Mercian Way, stage 2: Stroud → Bridgnorth
On stage 2 (Stroud → Bridgnorth, 135 km) the best month is September: 79% of days were dry with highs of 10–30 °C; the wind barely favours either direction (1.6 km/h on average; ERA5 2006–2025, 9:00–18:00).
Weather by month
| Month | Good days | Rain days ≥ 1 mm | Rain, mm | Avg high | Days ≥ 30 °C | Days < 10 °C | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16% | 19% | 58 | 7 °C | 0% | 76% | 8.2 † |
| February | 24% | 21% | 51 | 8 °C | 0% | 69% | 9.8 † |
| March | 44% | 23% | 55 | 10 °C | 0% | 46% | 11.7 |
| April | 68% | 23% | 45 | 13 °C | 0% | 15% | 13.8 |
| May | 71% | 28% | 69 | 16 °C | 0% | 2% | 15.7 |
| June | 74% | 26% | 64 | 19 °C | 0% | 0% | 16.7 |
| July | 71% | 27% | 68 | 21 °C | 2% | 0% | 16.3 |
| August | 76% | 23% | 60 | 20 °C | 1% | 0% | 14.7 |
| September | 79% | 21% | 57 | 18 °C | 0% | 0% | 12.6 |
| October | 75% | 22% | 72 | 14 °C | 0% | 4% | 10.5 † |
| November | 44% | 22% | 72 | 10 °C | 0% | 43% | 8.7 † |
| December | 23% | 22% | 69 | 8 °C | 0% | 65% | 7.7 † |
Best months are all months within 3 percentage points of the best one. † less than 11 hours of daylight — long stages get tight.
Wind by month
| Month | Wind Stroud → Bridgnorth, km/h | Headwind > 15 km/h, Stroud → Bridgnorth | Headwind > 15 km/h, Bridgnorth → Stroud | Better way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | +3.0 | 6% | 18% | Stroud → Bridgnorth |
| February | +3.0 | 9% | 18% | Stroud → Bridgnorth |
| March | +1.0 | 9% | 14% | either |
| April | +0.1 | 8% | 11% | either |
| May | +0.1 | 7% | 11% | either |
| June | +1.2 | 4% | 9% | either |
| July | +1.7 | 4% | 12% | either |
| August | +2.2 | 6% | 14% | Stroud → Bridgnorth |
| September | +1.6 | 7% | 13% | either |
| October | +3.9 | 6% | 19% | Stroud → Bridgnorth |
| November | +2.7 | 9% | 19% | Stroud → Bridgnorth |
| December | +4.7 | 6% | 20% | Stroud → Bridgnorth |
Along the route (sections of about 25 km)
| km | Heading | Tailwind in September, km/h |
|---|---|---|
| 144–169 | N | +2.3 |
| 169–192 | N | +3.9 |
| 192–217 | N | +1.5 |
| 217–243 | N | +1.7 |
| 243–268 | NW | −0.4 |
| 268–278 | NW | −0.2 |
| 278–279 | N | +3.0 |
Other stages
- Salisbury → Stroud 144 km
- Stroud → Bridgnorth 135 km
- Bridgnorth → Chester 125 km
How to read the numbers
Wind is the 10 m wind of a 25-km grid cell, daytime hours 9:00–18:00 local solar time; at saddle height in a sheltered valley it is weaker, on a coast or ridge stronger. A positive value is a tailwind. ERA5 slightly over-counts days with ≥ 1 mm of rain (by about 5–7 percentage points) and underestimates daily highs by 1–2 °C. Good day = less than 1 mm of rain between 9:00 and 18:00 (riding hours, local solar time) and a high between 10 and 30 °C; rain at night or in the evening does not spoil it.