My loop ride on the hottest day so far this year, the heat that makes it feel a bit dreamy.
This is an old school swing bridge over the Manchester ship canal, the canal cut this part off from the mainland and created Wigg Island, which as so much
unused potential for a hair replacement factory.
Its a strange place, full of bike tracks, derelict piers and high fenced factories
There is a very thin part between the Mersey and the canal, probably only a 100ft wide, I though it might be a bit dodgy to ride, but its a well used path.
Though I didn't see a single person while on the Island, which made it a bit creepy, especially when something very large moved in the grass behind me.
You keep passing these types of entrances
There's lots of dirt bike trails and those helmets are little kid sized, I didn't read the cards because I didn't want to spoil my day.
The new bridge passes over this point as I returned to civilisation.
This is where you cross back over, that thin concrete strip is the barrier as the canal meets the river, you can walk all the way around the coast on it if you jump over the fence,
and yes we have a mini Sydney bridge.
This is the original 1960s bridge, with the railway bridge next to it.
I never notices that it is built in a mock castle wall style.
There is a small community of cheap housing built under and near the bridges, they use the arches for car repairs and barbecues.
Lovely peace garden with a large golden pagoda and a themed tunnel under the bridge.
They've refurbished the bridge and given bikes and pedestrians half of it.
The tide speed is incredible on the Mersey and it produces terrifying eddys and currents around the legs.
This is the end of a disused canal that enters the river via a dock, there is a cute yacht club and many boats that presumably have to wait till high tide to get out.
Crossing under the gateway bridge on the otherside, the cycle trails here are immaculate.
Fiddlers Ferry boat yard further down the canal side cycle path, everything seems more magical in the sun.
Nearly finished the loop with a drink at a popular cyclist tavern, nothing but ebikes
The red dot is where I was at the tin point, it looked a bit exposed on google maps, but in reality the path was clear and mostly driveable in an SUV.
