Today’s meet was 9am, Four Lane Ends.  I was to time !   We started at 9.30 in a boisterous gale and the fleeting clouds promised a wet day.  Taking the lane route we cut out Leigh and soon reached Glazebury.  Glazebrook was passed at evens and soon we stood on Warburton Bridge.  Paying our toll we faced the wind and climbed steadily for some miles through Broom Edge to High Legh.  Three of us gained a lead, and pressing on via Arley and Gate Heath we reached Big Budworth by 12 noon.  When the other seven came up we had ordered lunch and had a wash.

After lunch we had a walk to the Wishing Well, an outlet of water known locally as the running pump on account of its permanent flow which never ceases, even in times of excessive drought.  The village is delightfully rural, even in times of excessive petrol usage it retains its appearance of old world tranquillity.  The Church, which is very old was next visited.  In a family chancel is an effigy in stone of a knight of the Middle Ages and the vault containing six of the Egerton-Warburton family is directly beneath.  Their pews of carved oak amongst other relics are very interesting.  Other than an ancient alms box and a few dates the church, like most others is greatly restored.  Before we came out we had a chat with the vicar of the parish who turned out to be a member of the CTC !

Retrieving the bikes we made for Pickmere.  The lake was pretty rough and, taking a boat out, eight of us had a boisterous experience on amateur boating.  We came out decidedly roughly handled and weather beaten, not to mention wet.  Followed a series of strength tests on various machines in the arcade.  Biking off we followed a footpath to the village of Pickmere, then, crossing the Chester road at Tabley we came to Tabley Inferior, Peover, Lower Peover and Knutsford.  Skirting the town proper we reached Mobberley, and on the road Ashley.

After some argument as to the tea place, we decided to stay at a cottage near Hale Barns.  At 5.30 we were off again, and reaching Brooklands Drive we started a real potter through the park.  After a while we reached Sale and Stretford and along the usual road to Barton Bridge.  With the wind against we pushed to Worsley, Walkden, Four Lane Ends and thus home at 8pm.

Time 11 hours, Distance 70 miles.