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Northwich – Neston

105 km road cycling loop485 m climbing4–5½ hoursGPX

Comberbach, England, United Kingdom · Road

A rolling 105 km road cycling loop from Comberbach, England through Acton Bridge, Stoak and Hoole, with 485 m of climbing.

Route contributed by Richard Chapman · Created from a ride on Monday 26th June 2023

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides for fit, experienced riders
Distance
105.4 km
Loop
Elevation gain
485 m
5 m per km
Riding time
4–5½ hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
96% paved · 1% unpaved · 3% no data
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
14.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 21.1 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 29.7 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Regular
77 cafés and restaurants · 18 shops · 1 water point · 6 petrol stations · 4 public toilets · 1 bike shop
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Comberbach

Map and elevation profile

Elevation profile

Total ascent
485 m
Distance
105 km
050100150200m0 km255075105 km143 m · highest, at 89.3 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Comberbach
  2. Acton Bridgekm 7
  3. Stoakkm 32
  4. Hoolekm 41
  5. Abbot's Meadkm 43
  6. Denhallkm 58
  7. Westwood Parkkm 68
  8. Little Stanneykm 73
  9. Helsbykm 82
  10. Comberbachkm 105

The ride starts and finishes in Comberbach and heads southeast through Acton Bridge (7 km) and Newton (15 km). After Newton, the route features a 3.5 km climb from 11.7 km gaining 115 m average 3.3% gradient, reaching a high of 143 m at 85.9 km. The route then passes through several small villages including Elton Green and Wolverham before reaching Chester at 42 km. It continues along mixed roads including 41 km minor roads and 29 km cycle paths.

From Chester the route follows a long stretch east to the coast near Burton Point (57 km) with a shorter climb of 1.5 km at 2.9% gradient starting at 57.4 km. Further climbs occur near Helsby Hill at 82 km, with a 2.2 km climb at 3.4% average gradient and a final climb at 95 km. The route includes 14 km on main roads without cycle lanes and has a longest stretch without cafe, shop or water of 14 km from 80.6 to 94.8 km. Surface is 96% paved with minor sections of gravel and unmapped roads.

Facilities along the route include cafes, pubs and shops in towns like Chester and others. Bailout points with stations are at Acton Bridge (7.7 km) and Chester (41 km). The highest point on the ride is 143 m near Helsby Hill. The gradient is mostly gentle with only short sections steeper than 5%.

Why ride this route?

  • The longest of the 5 rides from Comberbach.

Highlights

  • Chester city centre at 42 km
  • Burton Point viewpoint near 56 km
  • Helsby Hill 141 m at 82 km
  • Longest climb 3.5 km at 3.3% starting 11.7 km

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Acton Bridge 6.9 km
  2. Newton 15.3 km
  3. Elton Green 24.3 km
  4. Wolverham 29.2 km
  5. Stoak 32.2 km
  6. Picton 34.6 km
  7. Mickle Trafford 36.7 km
  8. Guilden Sutton 37.8 km
  9. Hoole 40.8 km
  10. Northgate Village 41.6 km
  11. Newtown 41.6 km
  12. Chester 41.9 km
  13. Abbot's Mead 42.7 km
  14. Blacon 44.2 km
  15. Sealand 48.8 km
  16. Burton Point 56.8 km
  17. Denhall 57.9 km
  18. Burton 59.9 km
  19. Ledsham 66.4 km
  20. Capenhurst 67.4 km
  21. Westwood Park 68.3 km
  22. Dunkirk 69.2 km
  23. Stanney Oaks 71.8 km
  24. Cheshire Oaks 72 km
  25. Little Stanney 72.9 km
  26. Thornton le Moors 75.9 km
  27. Elton 77.8 km
  28. Hapsford 79.8 km
  29. Helsby 82 km
  30. Kingsley 88.4 km
  31. Crowton 91.5 km
  32. Bartington 95.2 km
  33. Little Leigh 97.3 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb11.7 km3.5 km · 115 m · 3.3 % · max 4.7 %143 m
Unnamed climb57.4 km1.5 km · 41 m · 2.9 % · max 5.3 %48 m
Unnamed climb80.4 km2.2 km · 74 m · 3.4 % · max 8 %88 m
Unnamed climb83.3 km1.6 km · 40 m · 2.5 % · max 3.6 %129 m
Unnamed climb94.9 km1.8 km · 44 m · 2.5 % · max 5.1 %53 m

High point 143 m at 85.9 km; low point 4 m. Passes beneath Birch Hill, Helsby Hill.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 14.9 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads
41% minor road · 29% cycle path · 14% main road · 10% quiet street · 6% other roads and tracks
Main roads
14.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
21.1 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
29.7 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Chester Millennium Greenway (12 km), Cogshall Lane (4 km), Mill Lane (3 km), Commonside (3 km)
Surface
Paved: 96% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved and 3% has no surface data.
Gradient
11% climbing · 9% descending · 80% flat
Steep sections
0.9 km over 5% · steepest 500 m averages 6.5% at 84.7 km
Longest descent
4.1 km from 89.4 km, dropping 117 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 77 cafés and restaurants, 18 shops, 1 water point, 6 petrol stations, 4 public toilets and 1 bike shop.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 7.7 kmHazel Pear Inn · pub · on the route
  2. 12.8 kmCo-op · supermarket · 50 m off route
  3. 19.9 kmTesco Café · café · 180 m off route
  4. 20.1 kmFearns Pharmacy · pharmacy · 50 m off route
  5. 20.3 kmShell · petrol station · 70 m off route
  6. 30 kmStarbucks · café · 130 m off route
  7. 40.6 kmBren Bikes · bike shop · 50 m off route
  8. 42.7 kmEsso · petrol station · 200 m off route
  9. 44.2 kmChatwins · bakery · 210 m off route
  10. 49.6 kmAldi · supermarket · 330 m off route
  11. 57.4 kmToilets · 40 m off route
  12. 59.5 kmHampston's Well · spring · 160 m off route
  13. 70.9 kmBP strawberry roundabout · petrol station · on the route
  14. 73.3 kmSainsbury's · supermarket · 140 m off route
  15. 77.6 kmElton Pharmacy · pharmacy · 300 m off route
  16. 78.3 kmToilets · 70 m off route
  17. 78.8 kmCosta Drive Thru · café · on the route
  18. 88.4 kmHolland Pharmacy · pharmacy · 70 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 7.7 km — Acton Bridge (station), 70 m off route
  • 23.7 km — Ince and Elton (station), 770 m off route
  • 41.2 km — Chester (station), 640 m off route
  • 51.2 km — Hawarden Bridge (station), 880 m off route
  • 67.9 km — Capenhurst (station), 120 m off route
  • 75.9 km — Stanlow and Thornton (station), 1.3 km off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 6.4 km — Weaver Valley Cruises (attraction)
  • 39.3 km — Upton Grange Moat Temporary Camp (archaeological site)
  • 55.8 km — Burton Point (viewpoint)

Start and access

Starts and finishes at Comberbach. Mapped within a short walk of the start, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start and finish

Food and coffee
Spinner & Bergamot (110 m)

Know before you go

  • 14.9 km main roads without cycle lanes
  • 21.1 km fast roads (80 km/h+)
  • 14.2 km without cafe, shop or water from 80.6 to 94.8 km
  • 0.9 km climb over 5% gradient

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

2 photographs from the road

About this route

Ridden by
Richard Chapman
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

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