Come and join us for a short ride along the Fallowfield Loop to visit and enjoy all the four orchards that David Beetham brought about, between 2012 and 2022. David was instrumental in their funding, planting and maintenance, which continued right up to the week he died, last July. Many of you will know the trees well, having helped plant them and maintain them yourselves over the years.
While the section of the Loop we’ll ride is just an 8 mile round trip (though you could extend your ride by pedalling to the ends of the Floop), we will be spending a few minutes in each orchard, to appreciate the fruit trees which should be starting to bloom at the Fallowfield, Debdale and Levenshulme sites.
We will also have time to enjoy a tea or coffee at the Station South cafe, where we’ll be able to chat and share memories with fellow riders. David’s daughter Helen will be with us on the ride, and other members of David’s family will either cycle with us or be in the cafe. If you would just like to meet up to chat, without cycling, that’s OK, but please let us know you’ll be there.
If you would like to come along, as places are limited, email cycling@SLHeatons.org and say how many adults and children are in your group. To help us plan, please can you do this by 8th April and use that email address if you need other information.
We’ll send further details to those who’ve booked, nearer the time, but we’ll meet at 1:15pm on the larger grass area at Levenshulme Quadrants that’s at the back of Station South and near to the Crayfield Rd entrance to the Floop, please see map. Note that some riders will be meeting in Heaton Chapel earlier and riding over to Station South to join us there.
Expect to be away around 4pm, though you might want to stay chatting at Station South for longer!
Attached are photos of David in the Levenshulme orchard, riders on the Loop near Slade Lane and fruit tree blossom.
Links to articles about David: on the FotFL website, Wikipedia and the Guardian.
Hope to hear from you Ian Barker, Sustainable Living in the Heatons. Friend of the Fallowfield Loop and Sustrans volunteer.
Friends of the Fallowfield Loop 