“Are you mad” interjected my wife as I checked my bike over on Wednesday evening “the forecast is for blizzards and heavy snow tonight and tomorrow.” Well it wasn’t the first weather forecast to be spectacularly wrong but I soon discovered it was right about the strong winds as I battled my way to the Gallery Coffee Shop in Hawarden. Then given the poor conditions outside it took some effort to forsake the warmth of the café and head up to Northop Hall and Northop. The lanes round here proved to be quite treacherous, not due to snow, but to a thick layer of leaf mush and mud. From Soughton we headed south intending to make for Gwernaffield-y-Waun and the hills south west of Mold but as we got closer the sky dimmed and the black clouds obscured the hill tops. Discretion suggested a retreat to Mold followed by a fast ride to Penyffordd with the wind behind us. Keeping just ahead of the rain we made it to the Royal Oak at Higher Kinnerton for lunch and then back to Chester. This was not the ride we had planned but given the conditions it gave a pleasant feeling of satisfaction.
Distance from Chester and back 32 miles.
BW
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