Cheshire and Shropshire Tour

Cycling Holidays in the UK

Price from: £935

Nights: 8 or 9

Difficulty: Moderate, Strenuous

Cheshire and Shropshire Tour

Holiday Details

Highlights
  • Delamere Forest
  • Cholmondelesy Castle Gardens and Beestson Castle
  • Shropshire Lakes and Mosses
  • Ironbridge World Heritage site
  • Long Mynd, Church Stretton and Ludlow
Description

The Cheshire and Shropshire cycle tour is a longer, circular cycling holiday around the counties of Cheshire and Shropshire. It is ideal for experienced cyclists looking for longer daily distances.

Starting and finishing in Chester, explore Delamere Forest and the rolling farming country of central Cheshire, crossing canals and circling the Peckforton Hills (dotted with castles). Pass Beeston Castle and visit the Dysart Arms one of the best pubs in the area, before heading to the Shropshire Plain and on to Shrewsbury.

From here cycle through Much Wenlock and past Acton Burnell Castle and on to the more hilly Shropshire Hills area and the Long Mynd. Option here to spend and extra night in Church Stretton and have a rest day (why not visit the pretty market town of Ludlow – easy by train), or cycle to Ludlow and explore the Wenlock Edge area. We offer a couple of route options on this day, either 25 miles or a more strenuous 40 – 50 mile route.

From Stretton over the Long Mynd, the highest point of the Cheshire and Shropshire cycling holiday, and quite climb, but worth it for the views. Then downhill back to the Shropshire Plain, heading back long the welsh border and through through the pretty lakeside town of Ellesmere (with the fabulous Boathouse cafe). The Ellesmere area has many small glacial lakes, mosses, rare plants and wildlife and cycling is particularly quiet and peaceful with some lanes that rarely see a car!.Then on through the villages along the River Dee, to Chester.

This holiday offers a more strenuous itinerary of 30 – 40 miles a day. We can also offer some days of 40 – 50 miles. It can also be tailored to accommodate some shorter daily distances  – please contact us with your requirements and we can try and accommodate them.

You might also be interested in the Marches Meander Cycling holiday

Itinerary for Cheshire and Shropshire Tour

Moderate. 20 – 30 miles (1 day 34 miles)

Day 1 – Arrive in Chester from lunchtime. We meet you when you arrive to deliver bikes and adjust them to make sure they are comfortable. Circular ride around countryside on the outskirts of Chester (about 10 – 13 miles) or if you are staying on outskirts of Chester a ride into the city along the canal (no traffic!) (about 10 – 11 miles). Opportunity to look around the Roman City of Chester.

Day 2 – Cycle through Hockenhull Platts nature reserve to Tarvin. From here pass Boot Inn at Willington, Mount Pleasant Garden (not open every day) and continue on to explore Delamere Forest along gentle, traffic free cycle trails. From here route heads to Kelsall, past the Shire Horse Centre and on to the village of Little Budworth. 20 – 25 miles.

DAy 3 – From Little Budworth cycle to teh Georgian village of Tarporley and then to Beeston Castle and Bunbury with its church, restored water mill, staircase locks and one of the best pubs in the area. Follow quiet lanes to Wrenbury on the Shropshire Union canal and to Cholmondeley. Visit Cholmondeley Castle Gardens (open Wed, Thurs, Suns and bank holidays) . About 25 miles

Day 4 – Cycle to Malpas then through quiet countryside to village of Hanmer with small mere (lake) then continue on along the quiet lanes of north shropshire to the small market town of Wem. About 20 – 25 miles.

Day 5 – Leave Wem and along quiet lanes past Hawkstone park – nice tea shop here – on to the villages of Hodnet, Stanton on Hine heath, passing Moreton Corbet Castle, Haughmound Abbey and into Shrewsbury along the river. 22 miles

Day 6 – From Shrewsbury, cycle past Attingham Huse and Park, Acton Burnell Castle to the slopes of the Shropshire Hills. Spend in night in the spa town of Church Stretton. 25 miles.

