales of the Unexpected" that used to be on a Saturday night. Those tales always seemed to have a macabre twist - definitely not for children. I particularly remember the episode called "The Landlady" in which involved a man staying at a B&B and being offered a dodgy cup of tea.

Although I have not read many Roald Dahl books I realise his cultural influence has been felt in my life more than I realised.

I look forward to riding in the Chiltern Hills soon, and I'm sure it'll be a scrumdiddlyumptious ride!


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One day one photo - 3: Off-road spin

Cycling clears the mind, even if it is just a quick spin. I generally like to ride for a couple of hours and do a proper training ride either on my road bike or on my cyclo cross bike. But there are times when I have so much to do it is just not practical.
So at times I just do a quick spin. I have a few routes. This is one I particularly like as it is largely on off-road trails on my mountain bike. Yes, they do exist even in London!

This is the view of Canary Wharf and Docklands from Shirley Hills, near Croydon. It's very peaceful in this spot and it's great to be able to admire the London skyline from up above and far away. Further to the left of this view you also see the City, with Shard, as well as nearby Croydon and the Crystal Palace transmitters. It's a lovely backdrop, and I come home feeling refreshed from having been able to go somewhere peaceful.

Docklands seen from Shirley Hills 

Shirley Hills is a place where you find woodland, moorland, and a little restaurant too. The heather on the ground reminds me of being in the North York Moors or one of the other national parks up North - even though we are just in South London! Years ago they used to do cyclo cross races in Shirley Hills. I'm not sure why they stopped doing them. It would be great if this venue was revived.

For anyone interested, this is the Strava cycling link to my bike ride.

Town and Country cycling

I have finally received the all-clear to start cycling. So, in true 2wheelchick spirit I got straight back on my two-wheeled horse.

Admittedly they have been shaky beginnings, but in any case I am just glad to have been able to get my bike out of the garage and give it a spin. It was a lovely feeling to be sitting on the saddle and rolling along, albeit slowly!

My first ride was last Sunday week. Ironically the sun had been shining all morning, and the weather was set fair for the afternoon, according to BBC Weather. However, the moment I stepped out of the house and began to pedal the sky suddenly turned dark grey and spots of rain began to fall. Within 10 minutes we had gone from bright sunshine to grim hailstones! A bad omen? "This wasn't part of the plan!" I said to myself. "Bloody typical!" In all my annoyance I adopted a defiant attitude, and was determined to continue with my plan to get to Richmond Park. It may not be the most pleasant comeback ride, but the importance was getting out and doing it.

So off I trundled. In fact, in the battle of wills it was one nil to me, for the rain soon subsided and within a quarter of an hour we had sunshine again. A bonus!

My ride through South-west London turned out to enjoyable in the end. One thing I like about my cycle rides in London is the fact that you can ride through suburban built-up areas and it is still perfectly agreeable. We are privileged to have a lot of green spaces. From South Norwood lakes, Streatham Common, Tooting Bec Common, Wandsworth Common, Putney Heath, I feel blessed to live in a big city that still has plenty of green spaces. I know people bemoan the fact that London has less greenery than it had 20 or 30 years ago,  but really I think we do well compared with other European cities.

Riding around central Milan when I worked there was flat and compact, but it was not picturesque at all. The ride out to pleasant cycling areas like Brianza or Como involved a 20-mile dismal trudge past a collage of industrial estates and disused factories!

By contrast my urban ride to Richmond Park was quite a joy. Needless to say once in this royal park I found it a delight to be there among the various other park users enjoying outdoor life - including the deer. 



For a first ride I had coped ok. However, it had been a shock to the system even just to ride up a very gentle incline that went over the railway line near me. I felt rather self-conscious going at a snail's pace over  the slightest slope and holding up all the traffic behind me! It reminded me of my trip to Peru when I landed in Cusco only to struggle with the altitude. While I had to rest in between every step I took, 70-year-old Peruvians with packs on their backs were skipping past me effortlessly. Today I felt the same embarrassment as I felt back then. This was just a less exotic setting! 

Naturally, once in Richmond Park the idea of riding all the way up to Richmond Gate and Pembroke Lodge was completely out of the question, so I stuck to riding the small loop that took me past the Royal Ballet School and Pen Ponds Car Park.

There was just enough time for me to get a quick snack at Pen Ponds and then head back to Clapham Junction to get the train home before dusk. Normally I would have ridden home, but given that my computer was showing 20 miles of riding for the day I thought it better to stop before I do myself some damage through "overtraining". I slept well when I got home!

