Another day of Pocket Rockets on and
off as I set off in the rain for Hawarden. There was a hardy group of
four (John M, Steve T, Tom and Andy B) who elected to hitch their
ride with me over the hills and along the Vale of Clwyd today. Out
via the main roads to Buckley, we were soon passing Llong and up into
the hills as the gloom and heavy drizzle descended along with more
wind than advertised. We have now hit the highest point of 1190ft
passing through Nercwys and arrive at a crossroads. It dawns on me
that the planned road is actually a closed road to a quarry,
although OSCycle shows it as patent. A quick re-route finds us going
down double-chevroned exit to Maeshafn and into Llanferres.
We are now on the A494 Ruthin Road
bound for the Clwyd Gate and Llanbedr. The rain starts again as I
suggest care on the downhill run into the right turn at Llanbedr. All
are down safely and then a crashing sound as John slides off just
after the turn. He is OK and so is the bike except for a front
puncture. We huddle under a tree as we take ages changing the tube
and annoyingly can't find anything wrong with the inner tube or tyre.
We now wander along the floor of the valley ending up on the
Ruthin-Denbigh main road. I decide to cut out the Brenig loop section
to try to make up some time.
Out and around St Asaph, there is now 6 miles of cycleways as we
ride right along the Clwyd River path in a fierce crosswind into the
Wetherspoons in Rhyl at around 1400. The “Sussex Arms” is heaving
with holidaying families, but as ever, we are served quickly and the
food arrives promptly. Just what we needed after 38 miles of rain and
high winds. I promise a flat and wind-assisted return as we access
the promenade for 10 miles of NCN5 to Talacre. As we pause for a
photo, the wind is whipping the sand off the beach and sand blasting
our legs and bikes.
 |
| Being sandblasted at Rhyl |
Cycling at 20mph we feel no wind on our faces as I am tempted to see if the cycleway extends passed Talacre;- and it does!. So we circle the flattened Point of Air coal mine and commence our transit of the A548 coast road race track. I employ the usual dodges on the way to Flint to ameliorate the boredom of the main road and we end up in the usual cafe behind Sainsbury's.
Steve T needs to get back so he makes his way to Oakenholt and then up to Hawarden with 66 miles cycled with 2900ft of ascents and several mm of rain! We remaining four run along into Connah's Quay where Tom and Andy head for home as John and I access the Greenway. So thanks to the group for "scouting ahead on the hills" today and enhancing a very enjoyable Clwydian Circular in very unseasonable August weather.
CA
PS: It seems the likely reason for John's dismount was a slowly deflating front tyre as he later found a pin-prick hole in the tube. He was very fortunate that this didn't cause him to come off on the downhill run into Llanbedr.
Photograph by John Mills
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