Cycle Rides

Distance- 23 miles/37km.

Route- Queen Victoria Memorial - Grappenhall - Appleton Thorn - Stretton - Lower Stretton - Antrobus Hall - Swarton Heath - High Legh - Broom Edge - Heatley - Queen Victoria Memorial.

Surface- Tarmac, cobblestones, concrete.

Start- Queen Victoria Memorial (Lymm Cross) in Lymm town centre (SK683873)

Map- O.S. Landranger 109 (Manchester and surrounding area).

The route starts from the Queen Victoria Memorial in the centre of Lymm (Lymm Cross) and heads west under the M6 towards Warrington. At Grappenhall travel south to Appleton Thorn and onwards to Stretton. After crossing the M56 the route winds its way along secluded country lanes. At one point, it travels along a disused airfield and a taxiway makes up a section of the lane!

The journey returns over the M6 and onward to Swarton Heath. From Swarton Heath you pass High Legh and onto Broomedge along the B5159 to join up with the A6144 which takes you back to the centre of Lymm. Refreshments are easy to find try: the Golden Fleece, Lymm; the Parr Arms and the Rams Head, Grappenhall; the Thorn, Appleton Thorn; the Cat and Lion pub, Stretton.

The Journey

Section A-B

Start at the Queen Victoria Memorial (Lymm Cross), which commemorates her diamond jubilee in 1897. On the opposite side of the road up the hill is the Golden Fleece pub. Do not ride up that way - instead, turn left onto the A6144 and ride over the pelican crossing.

Follow the road round to the right. Travel over the Bridgewater Canal, past the Spread Eagle Hotel on the left and onwards up the hill. Continue along the road and over the mini roundabout until the A56 is reached. Turn right at the junction onto the A56.

Follow the road ahead until you reach a Jet petrol station on the right. Opposite the station is Massey Brook Lane. Turn left here and continue down the lane, riding parallel to the Bridgewater Canal as you go. Ride under the M6 motorway and continue to the end of the lane. Turn right onto Cliff Lane and ride along the cobbled surface through the narrow tunnel under the canal.

Follow Cliff Lane round to the left until reaching the A50. Turn right onto the A50 and immediately after, take the first left onto Bellhouse Lane and ride towards Grappenhall.

Section B-C

Follow the road ahead into Grappenhall riding over the hump-backed bridge, this time crossing above the Bridgewater Canal. Continue along the cobbled road past St Wilfred's Church and the Parr Arms, both of which are on the right.

Follow the road ahead past the Ram's Head pub and up to the junction. Turn left at the junction onto Broad Lane. Ride up the hill and onwards along the lane. The view behind is especially impressive at night with the lights of Warrington and the Greater Manchester area filling the horizon.

Follow the road ahead to a roundabout. At the roundabout take the second exit and follow the signs for Stretton on the B5356. A few hundred metres up the road take the first right and continue following signs for Stretton.

Ride through Appleton Thorn with the Thorn pub on the right as you pass through. Just over a mile along the road, ride into Stretton and stop at the traffic lights. From here turn left off the Stretton road (B5356) and onto the A559.

Section C-D

At a large roundabout take the second exit down the A559. Ride past the Ring of Bells pub on the left. Follow the A559 ahead until reaching the Birch and Bottle pub, where you turn left and ride down an unsigned lane.

At the end of the lane, turn right onto Foggs Lane. At the end of this lane, turn left and follow the lane past Antrobus Hall until it reaches a sharp bend to the right. Follow it around until it again bends right. Follow Reed Lane ahead until reaching the junction. Turn right here and follow the road ahead until you reach Nook Lane which is the first lane on your left.

Continue to the end of what is now Flash Lane. Turn right onto Pools Plat Lane. Nearly immediately after, take another left onto Lodge Lane. Follow the road ahead, ride over Arley Brook and continue along the lane. On reaching the crossroads, ride across the junction and follow the signs for Sandilands.

Follow this tarmac lane ahead, as it winds left and right. At the junetion near Reedgate Farm bear right. Continue along the lane until reaching a taxiway which is part of a disused airfield and which has been incorporated as paz't of the lane. The taxiway is very wide and can cause confusion after arriving from a narrow country lane, so keep to the left.

After leaving the taxiway, ride to the end of the unsigned lane, which the route now follows.

Section D-A

Ride to the end of the lane. Turn right at the junction and follow the signs for High Legh. The road continues towards Swarton Heath and over the M6 motorway.

At Swarton Heath turn right onto the A50. Ride up the road to the Bear's Paw Inn. Just after this, turn left into Crab Tree Lane and take the very sharp right turn a few hundred metres down the lane.

Continuing on from Crab Tree Lane is Old Pen Brow. Turn left at the end of this lane away from High Legh and onto the B5159. Follow the road ahead over the M56 and onwards to Broom Edge. At Broom Edge, ride through the traffic lights and continue along the B5159.

Ride under the Bridgewater Canal and on towards the A6144. Just before the A6144 is a disused level crossing. By this crossing is The Railway pub, used in the 'Families' television drama produced by Granada TV.

On reaching the A6144 turn left at the junction and follow the road ahead. Ride over the Bridgewater Canal and down the hill, finally to arrive back in the centre of Lymm by Queen Victoria's Memorial.

Taken from 50 Best Cycle Rides In Cheshire