My second ride was a couple of days ago, and this time it was out to the more rural setting of the Kent Weald. Being in Crystal Palace means having a few options - the chance of getting into Central London within a comfortable distance, but also the facility to get into the countryside and quiet lanes.

Sunday's ride took me past the increasingly used Biggin Hill Airport, with its attractive display of civilian and Royal Air Force aircraft, then I dropped down through Westerham and along the Pilgrims Way, passing a number of quaint English villages to reach Sevenoaks, and my ultimate destination - Knole Park. 

Where the previous Sunday's ride had included one significant hill around Wimbledon Park, this second ride was peppered with hills and long uphill drags. I was significantly challenged on the long climb up through Keston, and then later on when riding through Sevenoaks. In fact through absentmindedness I overshot the turning into Knole Park and ended up doing an extra mile of uphill, nearly ending up in Tonbridge! Although this ride was slightly longer and much hillier than the previous week I had coped better and already felt stronger.



This ride, although only 25 miles still left me pretty pooped at the end of the day - particularly as my body had also been working hard to stay warm in these winter temperatures we've been having. 

Knole Park is worth a visit. Like Richmond, it is set in wild, vast, unspoiled parkland with its share of deer as well as a stately home with ornate courtyard (and of course a tea room) to visit. 

So, after two varied rides I am beginning to feel like a cyclist again. In a week's time I should be able to take on the daily cycle commute to work - once I have conquered the mighty hills of Crystal Palace!


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Leisure Cheshire Bike Ride

A ride through the hills of the Goyt Valley or the Cat and Fiddle climb near Macclesfield is lovely on the eye, but tough on the legs - especially when you are unfit, like me. Instead, the Cheshire Plain is a less onerous alternative.

One route that I like is to ride from Macclesfield via Broken Cross and then down the sweeping country lanes towards Siddington. There is a main road to cross, the A34, after which you arrive in the village of Lower Withington. I have good memories of this area as it's where I did a "lads 'n' lasses" 2-up time trial with the Manchester Wheelers. All I had to do was to ride in the slipstream of a guy who made a big hole in the air for 10 miles. The road was flat and I was shielded from the slightest wind. I wish all time trials were like that! Then we went for a pub meal afterwards at the Red Lion pub. Happy days!

From Lower Withington I find some even quieter roads which lead to the famous observatory at Jodrell Bank. I would have liked to ride a bit closer to the radio telescope but some of the roads shown on my map turned out to be off limits on the bike, so I pressed on with the rest of my ride to other nearby villages.

The best thing was that once I had left the main A535 road there was barely any traffic at all. At one point the road swooped down a lovely twisty descent, below the railway line and I felt like I was just out in my own private world of cycle lanes. Well, my world of Peover and Chelford!

I finally reach "civilisation" in the shape of the Chelford Island - not particularly exotic, it's just an asymmetric roundabout on the Knutsford Road. Soon I'm heading out towards the Chelsea of the North, Alderley Edge. In fact, I don't reach the heart of the Village with its smattering of Mancunian soap opera actors or footballers. I prefer to go properly to the edge - the chalky escarpment that gives views all over Cheshire and beyond.

Escarpment, I hear you cry? I said it is a flat ride, but in fact, dear reader, there is one teeny climb in the ride - Artists Lane. It's a popular climb in the area and often included in cyclosportive events. I said teeny, but in fact, dear reader it goes on for about 10 minutes if you have average fitness.

So, compared to Alpe d'Huez or Tourmalet it is a tiny baby! The only thing is because the road twists you are never quite sure when you are near the top, and that makes it a real slog at the end of your ride. That's exactly how it felt for me, as an unfit forty-something. At least I wasn't alone, for this is a popular road with cyclists - some of whom gave me sympathetic encouragement!

After tea and cake at the Wizard Pub and a quick look at the Cheshire plain panorama it's a nice steady descent back to Macc. Not a bad little leisure ride.  

Route map for this ride.

Lunchtime jaunt - 2

Bollington - Adlington - Pott Shrigley

Following on from my previous post on a quick loop around Blaze Hill, here is another little route that can be done during a lunch break in the Macclesfield area.

The hills are not as severe as Blaze Hill, but as there are a few of them you still feel like you have had a good work-out at the end.

If you want to take a pub lunch afterwards, you are spoilt for choice for places to go. Considering the small size of the village, Bollington has a glut of pubs. Of course, I am not advocating drink riding!

