Recce to the Runcorn Bridge !!!

I had some free time and as I was a bit worried about how to get over the Runcorn Bridge I thought a quick little recce was a good idea. I knew I would have to tackle it on Day 4 out from Ellesmere up to Lancaster.  So I thought why not have a run out and back to have a look and overcome my worries. It was also a good 90 mile round trip to top up the training.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day although the wind was blowing south so it was a bit of a struggle. I am so praying for a Northerly wind in June !!  The route is lovely all the way to Frodsham but there it starts to get very urban and the traffic is 10 times what I am used to. I normally love the road up to the bridge as we do this early morning on the way to Liverpool airport for a holiday so it is quiet and you have that pre-holiday feeling of excitement and anticipation.  Not quite what I felt yesterday though.  It was not quiet at all as at 1pm the traffic was horrendous.

The road towards the bridge is under reconstruction so I used the unused lane for the workmens vehicles. I had to dodge a few large potholes and debris but it was OK.

Stupidly I thought there was a cycle path up the northern side of the Runcorn bridge as on google maps it looks like a walkway but the reality is it is just an 18 inch step that I quickly realised was not for bikes or humans.  It was also littered with hub caps, pieces of wire, broken glass and all sorts of detritus from cars and lorries.  Coupled with the constant windrush of cars,trucks, buses and HGV vehicles whizzing past at 40-50 miles an hour I quickly realised I was in trouble.  I could not go back as it was effectively a motorway. So I edged forward trying to get to the other side as quickly as possible whilst holding onto the bridge side. Next thing I knew just as I got to around halfway a police car pulled up alongside me and 2 police wound the window down and said " You lost pal, I will stop the traffic, get on the road and get off at the next junction OK !"  I have no idea why but I said, " I am so sorry, I went the wrong way, I am from Shropshire !"  I might even have added an extra twang to my words to show them what a stupid idiot I had been.  He probably thought I was from a rural little town where everybody knows each other and you can ride your bike anywhere you want!  He was spot on if he did.

Guess what, on the other side of the bridge I found a cycle path and walk way !!!!  It took me an hour to get to grips with how to get to and from it but it was worth every second to make life easier on the 23rd June when I do that days ride.

At least all ended well, I got home and thanked the person or persons watching over me and also thankful I did this trip as doing the same thing 5 weeks from now would have been a nightmare.

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