Ride the "4 Counties Ring" in two days - all 111 miles :)
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The Four Counties Ring takes in the English counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands. Highlights along its route include the Industrial Canal Heritage of the Stoke-on-Trent potteries region, the wealthy pasturelands of Cheshire, and the stunning remote sandstone cuttings of Shropshire. The canal route and towpaths are frequently used by boaters, walkers and cyclists.
The route for this two day event is 111 miles long, has 94 locks and traverses (in an anti-clockwise direction), parts of the Wardle Canal, Shropshire Union (Middlewich Branch) Canal, Shropshire Union Canal, Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal and the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Over two days we’ll ride the entire towpath length. Starting and finishing in Middlewich, we’ll overnight at the half way point in Staffordshire.
Itinerary
Day 1 will take us in an anti-clockwise direction and after leaving the environs of Middlewich our route is quite rural and passes through farmland and woods until we reach Barbridge Junction and the main line of the Shropshire Union Canal.
At Barbridge Junction, our route takes us south east first to Hurleston Junction before a long stretch down to Autherley Junction just north of Wolverhampton.
At Autherley Junction our route turns sharp left to follow the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal northwards to Gailey Top Lock where we end our first day’s ride.
Day 2 we rejoin our route at Gailey Top Lock, pass through the centre of Penkridge town and the village of Acton Trussell before the route becomes somewhat more peaceful as we journey on to Great Haywood Junction.
At the junction, our route turns left again, to head northwest on the Trent and Mersey Canal. The canal follows the Trent Valley through Stone and Stoke-on-Trent to the junction with the Caldon Canal. From here we continue on the Trent & Mersey Canal as we start to descend on our last leg of the journey to the start point at Middlewich.
We will be staying overnight in Staffordshire in a hotel/lodge adjacent to its pub/restaurant.
Please log in to obtain details of the accommodation and facilities.
What to bring
Bike: Mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, commuter bikes. Sorry, not really suitable for road bikes.
Helmet: OutdoorLads requires you to wear one.
Clothing: lightweight and layered, shorts are great even in rain as they allow free movement of your legs. Avoid jeans, which are uncomfortable when wet, and baggy tracksuit bottoms, which can snag in the chain. Colourful and/or reflective clothing will make you more visible to other road users.
Footwear: grippy soles if your bike has standard pedals.
Gloves: cycle gloves help avoid blisters, and are good in the cold.
Punctures: spare inner tube, bike tyre pump and tyre levers.
Tools: any special tools that your bike needs.
Small snacks: such as chocolate or energy bars.
Plenty of water: in bottle/s on your bike or in a daysack/bladder.
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Storage: day-sack, panniers or a bag on your bike. Remember this is a 2 day circular route with an overnight stop off. Spare clothing for the evening will be needed and fresh socks and undies for the second day's ride. If you're like me you'll economise and use as much riding clothing from day one for day 2 :)
Food & drink
Please bring your own packed lunch and plenty of water. There are plenty of opportunities to buy food and drink along the entire route and, at the end of day one, there are places where you can purchase more food, snacks and drinks if you don't wish to carry everything you need for 2 days.