Three Counties Cycling

Day 5:

Middlewich to Tutbury – 64 miles

Planned mileage: 64 miles

Actual mileage: 71 miles

Cycling time: 4 hrs 53mins

Average speed: 14.5mph

Maximum speed: 32.9mph

Route: http://gb.mapometer.com/en/cycling/route_1383414.html

Accomodation: Staying with Mum & Dad Norris (+ Benjy the dog)

Slept well in Ceri & Tim's comfortable house and woke to more bright sunshine. Enjoyed a healthy and substantial breakfast, waved goodbye to Ceri as she headed off to work but didn't to Tim as he was working from home. Headed out into the warm sunshine a bit earlier than usual, a bit before 10, and set off towards Winsford up the hill on the rather unpleasantly busy A54. After a couple of miles we stopped to check the map. However we couldn't as we had left the map behind. So we retraced our steps, waved goodbye to Tim again and 20 minutes or so later were back at the same place.

Winsford wasn't as unpleasant as we had been advised by last night's hosts and we even went right past Ceri's new place of work, the St Luke's hospice!

The day was shaping up to be the perfect summer's day, sooo warm and very sunny, and Cheshire is a very well-heeled part of the country, very lush and prosperous-looking, so we enjoyed the cycling a lot. Into Nantwich, which was gridlocked due to the one day-only Nantwich Show (you have probably been) but we avoided its temptations and headed onwards in a south-easterly direction. However we did not avoid the temptation of coffee and cake so stopped at the Staverley Water Gardens for excellent lemon curd cake (yum!) and capuccino.

On our way again, we were surprised to cross the border into Shropshire – and instantly we were out of flat Cheshire we started climbing some reasonably substantial hills. We were also surprised to see a large (well, it looked large) military helecopter swooping right over us at probably only 50 or 100 feet – quite dramatic. We avoided the temptation of more coffee and cake at more garden centres, and before long left Shropshire and entered Staffordshire, where we remained for the rest of the day.

Place name of the day: Loggerheads. We weren't at them fortunately. There were loads of trees waiting to be cut down and made into logs though.

We carried on south east through Eccleshall (very attractive village) then curved slightly northwards to cross the M6 and onwards into Stone. Stone was bustling and pleasant, and while we were pondering quite where to have our packed lunch, were assisted by a friendly local who anticipated our needs and pointed us towards both the public toilets and the canal – for different purposes you understand of course.

We sat in the part-sunshine (it had clouded over just after our cake break) by the canal and had a good lunch, working our way through some of our emergency supplies (fudge & chocolate!) in the process. We decided to hold off until Uttoxeter for our next coffee-and-cake stop so set of (due east or so by now, in case you're wondering) for the next 12 miles or so.

Uttoxeter's schools appeared to have just finished for the summer, as there were crowds of (well behaved) teenagers marching purposefully towards the town centre. A busy place, we thought to ourselves. However, on finding the town centre it was deserted. Not that inspiring to look at either. And worst of all, no nice-looking cafes (we couldn't see any at all for that matter). So we just carried on. It turned out later that Uttoxeter still has a half day for local businesses and that day is Wednesday.

So on we went, and by the much more attractive-looking village of Marchington, were feeling a tad narky with each other, but fortunately found the very nice community shop where we found local ice cream, local ginger biscuits and energy drinks, so felt a lot better after that!

So then it was just a few more fairly hilly miles remaining to Tutbury and to a very nice welcome from Jenny's parents. We're feeling very much refreshed now after tea and home-made fruit cake, hot showers and a lovely dinner out on the patio. We're looking forward to a day off from cycling tomorrow but don't worry, we'll still give you a blog update. Thank you to everyone who has read and especially commented on our efforts so far – it's great to hear from you. Stevie – hope you like the picture of our loaded bikes. Hard work going up the hills, but we've managed them all so far and hopefully will continue to.