Length miles 5.82 miles
Maximum height 131.23 feet
Minimum Height 75.27 feet
Height ascended 130.06 feet
Height descended 133.66 feet
This short and relatively flat leg starts in Tattenhall junction 125, and ends in Waverton junction 142 on the junction guide. The leg revisits the canal still the Shropshire Union, now the Chester branch from Hurleston into Chester and the end of 45. The leg along the canal into Chester has a separate description and junction guide. Tattenhall is an interesting place and worth a visit see the Tattenhall Web Site.
Going north, out of Tattenhall, the road forks; keep right on Tattenhall Road there is a street sign. There is a Sustrans official sign visible from this direction but nothing when travelling in the opposite direction. There are no more Sustrans signs in the town and there are a number of junctions to the right and left before leaving Tattenhall, you will find these shown and named on the junction guide, from this direction just continue level and straight on. I think it is more confusing when entering Tattenhall from Chester i.e. the other direction, as there are no Sustrans signs into the town and the cyclist is presented with a number of unsigned junctions, if you have printed the junction guide for this leg you will not have any difficulty from either direction. The road is slightly downhill on leaving the town and then uphill.
The next junction is on the left there are no signs but it is clearly a tarmacked farm road.
The road then levels to a crossroads at Newton-by-Tattenhall, the road crossing is Newton Lane there are street signs and official Sustrans NCR45 signs, continue straight on.
There are beautiful views from this section out towards Beeston Castle and the Peckforton Hills.
Continue over the railway bridge over the Chester/Crewe line and immediately over the bridge over the Shropshire Union Canal. These bridges are narrow and there is a lot of motorised traffic; take great care and do not hug the bridge side too closely, it is far better for a motorist to be delayed for a second then for you to be squashed up against the side of the bridge.
As you approach the canal bridge you will see a track off to the right, this goes down to the canal, which is well worth a visit. There is a bench on the canal at the side of the bridge this is a great place for lunch or to have a rest and soak up the atmosphere. It is possible to cycle along the canal from here to Chester, but the towpath is rough and can be very muddy in places during and after wet weather.
There are some good views of Beeston Castle.
Having safely passed over the bridges the road is downhill it is called Red Lane, but there are no street signs until you get to the end of the lane. Going downhill to the right there is a fram drive to Mill Farm. The road levels before the next junction on the right which is Huxley Lane, there is a street sign, there are good Sustrans signs pointing straight on into Long Lane, there is a street sign. Cheshire Cycle Route 70 joins here.
The next junction on the right has no Sustrans or Cheshire Cycle Route signs it is Mill Lane and has street signs; continue straight on Long Lane. The road is undulating here towards Waverton there is another junction before the bridge over the Shropshire Union Canal to the right. There are good Sustrans combined 45/70 signs here.
There is access to the canal from the bridge and it is possible to ride along the towpath to Chester this is very rough in places and very muddy during and after wet weather. Otherwise stay on the road, which travels alongside the canal, this is on your right in this direction. If you have looked at this section on Google Maps do not be misled, the Google Map is wrong and shows the road on the wrong side of the canal and the bridge in the wrong place!
As you approach Waverton you will see the Church of St Peter a magnificent building. At the entrance it has a beautiful sundial cast in 1995 and bearing the inscription:
Be thankful at all times to the creator of everything.
At the end of Long Lane there is a street sign next to the name of the road it leads into which is Village Road this is not a junction just a change of road name.
Continue on through the village there is a junction on the left with Quarry Lane there is a street sign and official Sustrans NCR45 signs both directions just after this junction. The next junction is on the left to a housing estate, Hurstwood, there are no Sustrans signs but there is a street sign. Continue straight on and arrive at the crossroads by the Post Office, turn right on Eggbridge Lane there are street signs but no, repeat no, Sustrans signs visible from this direction.
There is a Sustrans combined 45/70 sign on Eggbridge Road visible when approaching from the opposite direction.
Take a good look at this solitary sign because believe it or not this is the last NCR45 sign between here and the end of the route in Chester some
five miles away! A short distance along here you will see the Eggbridge canal bridge over the canal,
cross the road and go down to the canal on the car park. Turn left under the bridge and stay on the canal to
Chester, do not bother to look for any NCR45 signs as there are none until the very end of 45. I have had some
email correspondence with Anna Geroni of Cheshire County Council
email anna.geroni@cheshire.gov.uk who says that this route will be signed before the summer of 2008.
To find out more contact Mike Clarke at email mikeclarke@ncr45mercianway.co.uk