Day 7 – Today its over the Long Mynd, quite a climb but worth it for the views and peace and quiet. Then downhill back to the Shropshire Plain to spend a night near Melverley, 24 miles

Day 8 – Heading back long the welsh border past the 13 century church at Melverley, through the pretty lakeside town of Ellesmere (with the fabulous Boathouse cafe) through Overton (another good cafe here) and on to Bangor on Dee. 34 miles

Day 9 – Cycle back to Chester along the river Dee, through Farndon, the architect design village of Aldford, with a lunch stop at the Grosvenor Arms. From here to Waverton and then back into Chester along the canal. 20 miles

 

Strenuous, 34 – 40 miles

Can offer some longer days of over 40 miles. Please contact us with your requirements and we can put together an itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Chester from lunchtime. We meet you when you arrive to deliver bikes and adjust them to make sure they are comfortable. Circular ride around countryside on the outskirts of Chester (about 10 – 13 miles) or if you are staying on outskirts of Chester a ride into the city along the canal (no traffic!) (about 10 – 11 miles). Opportunity to look around the Roman City of Chester.

Day 2 – Cycle through Hockenhull Platts nature reserve to Tarvin. From here pass Boot Inn at Willington, Mount Pleasant Garden (not open every day) and continue on to explore Delamere Forest along gentle, traffic free cycle trails. From here route heads to Kelsall, on to past the Shire Horse Centre and on to the village of Little Budworth. 34 miles

Day 3 – From Little Budworth cycle to the Georgian village of Tarporley and on to Beeston Castle and Bunbury with its church, restored water mill, staircase locks and one of the best pubs in the area. Follow quiet lanes to Wrenbury on the Shropshire Union canal and to Cholmondeley. Visit Cholmondeley Castle Gardens (open Wed, Thurs, Suns and bank holidays) . About 39 miles

Day 4 – Cycle to Malpas then through quiet countryside to village of Hanmer with small mere (lake)  then continue on along the quiet lanes of north shropshire to the small market town of Wem. About 34 miles.

Day 5 – Leave Wem and along quiet lanes past Hawkstone park – nice tea shop here – on to the villages of Hodnet, Stanton on Hine heath, passing Moreton Corbet Castle, Haughmound Abbey and into Shrewsbury along the river. Nice B & B near the Abbey or hotel just outside Shrewsbury. Short day of 22 miles or longer route through Prees 38 miles

Day 6 – From Shrewsbury, cycle to Much Wenlock with its Priory, past Acton Burnell Castle to the slopes of the Shropshire Hills. Spend in night in the spa town of Church Stretton. An extra night can be added here for a rest day or a circular 44 mile ride to Ludlow. If taking a rest day Ludlow is only 10 minutes by train.

Day 7 – Today its over the Long Mynd, quite a climb but worth it for the views and peace and quiet. Then downhill back to the Shropshire Plain, heading back long the welsh border to spend a night at the Burlton inn, a regular Good Pub Guide entry.

Day 8 – Cycle through through the pretty lakeside town of Ellesmere (with the fabulous Boathouse cafe).  Then on to Overton (another good cafe here) and past Erdigg National Trust house and gardens and on to spend a night in a small hotel in Bangor on Dee. 35 miles

Day 9 – Cycle back to Chester along the river Dee, through Farndon, the architect design village of Aldford, with a lunch stop at the Grosvenor Arms. From here to Waverton and then back into Chester along the canal. 35 miles

Accommodation

Inns/small hotels, comfortable B & B’s. Day 5 and 6 can upgrade to Country Hotels

Pricing

Prices shown are per person

Number of Nights Mix of B&Bs/Country Inns/small hotels
8 £935
9 £1,045
Single supp/night £15 – 50

Discounts & Offers

Child Discounts – (Children sharing with 2 adults)

  • Under 2 – free
  • Under 4 – 80%
  • Under 12 – 50%
  • 12 to 16 – 25%

Group Discounts – 10% for groups of 4 or more adults

Discount for using own bikes – £10 per day

What's Included?

This cycling holiday includes –

  • Overnight B & B accommodation
  • Detailed routes, maps, background information
  • Quality bikes (discount available of you prefer to bring your own)
  • Helmets and tool kit, puncture resistant tyres
  • Luggage transfer & full support and back-up should you need help
  • Car parking or transfer to and from nearest station
  • Nearest station – Chester

Interested?

We're more than happy to help you book your ideal holiday. Get in touch by calling on (+44) 0151 722 8050, or contact us by email, by enquiring below.

Make an Enquiry

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