Day 6 - Clun to Frodsham, 79 miles

We leave Clun for a longer distance of 79 miles, providing you don't get lost! The terrain is relatively flat with a grand descent early, followed by Shrewsbury, country lanes and finally a major A road north to Frodsham.

Shrewsbury

Really important facts:

660 historic buildings
Host of the one of the oldest and largest flower shows in the country
Charles Darwin was born here

Ditherington Flax Mill is the world’s first iron-framed building, “the grandfather of the skyscraper”

Tom, only 26 and he's been around the world on a bike with Rob

Sadly, we hear some bad news from Tom, one of three tour leaders. There's been a collision on a fast descent with three riders involved. Two have escaped significant injury but one is taken to hospital with a suspected fracture.

Frodsham (near Runcorn)

More important info…

We passed through Frodsham, home of the Mersey View nightclub or the ‘The View’ where the Beatles first played.

Also, Caradog Jones, the first Welshman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, lived here.

Super Jane

Jane is fab. I checked with her and she's allowed me to share her age of 73. Not only is she undertaking this 1000 mile trek, her first ever significant bike ride, she also regularly competes in global triathlons. 

She tells me that she's not super fast, but sets off in good time. She is navigating this trip with printed route notes and dismisses our sat nav thingamajigs. Despite groups of cyclists whizzing off with our 'Garmin' cycle computers, we continue to make wrong turns and we'll fine ourselves arriving at a brew stop only to see Jane leaving as we pull up.

Travelling in the last 8 miles is really tough. There's been an accident on the motorway and traffic is queueing back many miles leading to Runcorn and Frodsham. We gingerly navigate between stationary or slow moving traffic. Everyone is tense and tired.

Although there's a cycle track for a few miles, this soon peters out. We arrive at the Holiday Inn, Runcorn. It'll take at least two hours before our bags arrive by van.

Statistics

• Distance - 79 miles
• Average speed - 14.5mph
• Max speed - 41.5mph
• Climbed - 792m (easy day)
• Road kill - 2 blackbirds, one dove, one pheasant, one garden glove (left, no rubber)
• High point - cycling fast with the 'Ashkenazi' chain gang
• Low point - Steve, one of our group of 27, had a bad fall going down hill, resulting in a fractured collar bone. Very sad for him as he won't finish LEJOG this time. Also, a salutary reminder that we can cycle very fast and are only minimally protected.