At 8.30 this morning I made a start for Stretford where I have to meet my friend Tom Idle. I don’t know how it is, but I always look forward to those runs with Tom. I reached the rendezvous ten minutes inside time, and he turned up a little later. Taking the Cheadle road we soon left Chorlton cum Hardy and Didsbury behind. At Handforth we forsook the main road for that little lane towards Macclesfield, and a couple of miles along we turned off to Prestbury. Prestbury is a neat, old fashioned, typical Cheshire village, and is supposed to be the prettiest village in Cheshire. We are inclined to half believe it, but Great Budworth is, at least, a close rival.
Leaving our machines in the churchyard, we had a scout round, discovering many ancient tombstones, the oldest dating from 1601. The church is greatly restored and most of the old work about it has been renovated. A great brass candle chandelier over the aisle attracted our interest, and made us feel sorry for the person who cleans it. On the outside wall are tablets charging certain named people to ‘keep in repair so many square yards of the building’. The Norman Chapel with it famous antique doorway was viewed, and as we retired we caught a glimpse of the 1,000 year old Saxon Cross. Outside we met an elderly fellow, a Stockport cyclist with whom we had lunch.
Climbing the big hill we reached Broken Cross and Gawsworth, afterwards taking a lane to Marton, Trap Street, Dicklow Cop and Chelford, then Warford and Alderley Cross for tea. A walk over Alderley Edge, then we were off again. At Monks Heath we turned for Chelford, joined the Knutsford road and turned off again via Warford, and the Mobberley open air schools to Mobberley. Then more bylanes to Ashley, Hale, and Altrincham.
The main road was crowded and we had many narrow escapes. After a few moments chat we bade ‘goodnight’ and took our own ways. I met another cyclist who did not know the way – he came from Oswestry and was going to Leigh. I left him at Worsley, and carried on home myself, breaking my calliper brake in the dark lanes around home. Home at 10.15pm.
83 miles, 14 hours
