Branston without a Pickle

Sky Ride Local in East Staffordshire

We start our trip from the grassed area between the tennis courts and athletics track outside Shobnall Sports Complex.  We cycle out onto Shobnall Road before making our way up to The Albion P.H. where we go straight through their car park to follow the National Cycling Network Route 54 out to Tatenhill.

We will cycle on the road from the Yellow House all the way down Tatenhill Lane, before we go back off-road to cycle around the Wildlife Park at Branston. We will have a little break by the visitors centre and remember to bring a little snack as unfortunately the centre does not sell food or drinks.  We then cycle around the man-made lake before returning to Shobnall on the same route.
The route is mainly flat and is on tarmac or compacted gravel. There are a few gradual inclines, which include the ride up Tatenhill Lane to the humped back bridge, on the return leg.

There will be plenty of opportunities to cycle in groups and meet new people, whilst we are cycling off-road and at the visitor centre at the wildlife park, so come and join us on a very enjoyable ride.

If you’re fairly confident on your bike and ready to broaden your cycling horizons, our Steady rides are ideal. At a comfortable pace, and possibly with some modest hills along the way, rides take place on mainly quiet roads with plenty of sights along the way. Rides are between 6 and 20 miles long, at a moderate pace of between 7 and 10 miles an hour.

Additional Information

Helmets must be worn by all under 18's regardless of ride level.
Please make sure your bike is in good working order and bring equipment with you to repair punctures, Ride Leaders are there to help but are not responsible for your bike.
All rides leave at the time stated you must arrive early Ride Leaders will not wait. 

Children under the age of 5 do not need to register and must be in a BSA approved child seat, trailer or tag-a-long.

Meet the Ride Leaders

• Lisa Costa Hi there, like most I started riding bikes thinking cycling over 5 miles required you to be superhuman... Be positive, cycle often and you'll soon see how wrong those thoughts can be. Skyrides are a fab way to clock up those miles and make lots of new friends along the way!!
  
  Over time I've grown to love everything about bikes especially stripping them to bits and putting them back together. I now own several bikes for different uses and do all my own repairs which happily saves me a penny or two!!
  
  I'm also a member of the Kidsgrove Wheelers Cycling Club in North Staffs and race time trials for them in my free time;.
  
  I often get to cycle overseas, especially the USA (I keep a bike there) where I've ridden extensive distances taking in some fabulous cities and breathtaking scenery. In my experience the Pacific coast is one of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth and is extra special when you ride it on a bike. Feel free to look at my website and photos of my many adventures!
  
  http://lcct.webs.com
  
  By day I'm a cycling instructor, offering a complete service from beginners with balancing difficulties, through to learning to cope with superfast traffic on dual carriageways. If you need any help don't hesitate to get in touch, my email addy for cycling tuition is lisa.costa@live.com
  Anywayz, I hope to see you on many of the coming Skyrides, but until then 'luv life, luv ya bike !! xx'
• Daniel Randon Hi,
  
  I'm Dan and have been a keen cyclist for many years. I recently qualified as an Assistant Ride Leader to help promote cycling for enjoyment.
  
  My current bike is a Whyte T-120 full suspension mountain bike which offers excellent comfort, whilst still being light enough for road use.
  
  My wife and daughter also ride and may often be seen out on SkyRides with me.
  
  I look forward to seeing you on a ride soon.
• Barry Cooke Hi
  I love to cycle and own 2 bikes,my main bike is a road bike but also love a bit of mountain biking in Cannock Chase . As a child I rode my bike everywhere but it wasn't till about 4 years ago I got the bug back and now im hooked. Ive done sportives and charity rides and im planning to ride my first 100 miles later in the year with a fellow sky rider, if i can get the training in . My first year with sky rides I did 13 and loved it so much, meeting new faces making new friends, riding places I never knew where out there, I decided to become a Sky ride Leader and give back to others the benefits I gained and the confidence it gave to me to ride more. I have also just qualified as a route planner for sky so looking to get some new routes planned in the area, also im an off road leader with some exciting routes coming soon and with the ride strong plus+ coming your way there's no better time to join me,so Im hoping to meet loads more people this year and share the enjoyment of riding in a group no matter what the weather, so lets get riding and see you all soon.

Rider Comments on the Route

1. Peter Kirby Monday 22nd July