Bike rides around the Bankeyfields/Tunstall/Sandyford and Goldenhill Area

Back in Feb 20th 2011 I visited the Doctors as every time I coughed it was painful, like couching up glass. At the end of the visit the Doctor told me that I'd got Pneumonia and if the antibiotics didn't bring the fever and pain down within two days I'd be facing time in hospital.

The fever did come down, and the pain did go away and I missed a fun pack stay on a ward. But the constant feeling of weariness and breathlessness persisted for the following months.

A couple of chest infections later, a scare from the doctor sending me for tests (blood and xray) for COPD after a 60% lung capacity test, which thankfully turned out to be negative.

Anyway, in an attempt to try and get some of my fitness levels back I've had a mountain bike for my birthday. It's not a state of the art Apollo Slant 20" mountain bike , but has been great for what I need. (See

Halfords full range of bikes - they've had some great specials on

So this week I've finally got my bike and have been on a number of runs this week.

The first trip out was just around the Bankeyfields Openspace and Estate.

The second ride saw me crossing Reginald Mitchell Way, to the field below Focus, down to Harecastle Tunnel, and down to Westport lake and back.

Yesterday I pushed it and rather than doing a loop around westport lake, I carried on down the canal past Etruria (The Sentinel) and back, on a 12 mile round trip.

Tonight I deviated from the canal run and road across the back of Ridge Road and down to the old train tracks, all the way kidsgrove, and up to whitehill to say hello to my folks, and then back home in under a hour.

I felt really chesty at the start of the week, but since I've been peddling I've felt better, in fact I've not felt this good in a long time, the exercise is really helping.

So if you want to take those small steps towards getting fit, I really recommend getting on your bike, in fact it helps that we are so lucky living here, because we've got so many cycle routes right on our door steps.

In fact we've got so many off road route, cyclist like myself that haven't been on the road for the past 15 years can get to these routes really very quick.

Routes down Canal, Routes across the train lines, which can take you either down to Kidsgrove or all the way onto Hanley and further.

I'll be uploading some of my routes shortly if anyone is interested, they're just flat off road ones for now, but if anyone has any suggestions the please let me know.

Off Road Route to get down to Westport Lake via the Canal.