TWO DAYS’ ’CYCLE RIDE THROUGH CHESHIRE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XV, Issue XXII, 30 November 1895, Page 695

TWO DAYS’ ’CYCLE RIDE THROUGH CHESHIRE.

[CONTINUED.] We continued our journey, but not without another narrow escape. We had to cross a railway. The Doctor went to cross first, whilst I closed the gate of the crossing after ns. The Doctor had his left foot on the line, when 1 shouted to him to come back. He had barely retreated a step or two when an express flew past. If he had been a minute later he would have been smashed to atoms. He said he had no idea that a train was on the metals. However, we passed over safely and entered a tunnel, over which ran a canal. At the end of this tunnel we came out into a steep and narrow lane, with high slimy banks on either side, on which ferns grow in wild profusion. At the end ot this road we came out at the top of a hill, its sides sloping gradually to a fertile valley beneath, where a large number of cattle were peaceably grazing. We now found the roads in a much better condition, so we were able to increase our speed. I was beginning to know a little of the country now, as I bad once driven to a place called Dutton with my grandfather The Rev. J. W. Newell Tanner, who was chairman to the Board of Guardians of Dutton Workhouse for over thirty years. On passing the Workhouse we saw many of the inmates breaking stones, or weeding the gardens, all helping to pay for their keep. Fast the Workhouse we found the roads improving immensely, so we were able to increase our pace considerably. On our right we have the Overton Hills, and in the Valley beneath, we see the Great Railway Viaduct, and occasionally catch glimpses of the River Weaver, as she threads her course between the woods in the valley. On the road side we pass women gathering blackberries for market. We go through Little Leigh, a small village, bnt of no importance. I know the vicar, but we had no time to call and see him, so we turned sharp to our right and plunged into the wilds of Cheshire. There are so many roads in this part of Cheshire, and they are so very much alike, that if yon were not acquainted with them you are apt to lose yourself. There are also a great many small woods dotted here and there which prevent you from seeing far. Some will only number a hundred trees. Cheshire is the home of the fox, which makes it a great hunting county, and in the season between the months of November and February two or three hundred ladies and gentlemen will turn out on horseback to hunt the fox, and it is a beautiful sight to see them in full cry, the honnds first, then the huntsmen and whips, and lastly the ladies and gentlemen. The country about here is very pretty. On our right is Cogshal Park, and we caught glimpses of the old hall between the trees, the residence of Mr Higbfield. There are a great number of rabbits in the park, and it is interesting to see them play on the sward beneath the trees, and off they go to their holes at the sound of approaching footsteps. Hunting in this park on horseback is dangerous on account of the numerous rabbit-holes, in which a horse is liable to get his hoof, and the rider is thrown heavily to the ground. There is also ample sport with the gun, for

there are the rabbits, pheasants, partridges, wild dock, and grouse. Then we have the thrash, sbelster, swallow, robin, cuckoo, and corncarke. The latter bird makes a eraking noise, and is generally found in the cornfields. Strange to say it never shows itself. If you go up to where the noise comes from, you will hear it again in some other part of the field, but these birds are not allowed to be shot, nor their nests robbed. Cogshal is not very far from Antrobus, but owing to the bad state of the roads about here we were not able to go fast. Still, they were very pretty roads for all that. One road that we went down was lined on either side with oak trees, their branches meeting one another above, making quite an arbour, and almost shutting out the sky from our eight. We increased our speed, in spite of the bad state of the roads, as we wanted to reach Antrobus by one o’clock. Oui next place was Seven Oaks. Seven Oaks can boast a Quaker bouse and also a Quaker tree that has a histury, for under this tree George Fox preached two hundred years ago. George Fox was a great Quaker preacher. A five minutes’ ride from Seven Oaks brought us to Antrobus, and in a short time we arrived at the school-house, in which we were to have our lunch and a rest. We bad a very welcome reception from Richard Coppork and his wife, they having known our family for forty years. Richard Coppork has been schoolmaster under my grandfather for over thirty years. We had a wash and a brush down, and then we sec to and soon made a bole in a large rabbit pie and cold ham, and finished up with apple tart (which is a favourite dish of mine) and good old Cheshire cheese. We rested for about an hour and a half to let our food settle, which was eaten ravenously.