1 and 2 October 2025 (some rain, cloudy, sunny patches) 40km

Happy Birthday Mum. Had you still been with us, you would have been ninety four today.

After a good sleep, woke to a cloudy morning and the rain had now ceased.  Breakfast was enjoyable as always and spent doing more talking and laughing.

Late morning walk for Julia and I. Around Little Neston, different route than yesterday finishing off down by the marsh and back to Pegs. 

Lunchtime on was basically sitting and talking about anything and everything. After not seeing each other for seven years, it's amazing how we've been able to find so much to talk and laugh about.

It has been strange not having Andy here, but his name is always being raised in conversation, as is Mum's, and we realize how lucky we are to have had them in our lives.

2.10.25

After our usual cup of tea, followed by delicious breakfast and more chat with Peggy, we got the trusty steeds out for their first outing since the day we arrived. It was a perfect day for cycling, being cloudy with the sun breaking through occasionally and absolutely no wind and a refreshing but enjoyable high of 17C.

We had a 12km ride to Little Sutton lined up to go see Little Jane’s house that she and hubby Mark have been renovating for the past three years.

It was a beautiful traffic free ride on the Wirral Way for most of it with some lovely country lanes near the end.  We got there just after 11am and what a lovely spot.

In 2022, they had put their house on the market and it sold in a day. So then they quickly needed somewhere to live so they bought this one, which nobody else wanted as it was in need of huge renovations.  Leaks everywhere, sewage drains cracked, piles rotten, wood falling apart, loose plaster etc.  Began a tour of the house and while not a huge place, it has been a mammoth task to get it to the current stage.

Mark has done all the work himself while working full-time and what a great job.  He reckons probably another eighteen months to finish, but it will be fantastic when they're done. To be honest, it's pretty fantastic now.

Sat and enjoyed a delicious coffee and biscuits and good conversation, before leaving for the next part of the day, a look around Port Sunlight.  It was another 11km ride, but well worth the visit.

Some photos from the village of Eastham which we passed through on the way to Port Sunlight.

This is the finest example of a workers village in the world and was founded by English industrialist, William Lever in 1888, for his employees.  Sunlight soap was Lever bros. leading brand of soap which was in a distinctive packaging tablet form and revolutionised the way people kept clean.  It also made Levers so successful that they were able to build Port Sunlight.

The factory on the left and the worker's houses across the road. We're picking these were the first houses built and as we worked our way across the village, the houses grew more opulent.

The factory at the edge of the village. It smells like Sunlight soap in this part of the village as it is still being made there.

Over the years of construction, over thirty different architects were used to create the village and create such diverse housing. It seemed that each architect was trying to outdo the others.

Lever included a hospital, library, church, art gallery and museum plus vast gardens and pools, intended to improve the morals and behaviour of all its citizens.  Over 900 Grade II buildings were built on 130 acres of parkland and gardens. 

We enjoyed a lovely lunch and coffee in Hulme hall, within the grounds, which in 1962 was where the Beatles performed for the first time with the format that made them famous. I wonder if they'd have got the gig if they didn't all wear suits?

Funny to think the Beatles were also once in this village hall. No doubt their great grandkids will one day visit this place and be saying "funny to think Pete and Ju were once here..."

As we entered the cafe we noticed a "Dolan" road bike parked outside. We soon picked out the owner. The only guy in the place amongst a sea of older women and dressed in a bright orange cycling top, he was hard to miss. We told him his bike literally had our name written on it and he informed us they are made just north of Liverpool in Burscough, Lancaster.

The ride home was not as enjoyable as the rest of the day's riding as we had to go on the roads which were busy. It was a nice trip down memory lane for me though as we rode past villages and places that I'd hung out in back in the 70’s.

Into the village of Thornton Hough, one of my favorites around here and just up the road from "The Grange" nightclub, which we used to frequent often, now known as "The Red Fox" an upmarket cafe and bar. 

The Red Fox, formerly The Grange

Scenes from Thornton Hough

Arrived back at Peg’s and enjoyed a lovely dinner once again with plenty of chat, to be finished off with blogging and some reading before bed.

All in all, a great day for riding, catching up and taking in some beautiful architecture in a lovely setting.