Its rare to see 21 CER riders in one place apart from our Christmas Meal. So arranged on a banqueting table (see photo) the three groups plotted different routes and options whilst enjoying coffee teacakes or in Matts case someone’s birthday cake and ice cream !
A healthy group of 8 briskers set off for a
“Club du Cinglès Hope Mountain”. The mod group were contemplating a “Tour du
Hope Mountain” leaving Alan, Steves T & Hu plus Kevin to go west into the
nice weather.
Alans plan was to climb and then stay high before dropping down to the coast for the short dash home. A busy route through Hawarden in the rush hour (if such a thing exists with WFH) led to the old A5 road where the roads became noticeably quieter. We rode through Northop and then paralleling the A55, before starting our trek up to the Halkyn Mountain. Alan took us up what can only be described as a farm track. Apparently a favoured route of Ivans, it takes you off the main road through a farm with an equally excited sheepdog and his owner, then pops you out just below Halkyn village.
The road is deceptive from Halkyn through Pentre Halkyn onto the Windmills it rises and falls. Fortunately for us today we had a tail wind on this slightly uphill section. Using quiet lanes we crossed the A55 then descended into Cwm. When we say descended it was just that !14% downhill for about half a mile. “We are coming back this way” announced Alan……..you could hear a pin drop!
Refreshed with a variety of hot sandwiches at the Blue Lion, we stopped for the obligatory photo and then set off up the hill. Alan can be seen in the photograph, powering up the 14% with effortless ease, whilst the rest of us suffered in silence.
At Holywell I remembered a lovely descent through the woods by Greenfield Valley. The last time I climbed this route was in the spring with CER. Dave Heath was telling me something memorable, I’ve forgotten what it was LOL. So, after creating bow waves of leaves we plunged into Greenfield. A short section of the busy “bottom” road took us to Bagillt where we could re-join the cycleway.
At Flint our ride leader Alan set off for home and shortly after Kevin carried on to Graham Weighs in Shotton, en route to his home in Chester. Steve T and I took Paper Mill lane which pulled all the way back up to Northop Hall.
Hawarden was just a ten minute breeze under our wheels. I recorded an enjoyable 44 miles with 3,232 feet of climbing, so a punchy little route.
As always thanks for leading Alan and to Kevin and Steve T for the company.
Steve Hu
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