There were but nine CER members – 4 brisk and 5 mods - who gathered at The Castle Bistro in Chirk; perhaps others were put off by weather forecasts over the last few days which promised rain and high winds. In the event the sun was shining and the wind not too strong as Dave H, Steves Hu and T, Alan and Andy set off down Chirk Bank.
Our
destination was The Bradford Arms at Llanymynech, a venue visited only now and
then, but one which always gets a good review. To avoid the dirty lanes around
Henlle and Hindford, we struck out through St Martins and took the lanes
through New and Old Marton. However, although these were not too muddy, they
were, in several places, totally flooded (see photo), but were passable with
judicious use of the pedals to avoid getting wet feet.
The climb
up to Perthy and Welsh Frankton got pulses racing, but the drop down to Lower
Frankton gave us the chance to get our breath back. This was needed as the wind
was getting up as we rode alongside the Montgomery Canal, over what must be one
of the sharpest hump-backed bridges anywhere.
Having made
the long climb up to Hordley, we now turned south-west and directly into the ever
stronger wind, which made progress somewhat difficult. Running through West
Felton, we eventually joined the B4398 at Maesbrook. But as we did so, Andy suffered a punctured
back tyre, which called a halt to our progress. At this point it we were only 5
miles or so from Llanymynech, so Dave, Steve Hu and Alan went ahead to the pub
while Andy swiftly replaced the punctured tyre, helped (watched, really) by
Steve T.
At the pub
the fire was lit and the cat asleep on a bar stool. The friendly staff soon
took our orders for food and drink and these arrived swiftly. The locals were telling us that the A483
which runs through Llanymynech was flooded and impassable just south of the
village, where it crosses the River Vyrmwy. Extensive flooding in the fields
around the village had been evident as we arrived.
 |
| Photo by AO |
Fed and
watered, we re-traced our steps towards Maesbrook, but soon turned north-east
through Crickheath and Morton. We now had a side or tail-wind, which made life
easier, but still had to pass through a couple of sections where the road was
completely flooded.
 |
| Photo by AO |
Somewhere along here, Steve Hu suffered a puncture, but he sent a message forward that Andy, Dave and I should not wait for him and Alan, as he had the route on his Wahoo. So on we went, crossing the A5 near Aston and threading our way through the housing estates around Oswestry, emerging on the lane past the Old Hill Fort.
From there
it was along the lanes through Hengoed to Weston Rhyn and the sharp descent
into the Ceiriog Valley. The climb up the hill into Chirk provided the last
challenge of a day.
As Dave and
I were loading bike into the Berlingo, Steve Hu and Alan arrived, having given
it ‘full gas’ all the way back. Good to know that everyone completed the 37
miles safely on a day on which the rain held off (mostly) and the wind provided
a greater hazard than the flooded roads.
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2127072
See routemap and/or gpx file download
ST
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