River Weaver & Delamere Forest - Ep 13

I'm back in the saddle early on a weekend morning as I plan to explore the mid-Cheshire countryside. My plan is to follow the River Weaver through Northwich to check out the Anderton Boat Lift before continuing west to Acton Bridge and Dutton Locks. I'll then head away from the river towards the popular Delamere Forest before completing the loop using the traffic-free Oakmere Way and Whitegate Way. A slightly longer ride this time, so will I make it to Delemere Forest visitor centre for a much needed cold drink on a muggy sunday morning in Cheshire?

[@rogerdavis3454]

Hello, Dave. This video popped up in my recommendations today, and I'm pleased that it did. I enjoyed the scenery, the history lesson and your positive attitude. It's wonderful to find a channel about cycling that is focused on enjoyment rather than metrics.

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

Thank you so much for your kind comments! I’m glad you enjoy watching the videos as much as I enjoy making them!

[@TonyParkinson]

Wow, I'm so pleased this video appeared in my suggestions! I spent a lot of time on a framework contract about 20 years ago with the Canal & River Trust (British Waterways as it was back then) and we did construction works to maintain the waterways structures all over the region, particularly around Northwich. I was the site manager for the Carden's Ferry Footbridge construction (timestamp 8:03 ) and did repairs and river bank stabilisation at Vale Royal Locks, the Weaver, and the original restoration of the Anderton Boatlift. Brings back good memories and already planning to cycle your route myself soon. Thanks for the video :-)

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

Hi Tony, thanks so much for your comments which I’ve just read with great interest! I’m glad the video bought back some good memories for you and that I featured so many familiar places from your past! I hope you really enjoy your ride around such a wonderful part of Cheshire!

[@billywong78]

Great video Dave, I live right in the middle of that route and did much of it myself earlier this week (with a few pub stops). Good to see you enjoyed yourself. It's amazing how empty Delamere can be once you're away from the visitor centre but they are in danger of overdeveloping it sadly. I'll look out for some more routes you've done in the area. Thanks and good work, very relatable content.

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

Thanks for the kind comments! You’re very lucky to live in such a lovely part of the world surrounded by lots of traffic-free cycling opportunities! I do love Delamere, especially the far flung parts to the north of the forest, far away from the visitor centre! Although can get very muddy in the winter!

[@martymartin2894]

Great to see you back another nice video thanks.

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed!

[@andrewnorris5415]

Great vid. That's my neck of the woods, recognised those trails. As you said Dele away from the visitor centre is actually very quiet, even at weekends, and not that far from the visitor centre. Most of the best off-road riding is around or close to the perimeter. Great natural techy rooty single track with sharps climbs and descents. Can get very muddy some winters, esp. as approach the deep winter. There's also a fine descent through the woods from the top of old pale. There's also some nice techy riding in the adjacent primrose wood (over the main road). Nice to learn some of the history from video. PS. there is a tap cyclists are welcome to use outside the lock-keeper's hut at Dutton locks. Also an outside drinking tap at dele visitor centre that is open all hours and even heated for when in the frost.

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

Thanks so much for your comment! I've ridden Old Pale and Primrose Wood before and you're right, it's great fun! I do intend on making a follow up video at Delamere at some point, maybe I can extend it to these areas too!

[@andrewnorris5415]

@@SmilesPerHourCycling Excellent, that would be nice to see.

[@ianbrammer4264]

Another great video nice to see some green landscape I live in Spain and it's like been in the desert

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

Thank you! I do enjoy the green landscape of England but I envy the weather of Spain!

[@ianbrammer4264]

@@SmilesPerHourCycling the only trouble is it's so hot in July and August it does restrict the amount of riding and distance you do

[@jeffedwards6215]

Loved watching that ride. Is there a GPX file availaiable or some route details, i'd love to ride it myself.

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

Really glad you enjoyed the video! If you have Strava, follow me at www.strava.com/athletes/65030255 You’ll find all my rides on there, plus loads that I haven’t filmed too!

[@jeffedwards6215]

@@SmilesPerHourCycling perfect. Thanks for that

[@AndySangster]

Hi Dave I loved the video! As a matter of interest I would love to know why you followed the road from whitegate station to the abbey when a much nicer route would be to follow whitegate way to the windsford salt mine and immediately drop on to the river weaver and follow the weaver way to vale royal locks also if you had turned left after the bridge out of carey park ( where the lady with the little dog was) would have taken you to the bottom of the Anderton boat lift (for filming) and then a short climb up dragonfly hill to the Trent and Mersey canal outside the visitor centre

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

Thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed the video! The reason I took the road through Whitegate was because I’d never explored the area around Vale Royal Abbey before, so I wanted to include it as part of the loop before crossing on to the Weaver Way (I’ve done the whitegate way down to Winsford countless times so wanted to explore somewhere new!). As for Carey Park, I got a bit lost and ended up on the canal further over than I’d envisaged! But then again, that’s the beauty of cycling adventures, sometimes the wrong turns are all part of the fun!

[@simonb6058]

You so nearly went for a swim when that dog walked out in front of you 😮

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

It was a close one! The perils of the canal towpath 😂

[@johnbellis1179]

Great video. Do you know if you can ride along the Weaver (off road) to Frodsham? I've heard different reports. I was looking at doing Delamere visitors centre, Whitegate way, along the Weaver to Frodsham then back to Delamere through the hills. I'm on an ebike now (age thing) but have done all bar the river on a normal mountainbike.

[@SmilesPerHourCycling]

That’s a good question and one I’d love to know the answer to as well! Once you get west of Dutton viaduct I’ve only ever peeled off south towards Delamere or headed north west along the bridleway in the direction of Runcorn! If you look on Google Street View there are a couple of standalone images of the riverbank between Dutton and Frodsham and it looks like a grassy path at best. It might be possible on an ebike with a bit of extra power behind you! If you do attempt it, I’d love to hear how passable or impassable it is! Let me know! 👍