A COMMUNITY bike ride is heading back to Birchwood and Risley next week.

The ride will be held on Monday, September 5, along a pre-planned route, starting at 10am.

Organised by Ride Warrington, a British Cycling group that aims to provide at least one guided bike ride in Warrington every week.

The group has around 100 registered members and tailors its rides to those who are new to cycling, or haven't cycled for a while.

Led by British Cycling and Bikeability-qualified ride leaders, the Birchwood community ride is set to cover a route of six miles.

According to the event's web page, the route will be suitable for 'all bike types', though cyclists are encouraged to ensure their bike is roadworthy.

The ride will kick off from Birchwood Train Station on Dewhurst Road.

Set to last around one-and-a-half hours, the ride will mostly be offroad, though the surfaces will be hard and easy to ride on.

A section of the route will take cyclists through Gorse Covert, and cyclists will also be taken through Birchwood Forest Park on the ride.

Warrington Borough Council has helped to organise the event, and the route will be as follows: "Starting at Birchwood Train Station, the route heads West and then North along a treelined gravel path.

"The path goes under Birchwood Way and then follows an off-road tarmac path towards Birchwood Forest Park. From the park, we continue Eastward toward our scheduled stop with views across Risley and Chat Moss.

"The route then heads through Gorse Covert back to Birchwood Park.

"From there we head South along Birchwood Brook and back to the Train Station."

For more information, you can contact Colin Richardson on: colin.richardson@warrington.gov.uk - or head to the Let's Ride website.