Would it be a dry ride - well almost! I fancied a Moderate ride today
so, as we saddled up outside Cleopatra’s, there were the Three Graces (aka Liz
P, Kate and Jane) and the Dis-Gracefuls (aka Steve H, Keith B, Charlie, Petar,
Dave H, Dave P, and myself). The route I’d pre-planned was to take a circuit
around to Gobowen. Jane had asked if we could go to Whittington since she was
leading a ride out that way soon and wanted to recce the area. So this was
factored in and a few steep hills removed.
Off and out around the Industrial Estate bypass. We end up all together
in Bangor on Dee taking the Overton Road out and up. At the top of the first
“hill” just past the racecourse, I’m told the tandem is “going to Malpas”. We
wander through lovely Overton and out on the Oswestry Road. Here we take the
eponymously named Pant Lane as we climb up the valley. A right down and left
up, finds us wandering past the lone Dudleston church and the awaiting mourners
of today’s funeral. We entered Gaia Lane. Apparently Gaia was one of the four
primeval Greek Deities. It surely would have been happy down this mud-strewn
lane — thankfully all dry today. One to miss after a period of rain! We take
Church Lane around the back of St Martins and on down across the A483 and into
Weston Rhyn. Taking one of my favourite lanes south, we trundle down parallel
to the A483 and into Gobowen.
It starts to rain, so we opt for Derwen College for lunch. It’s busy as
per usual, but they find room to accommodate us. My phone rings - it’s Tandem
Dave who is now at the Olde Boot in Whittington - so much for Malpas then! We
ride the back way to the pub, where the group promptly disintegrates into Dave H
(who is going to stay with the tandem) and Jane and Charlie who will make
their own way back.
We Happy Five now take the well-loved cycleway 455 for a while and then
split off bound for Elson. On the way to Penley, I remember Sandy Lane, so we
dive off down here bound for Worthenbury, thence to Shocklach and the cafe.
Just as we get to Farndon it rains just hard enough to decide to don wet
weather gear. All safely back after 50 miles, we find two-thirds of the Brisk
Group (Steve T and Ken) inside. After cake and coffee it is back to
Chester hoping it won’t rain for a third time, and it doesn’t!
CA
No comments:
Post a Comment