Sandown to Stornoway Cycle Ride......at last. By Mike Coleran: Day Six

Day Six

Sunday September 16th 2012

Heswall to Garstang

Mileage today -78

Total mileage so far - 434

I got soaked with rain today, and guess what? It was back home in Lancashire! I left my sister's house near Heswall and rode back down to the Wirral Way, a cycle/walkers route along the Dee estuary avoiding roads all the way to Hoylake. it then follows quiet roads around the coast passing through New Brighton and to the ferry terminal at Seacombe. I arrived just as the 0930 ferry was leaving! The next one was not for another hour so I rode on to Birkenhead ferry terminal and had a coffee whilst waiting. I also had a quick peek at a couple of German U-Boats...in the museum next door. It's only ten minutes or so across the river to Liverpool Pierhead so I stayed up on deck taking in the views. Just as we were arriving at the other side a lady gave me £2 for the BHF, quickly followed by another old lady giving me £2, then another....same thing. So, another six quid in the bag! Being a Sunday, Liverpool was quiet so I had no problem navigating out of the city. I noticed in the streets behind the Liver Buildings there were a lot of men in yellow reflective jackets on street corners. Curiosity got the better of me and I asked one of them what was going on. It turns out they were closing all the streets around there for a film crew to come in. They were going to remove the street signs and put up Russian ones, it was a film set in Moscow! My route took me along the Leeds to Liverpool canal for quite a few miles before joining the Trans Pennine Trail to Southport, a good 25 mile off road route. I didn't linger in Southport but stopped for a sandwich a few miles on, where the rain began. Gently at first, but it soon turned into steady, heavy rain which, despite my waterproofs, found its way in. A night at home though and a marvelous wife who had everything in the wash and a bath run for me in no time at all! I had trouble uploading my blog last night in deepest Wirral, maybe I will have more trouble further up the country, but don't worry, you will here from me! Not many photos tonight I'm afraid - combination of familiar scenes and poor weather. I'm sure there will be many photos towards the end of my trip!