Day 7 Ellesmere to Belmont

Music to my ears. Breakfast TV forecast at the quite delightful B & B ( dogs lying by the log fire in the breakfast room ) announced blustery conditions with winds from SW . So it proved but with regular sunshine thrown in . Helped me to do 84 miles ending up at 7pm in the Red Dog Hotel in Belmont - north Midlands . Another superb find by pure fluke - or are these places everywhere? And prices seem  so reasonable . £56 for B & B and enormous 3 course dinner and coffee with one drink thrown in. So different from our experience of previous years . And v comfortable big room. Good storage for bike. Lashing with rain right now.  

Day can be divvied into 4 categories. The 30 odd miles to Chester were more of what I've enjoyed in last 2 days in Wales. Part 2 was the ride through Chester and out to East side via the path beside the heavily used canal connecting Liverpool , Manchester and London for starters . Duncan , didn't you spend a week on one of these barges with the Johnstons years ago? Part 3 was the tricky and heavily trafficked route through the Midlands .  Charlie really coming into his element here. A mass of turns , minor roads , major roads , commenting roads , etc , etc. could never have done this with maps without taking at least double the time. A following wind here helped enormously too to get through this trying section. Part 4 once beyond the turn offs for Bolton and Wigan and over the Manchester ship canal led to moor land again with the inevitable climb up to higher elevation. Started to rain now and very dark clouds threatening a thunder storm. Refuge in form of the Red Dog came my way  when it looked increasingly likely I was going to have to find a tent site on moor. Phew !

Forecast tomorrow is good , but Friday's is terrible.  102 miles to Carlisle and with same wind if it happens , I'll make a go for it . Then , with luck 2 rest days , Friday on my own while Jane works and Sat with her . Keith arrives Sat evening to join me for 3 days with early start Sun morning.