Thursday 26 January 2023 - Around Timperley and a bike ride to RHS Bridgewater Gardens

This was actually 18 January, from our study window, and (below) on the towpath to Sale. Slippery on the ice.

The following day we had a bit more snow. It took some time to melt away.

But a week later, it was still cold, but windless and sunny, so Sue and I hit the towpath on our bikes without any fear of skidding on ice.

It's just over ten miles along the towpath to the Bridgewater Gardens. An easy ride, taking about an hour each way.

We paused en route to admire reflections on the still morning.

The outing was sort of triggered by a voucher of Sue's that imminently expired, so we took advantage of that (and warmed up) in the large cafe, before enjoying a quick wander around the gardens.. Volunteers were busy setting everything up to 'Go' when the growing weather returns.

 

Everything was very neat and tidy, just waiting for growth...

Eventally we left to cycle home. You can see that there was ice on the pond outside the cafe, fenced off by a discrete arc of chairs. Gloves were needed today! Hand warmers would have helped at the start, before we warmed up.

Sue couldn't resist a 'fungal pause'.

There's easy access to the gardens from a newly laid path on the north side of the Bridgewater Canal.

I waited for some time on a bench at the spot pictured below, as Sue took an age to compose the image below that one.

Despite it being less than five minutes from home, we stopped at the Walton Perks cafe to enjoy a welcome cup of 'Sicilian' in the fresh air with the local bird population, before retreating indoors for the rest of the day.

My first 'bike outing' since early December, and very nice too, especially as we avoided picking up any punctures from the hedge trimmings that are actively being produced by the highly active trimming teams just now.