Well its fair to say CER filled the Gallery Cafe to capacity this morning. Even at 09:45 members were sat down and enjoying conversation over coffee.
Mid last year Megan suggested we develop a “low level” route to circumnavigate Wrecsam and exit out on our well-trodden lanes around Holt & Farndon. As with any ride leaving Hawarden, unless you plunge down Gladstone Way all routes have some climbing to them.
So, with potentially three groups leaving the cafe I was joined by Fiona, Clive, Ray, Alan, Paul T, Elwyn & Steve T on a steady 44 miler with lunch at Plassey.
The plunge and climb out of Tinkersdale is never easy and the road was particularly busy today. My option of the quieter “cart track” as Neil calls it was vetoed by Ray, Clive and Alan as too rough. Having crested and crossed the A55 we meandered down Lower Mountain Rd turning right into Hope and then onto Caergwrle.
At Cefn-y-bedd the road starts to climb and at the sharp bend by FFwryd pub things really go skyward! Steve T and I somehow (given I was leading the ride) managed to drop off the back. Probably because we were discussing the complexities of this years’ MotoGP season and not maintaining the group pace. However undaunted I had the route so we set off up Glyon Lane to Summerhill.
On days like this its a pleasure to enjoy the quiescence of these Welsh lanes, however the silence was more acute due to the lack of chatter from our errant other six riders. A quick phone call and thanks to WhatsApps ability to share locations and we were reunited with the others. Remarkably, they seem to have added in more climbing.
The route wove us through Pentre Broughton and Southsea before a historical navigation error in Caego suggested we ride through a building site. With the A483 crossing behind us and zooming through Bersham we picked up the nice lanes and left the urban sprawl behind us.
Not long after leaving Sontley we were met with a barricade, not a Hormuz type, but probably 50 sheep who appeared to be enjoying the weather as much as us. See photo. Clive suggested a short cut to cut off a corner and quickly led us to Plassey.
The Plassey was full inside however the sunshine meant sitting outside was possible albeit a bit nippy. Soon we were all fed and watered and set for the more traditional CER lanes back to Holt. These follow Al’s Bangor on Dee return path. At Rossett we bade farewell to F&E and continued through Dodleston with a lovely wind assist. Clive Paul & Ray departed for Saltney Ferry and home whilst the two Steve’s and Al completed the last leg back to the start.
An enjoyable social 44 miles at 13.2 miles per hour in cracking company.
Steve H
We also encountered a flock of sheep and the shepherd had the same issue as Ste and myself keeping the herd together
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