25th August 2022: Overton - Cafe Hopping (mod)

Whilst the ‘Special Riders’ were away visiting rural Lancashire, six of us turned out at the Gallery Coffee Shop, Hawarden; JohnW, Ken, Richard & Ivan representing the ‘Briskers’ and SteveH and myself the ‘Mods’. Whilst the fast boys were off to seaside places in north Wales; Steve and I discussed the options open to us. I suggested a route I had planned the previous day of visiting all the CER café meeting places (Café Hopping) in one ride. Going anticlockwise from Hawarden to Chirk, Holt etc using as many minor roads. Steve took to it as he could drop of near where he lived.

Through Llay, traffic was relatively light where we were followed and eventually passed by two police cars who had urgent matters to attend. Wrexham was busy and Erddig Country Park soon followed. As we cycled, discussions ensued on such interesting topics of family history, building submarines and metallurgy.

At Newbridge, south of Ruabon, we came across our first ‘Road Closed’. Where the B5605 crosses the River Dee. A supporting retaining wall has collapsed, but you can cycle through with care. We had a quick inspection and concluded the solution is not easy and very expensive.

Photos by Mike G

To keep off the busy roads, we diverted towards Chirk Castle with its splendid gates.

At St Martins we came across another road closure and had to walk the bikes through the surfacing works. The looks we got were not the most welcoming. Our benefit was, almost a traffic free road to Overton for our lunch stop at the ‘Two Doves’ café, having covered about 30 miles.

Having feasted, good progress was made to Holt. In Farndon we experienced a set of traffic lights causing havoc, this was not helped by parked cars. From Churton to Coddington was one of the roughest lengths of road I have cycled for a long time. The damage is generally caused by heavy agricultural traffic and lack of maintenance. It was not helped by the dark shadows cast by the trees from the strong sunlight. We also noticed on a lot of other sections of minor roads we cycled, wide longitudinal cracks randomly occurring that your wheel can drop into, with the potential to either cause damage or throw you off the bike (accident waiting to happen).

Photo by Mike G

Shortly after Clotton we went our separate ways as Steve was so close to home and Rose Farm Garden Centre was not on his ‘hit list’. Overall, a lovely day’s cycling, Steve covering in excess of 80 miles and me a little further because of a minor diversion to Ness Botanic Gardens.

See route map and/or gpx file download (Full Hawarden to Hawarden circuit, 93 miles)

Mike Gilbert