About nine CER members gathered at The Gladstone Library café in Hawarden on a bright, sunny day that promised to be very warm and a threat of thunderstorms (the Met Office had put out a ‘yellow’ warning).
The mod+ group was Clive, Fiona, Elwyn and myself and the plan was to ride down to the Two Doves café in Overton using a route first conceived by Alan. We set off down the hill past the castle car park, revelling in the new smooth road surface. Then up the steep road/track at the side of Bilberry Wood to reach the footbridge over the A55.
Having climbed some more along Old Hope Road to cross the Mold road near Penymynydd, we were soon flying down Lower Mountain Road, crossing Kinnerton Road and swooping into Golly and Burton. Here we crossed the railway line using the rather awkward (for cyclists) gates. Heading along Chester Road we only had to climb a short way up the hill before peeling off left down Hoseley Lane. Somewhere along here we came across two huge tractors pulling slurry tankers which had met each other head on down the narrow lane. There followed a bit of a shuffle as they manoeuvred around each other, after which we followed one of them along the lane – but not too closely!.
After negotiating the roundabout on the A534 at Llan-y-pwll, we followed some more lovely lanes which skirted around Wrexham Industrial Estate and popped us out on the A525 at Cross Lanes. From there is was a short run down to Bangor-on-Dee and the bridge over the river, where the traditional group photo was taken.
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| Photo by EJ |
From here it was but a short climb into Overton and the Two Doves, where the back gate was open and we found a cool shady spot to sit for lunch. As usual, the menu provided a wide range of offerings, including the all- day breakfast, which Clive took advantage of. Others chose more modest fare.
Now fed and watered, we were soon ready for the off, re-tracing our route back to Bangor. Here, Clive left us to head off to consult Dave (The Bike Doctor) Matthews to sort out an annoying ‘click’ which he’d had all morning. Fiona led us through a housing estate in Bangor so that we could get back onto the A525 without going the ‘wrong way’ over the old bridge there.
We were soon off the main road and on Creamery Road and then on to the tiny side roads which run roughly parallel to Holt Road, but have almost zero traffic on them. In the winter, these often get flooded or are very muddy.
Emerging from the lanes, we crossed the A534 and headed into Holt. Heading out of there along Borras Road, the north-westerly wind was now quite strong, so Fiona volunteered Elwyn to lead us up the B5102 towards Lavister. ‘Keep it to 17’ she shouted to him. 17 mph!!! I was only able to keep up as long I was no more than two inches from his back wheel.
Fiona and Elwyn live in Lavister, but they offered to come a bit further on with me, so that they could get more than 50 miles in for the day. So, we pressed on through Dodleston to Higher Kinnerton, where we parted company.
That just left the last five miles for me to get back to Hawarden, but what a tough five miles it is, coming at the end of a forty-odd mile ride. The climb from Higher Kinnerton to Chester Road at the top must be at least 150 feet over about two miles and it took all my remaining energy to do it. The short ride past Rough Piece Wood was followed by the plunge down Tinkersdale to complete the ride.
45 miles covered on some fabulous lanes in warm sunshine and excellent company. And no hint of a thunderstorm!
See route map and/or gpx file download
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