Day 16: The mess of Urbania

A quick cooked breakfast and we’re off. The aim today is to get out of the urban sprawl emanating from the north and east of Liverpool. It’s horrible skating through cities and suburbia. There are more roads, signposting is normally appalling. It’s slow going and mentally draining. The crow flies much further in the countryside.

Foot is in agony. I’m sick of it. Half of the time I think I’d be happy settling for a 4 mile day. I just need rest and looking at the map over breakfast I thought happiness would be St Helens, only four miles down the road.

I was wrong. St Helens came quickly, mostly downhill from Billinge but signs in the city were non existent. Eventually got out of there but already it felt like time was disappearing. A long day of skating, we passed by the predicted stopping point just after the Runcorn Bridge, and a bit of calling around sealed us some accommodation in Frodsham, south of the Mersey.

We made it by half three, and wow it was lush! Forest Hills Hotel, on a hill overlooking the Mersey and the industrial coast through which I had skated earlier in the day. Wireless internet throughout the place, a hefty discount and a Jacuzzi bath made it the ideal place to kick back and relax. I needed it, Holls needed it. We all needed it. Bliss!