From Tytherington go to Bollington via Dumbah Lane and Flash Lane where your legs are given their first little test. This is easy enough and is probably barely noticeable as a climb if you are feeling fit. At the Cock and Pheasant pub turn left and go through Bollington as far as the Dog and Partridge pub where you  turn left, passing the Vale Inn and the Middlewood Way car park. The road climbs quite steeply at this point as it leaves the village and you arrive in Adlington.

As you look to your right you can see Pott Shrigley above, which gives a sense of foreboding as you realise you have to get way up there before you can tuck into lunch! At least the climbing is steady and the gradient is never severe. Just keep turning the pedals at a regular rhythm and you get there.

It is worth looking around and admiring the views around though. Lots of farmers' fields with livestock, and beautiful trails adorn the green rolling hills on the horizon. At one point below you cross the Middlewood Way and the Macclesfield Canal where people are walking, jogging, cycling and fishing below. Even now I still have to pinch myself to comprehend that this is a fairly standard way to spend my lunchtime.

Eventually you reach the country house and hotel known as Shrigley Hall and then the road plunges downhill to return to Bollington. At this point you can either continue straight on to the Dog and Partridge to start a second loop if time allows.

Otherwise, return to base but not without the final testing climb up Church Street in Bollington. The climb is short but the gradient is around 20%. The thing I dread about it is if the road is wet I am obliged to ride the whole thing in the saddle, since an out-of-the-saddle effort just makes the back wheel spin. Also, the road is a little narrow so there's always a risk of having to give way to an oncoming vehicle. Usually, motorists give way to cyclists though. The drivers tend to look at you with a mixture of bemusement and admiration that you are even attempting to ride up such a steep slope.

At the top, you are then rewarded with a steady descent back to Tytherington via Jackson Lane/Oak Lane, passing another clutch of pubs, including the Red Lion at the top of the lane, and the Lord Clyde at the bottom.

This is a nice loop which can be done quite easily within a lunch break and you even have time to sample the brew at one of the many local pubs!

Lunchtime jaunt - 1

Bollington - Blaze Hill - Macclesfield

One of the advantages of working in the new place, up in Macclesfield, is being able to ride my bike at lunchtime.

It is something that I have been able to do in the past - for instance, the times when I was home based  in London I could easily find quick routes around South London. When I worked in Central London it was even possible to do reps around St James's Park or Hyde Park, while trying not to frighten the tourists crossing the road!

Sadly, when I was in Milan this was a definite no, no. First of all there were no changing/shower facilities after finishing my ride. Secondly, places to ride were quite limited. There was only really a stretch of canal path on the Naviglio Grande. Thirdly, and most importantly there was no secure bike park so there was no way I'd leave a road bike chained up outside the building. It wouldn't have lasted 30 seconds - and I know through bitter experience! So really, if I went to work in the morning with my road bike, by lunchtime I would have had no bike to use for my lunch-time jaunt!

Moving to Macclesfield, situated right on the edge of the Peak District has been the best antidote to 18 months of being in an urban sprawl of Milan with its lack of green spaces. This area of Cheshire offers the best lunchtime cycling that I have ever had so far.

So I make the most of it. There are lots of country lanes near where I work. Quite a few of them go uphill! There are even some steep roads with cobbles for if I wish to practice for the Tour of Flanders, which I have signed up to ride. I will talk about the different routes over time.

The route I will talk about in this post is the standard jaunt that I take at lunchtimes. Even though it's only around 9-miles long it is a good little work-out, since it involves around 250m of climbing. One of the local hills to where I work is Blaze Hill - a climb that lasts less than 2 miles but gives a height gain of around 170m. There are a couple of 15% gradient sections, especially the early part of the climb, coming out of Bollington. Prior to doing Blaze Hill there is also the leg tester on Grimshaw Lane, which I always find a bit of challenge, especially as I tackle it from a low speed after having taken a sharp right from the main road through Bollington. But it's all good fun.

The descent back towards Macclesfield is lovely and sweeping, with a couple of tight bends but great for maintaining your cornering skills. There is also a short spike known as Tower Hill to stop you getting too complacent about freewheeling!

This is a good quick spin that can be done in a lunch hour without being accused of "skiving away from your desk!" When I get back to the office I feel like I deserve my lunch!
I can certainly feel myself getting stronger these days, so the hills must be good for me. I must just try to remember that whenever I heave and wind my way up Smithy Brow!

The route is here