12th August 2021 : Montford Bridge (brisk)

Back on 29th April, Ivan lead a ride around the hills of Wales to Montford Bridge. We ended up at a biker's cafe just off the A5 at Montford Bridge. With this in mind, and an urge to remove the Welsh hills, I crafted a 62 miler basically running SSE of Chirk through the glorious Shropshire countryside. I only had two takers for this ride, John M and Nick, but they were up for a flat ride in the August sunshine. 

Getting out of Chirk, we first go up to Weston Rhyn then down to Gobowen cycling along the busy line of Wat's Dyke then heading for the orthopaedic hospital to enter Oswestry from the east. We slide around the town through acres of housing where the quiet lanes start at Maesbury. I can’t resist a route taking in Knockin and its large satellite dish, nor the eponymously named shop. 

Knockin Shop -they were in and out in 5 mins!

We now have a long list of tiny village names to cycle through around the edge of Nesscliffe army training area. I have to re-plot on the fly as the planned route turns out to be a rough track; so we head for the River Severn then turn west to get back on route to go over the Melverley bridge into Wales again at Crew Green.

The wind was supposed to be SSW but it was more westerly which didn't help most of the day even on the return, but Nick was keen to take the front as we go up and down along the B road to Alberbury. We slip off to the right now going down lanes anew for the next 18 miles. Through Stoney Stretton and tiny Edge and Hinton, we are soon at Lea Cross. After Shorthill and Annscroft, Hook a Gate bring us into the SW corner of the burgeoning Shrewsbury metropolis. The tack NW takes us through acres of established and new housing estates before ending up at Montford Bridge. 

To get to the cafe, there is a half mile contra-directional dash along the busy A5 then wheeling off left, down and under the road to the cafe. As before, the food is wholesome and of good value as we refill our liquid reserves after 40 miles of delightful countryside. Back on the A5 re-tracing our route to Montford Bridge, we then take the NW long lanes to West Felton going via Ruyton -XI-Towns. Here Nick is keen to push on so goes off on his own route back to Chirk at apace. John and I meander up Grug Hill and near Eardiston, Nick appears at a crossroads behind us! He shoots off again towards Queen’s Head.

The route to Gobowen via Queens Head is the old A5, and it's a long straight drag to Babbinswood and Whittington, but up ahead we see Nick battling on in the distance. After Gobowen, we sidle passed Hennle Golf Club and head straight for Chirk via the canal side at the Poacher pub.

John informs me later on, that we had broken some previous Strava segment speeds on the route we had taken, which was surprising given that we had enjoyed viewing the new countryside. So thanks to both Nick and John for their company today and  for Nick taking the front on several occasions - is he in training for something I wonder? We rode exactly 100km!

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20th September 2018: Chirk (brisk)

The weather forecast was dire - wall-to-wall rain from about 1100 in Chirk. What to do?  I messaged the brisk group to see if there was any interest in an early ride out and back from Chester to Chirk. So three of us met at the Old Dee Bridge at 0815 in the dry, to ride the shortest route directly to Chirk and a cooked breakfast!

Ivan led John W and myself out via Eccleston and through to Rossett, where we picked up Ken. We motored up Marford Hill and, at the A 483 roundabout, we shimmy around Wrexham heading for Sainsbury's and the Hospital. 

Out down the lanes, Ruabon arrives quite quickly and we are soon heading down the Cefn Mawr road.   The drag up and out was surprisingly fast and I put this down to the breakfast smells emanating from the Ruabon cafes giving extra impetus.

We arrive at the Castle tea rooms after 24 miles at 15.5 mph. There is a warm welcome from the waitress, and we generally opt for the smaller breakfast option except Ivan, who requires more fuel with the large breakfast. 

Nick appears as advertised, at just after 1000, having cycled cross-country from Tilston. We wonder if there will be any other CER riders today? Keith arrives announcing that Dave H is just behind him. So we all sit around discussing the weather and where the Moderate Duo will ride to today. The Brisk group is very clear on our route  - we are going straight back to ameliorate getting too wet.

We leave about 1045 and opt to go through Johnstown on the return loop, otherwise the route back is the route out. At the Cefn Mawr bridge, I have a chain disfunction as I change down for the hill out. The chain is stuck fast between the chain rings. The solution was to loosen the chain ring retaining bolts and all was then fine. 

Ken to the rescue as my chain is jammed.

Ken splits off with Nick on the outskirts of Gresford to help Nick negotiate suburban Wrexham. We remaining three pile it on as the rain starts to pick up. By the time we are nearing Chester it is a steady downpour.  

So we get back after 47 miles at 16.5 mph on the return journey making it a 16 mph average speed. We are glad we bothered to make the effort and wonder how Keith and Dave are doing in the heavy rain which is now inevitably engulfing them.

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Photo ID

2nd August 2018 : Harmer Hill (brisk)

I didn't relish the idea of cycling out the 30+miles to Chirk but Ken offered to car-assist from Rossett  so this cut down the miles out and back. We were the first at the Castle Tea Rooms but soon there were quite a few more. Nick and John M were up for my 51 miler to Harmer Hill along with Ken and myself. The Mods were heading for the dark,cloud laden hills.

We set off by a different route for me to Weston Rhyn and hence along a recently refurbished road into Oswestry. There is the odd spot of rain in the air as well. A minor diversion via the town centre to avoid the one-way system, found us bowling down Weston Lane and across the A483 at the new junction. A straight run through Maesbury and it's marsh found us at Wooslton Bank and the tiny lanes towards Weirbrook.

Onwards through Eardiston, we arrive at the back of the PGL Holiday camp at Stanwardine. There are a couple of stiffish hills and Nick stops at the top to investigate what he thinks is a stone problem with his tyre or wheel. Unfortunately for him its a broken spoke and a slightly wonky rear wheel. He is wary of riding much further, and elected to follow us towards Shrewsbury.  We turn off at Walford Heath as he trundles the few miles to Shrewsbury station to take the train back to Chirk.

Route statistics ex PlotaRoute

It is not far for us now to Harmer Hill as we enjoy the tiny lanes and gorgeous sunshine and countryside. The Bridgewater Arms beckons and we are soon ensconced around our table with a pint of Wainrights in our hands. The luncheon fare comes quickly and is substantial, tasty and reasonably priced. We discuss the Brexit mess, and decide that we don't have a solution either!

It's time to go, and it has warmed up somewhat. I miss out the back way Myddle, as we run at high speed on the A528 towards Burlton with the wind with us. The road to Loppington is smooth and fast. As we turn westwards through Cockshutt towards Lower Hordley, we have the keen westerly wind in our faces all the way.

Each cut cornfield sends up a blast of very hot air as we speed down the lanes. North towards Tetchill, we go west again up the long climbing lane to Frankton Hill. We wiggle our way to St Martins and thence via the canal into the back of Chirk at just after 1500.

So 51 miles ridden and we all elect to miss out on a coffee to get home promptly. Ken kindly drops me off at the top of Lache Lane so halving my ride home. So thanks to Ken and John for they companionship today, and we all hope that Nick made it home OK as we didn't receive a text from him telling us he was able to get the train back. Hopefully he did!

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