Mercian Way, stage 3: Bridgnorth → Chester
On stage 3 (Bridgnorth → Chester, 125 km) the best month is September: 76% of days were dry with highs of 10–30 °C; the wind barely favours either direction (0.5 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 | 14% | 23% | 61 | 7 °C | 0% | 78% | 8.1 † |
| February | 22% | 21% | 53 | 8 °C | 0% | 71% | 9.8 † |
| March | 41% | 24% | 57 | 10 °C | 0% | 49% | 11.7 |
| April | 65% | 24% | 48 | 13 °C | 0% | 19% | 13.9 |
| May | 69% | 30% | 68 | 16 °C | 0% | 3% | 15.8 |
| June | 74% | 26% | 69 | 19 °C | 0% | 0% | 16.9 |
| July | 70% | 29% | 74 | 20 °C | 1% | 0% | 16.4 |
| August | 73% | 27% | 64 | 20 °C | 0% | 0% | 14.7 |
| September | 76% | 24% | 66 | 18 °C | 0% | 0% | 12.6 |
| October | 75% | 22% | 70 | 14 °C | 0% | 4% | 10.5 † |
| November | 40% | 22% | 67 | 10 °C | 0% | 47% | 8.6 † |
| December | 20% | 25% | 72 | 8 °C | 0% | 68% | 7.6 † |
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 Bridgnorth → Chester, km/h | Headwind > 15 km/h, Bridgnorth → Chester | Headwind > 15 km/h, Chester → Bridgnorth | Better way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | +1.8 | 8% | 15% | either |
| February | +2.2 | 9% | 16% | Bridgnorth → Chester |
| March | +0.7 | 10% | 12% | either |
| April | +0.2 | 9% | 10% | either |
| May | −0.3 | 9% | 9% | either |
| June | +0.1 | 7% | 8% | either |
| July | −0.4 | 8% | 8% | either |
| August | +0.2 | 9% | 11% | either |
| September | +0.5 | 9% | 10% | either |
| October | +3.0 | 7% | 16% | Bridgnorth → Chester |
| November | +2.0 | 9% | 16% | either |
| December | +3.3 | 6% | 16% | Bridgnorth → Chester |
Along the route (sections of about 25 km)
| km | Heading | Tailwind in September, km/h |
|---|---|---|
| 291–316 | NW | −2.3 |
| 316–343 | N | +2.3 |
| 343–368 | NW | +0.5 |
| 368–393 | N | +2.7 |
| 393–400 | N | +1.4 |
| 400–416 | NW | −1.9 |
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.