9th January 2014: Overton Bridge

It’s been wet and miserable every day this week but the forecast for today is that it should clear up and stay dry from mid morning onwards.  It was probably this forecast that encouraged eight of us to turn out for a hilly ride from Alyn Waters Country Park where we met for tea and toast.  By 10:30 the numbers were complete: Steve, Brian Mac, the two Pauls, Ray, Clive, Andy and myself.  Being the only one with the outline of a route, albeit short and hilly, it was agreed that I would lead although mainly from the back on the hilly parts!  At this point Clive and Paul R announced that they wouldn’t be joining us, as they needed to get back early and would do a short ride back to Chester.

It was still overcast when we left the Country Park to cross the main road and start the climb up Windy Hill.  By the top of the climb a layer of clothes had been shed and we joined the long drag up “the steps” to Minera under a brightening sky.  After a short rest to allow me to recover from the exertions of the climb we continued on to New Brighton to start the lovely downhill run along the winding lane with wonderful views across the Cheshire Plain to the Peckforton/Bickerton hills.  A sharp right just before Talwrn puts us on the road to Penycae with the sun shining and practically no traffic.  In Penycae we take the Ruabon road and before long find ourselves navigating a sea of thorns strewn across the road from recent hedge trimming.  Then just past the Wynstanley Arms in Ruabon Andy punctures.  While Andy works to change his front wheel inner tube the rest of us stand around discussing the pros and cons of different tyres.

Photograph by Brian MacDonald

At this point we decide to shorten the ride by heading directly for our planned lunch stop at the Cross Foxes pub at Overton Bridge arriving at about 12:45.  There’s a good choice of ales, although not all are “on”, necessitating a visit to the cellar before we are all served with our respective choices.  The pub is popular and it takes a while for the food to appear but whether it was a sandwich, wrap or “main” all were well received.

By 14:00 we were ready to leave, taking the main road towards Overton before turning off to Bangor on Dee and then Cross Lanes.  Here Ray leaves us to head back to Chester via Farndon and Holt.  The remaining members of the group continue on towards Wrexham skirting the town before crossing the A483 on the footbridge and thence back to Alyn Waters for coffee and cake.

A short but hilly ride with friends clocking up just over 30 odd miles but with 800 m of ascent.

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6th January 2011: Street Dinas & Overton Bridge

a. Street Dinas
A magnificent turnout at Bellis heralded the first ride in the New Year with12 bikes and 13 riders.  The suggestion of a route towards Chirk and a potential lunch stop at the excellent Greyhound at Street Dinas was approved and we set off via the back lanes towards the Wrexham Industrial Estate.  There is no pretty way to get to Cross Lanes so an amble past the WDA sponsored businesses (some now closed!) brought us to Cross Lanes lights.  Going straight across onto the B1530 we bisected the A528 and A525.  At the A528 junction we went straight across into the quiet and occasionally icy Welsh lanes.  Given the numbers riding, we stopped at the top of Bwgan ddu Lane to call the pub and after some hesitancy they welcomed us for lunch at around 13:00.  Turning right out of Bwgan ddu Lane – which roughly translated by Google means “The specter of black (sic)”, we went straight across the B road and through Crabtree Green to come to a halt at the A539 Overton to Ruabon road.  The leading pack of seven had taken a right turn just before the main road and unfortunately the trailing group was too far behind to see the turn and had gone straight on.  Mystified why the second group had not appeared, phone calls were made and Ivan offered to ride off to try to find the group.  After 15-20 minutes, the leading group decided that as the lunch venue as known (and it being only 8 miles away by main roads) we would ride on.  Down through Ruabon, we took the Newbridge road and after slogging up the long slope from the new bridge over the Dee, we headed for Chirk.  Taking the first lane on the left, we ended up near MacDonald’s just off the A5 at Halton.  After 16 miles, the pub was very close now, only 2 miles as the crow flies but double that for these very small winding Welsh Lanes, and for good luck adding in a 20% gradient lane with running water, field debris and ice, no wonder most of us walked up this steep section.  The Greyhound was welcoming and the food was promptly served.  After lunch, we took a meandering sedate ride back through the lanes to Overton and cut right via Hollybush Lane towards Worthenbury for the traditional route back via Shocklach.  Arriving back at Bellis for afternoon repast, we were reunited with the rest of the group.  We had clocked up 41 miles and as the dusk settled three of us took the Churton Road back to Chester.  The route from Bellis was 40 miles making it a 60 mile round trip from Chester.

CA

b. Overton Bridge
Deep in conversation as we progressed south from Crabtree Green the leading group had been out of sight for some time as the following group of six approached the A539.  Not realizing that the lead group had already turned off the lane some half a mile back we expected to see them at the main road: but there was no sight of them.  Which way had they gone: right on the main road or straight on?  Surely they would have waited if they had turned right?  So we headed straight on across the main road onto a lane I had not ridden before.  After a further mile and still no sight of the others I was wondering where this lane led.  Did Clive know of some short cut or was this a dead-end?  The SatMap indicated a dead-end so we stopped and consulted a passing horse rider.  “No it’s not a dead-end but it disintegrates into a potholed rough track which comes back onto this lane.”  So it’s a dead end then!
By now it’s 11:45am so it’s back to the main road and left to Ruabon to try and catch the others, or right to Overton Bridge and the attractions of the Cross Foxes.  By common consent the Cross Foxes had it and we rejoined the main roads and then the back lanes through Erbistock to Overton Bridge.  Once inside we chatted away happily until it was time to leave and then decided on the scenic but short route back rather than the longer Worthenbury/Shocklach alternative.  By 14:45pm we were back at Bellis ready for coffee and cakes having completed a 28 mile round trip or 50 miles in total from Chester and back.
Another great if interesting day with CER.
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2nd July 2009: Overton Bridge

Five riders met for elevenses at the Gallery Tea Shop in Hawarden and enjoyed an interesting ride to the Cross Foxes pub at Overton Bridge for lunch.

11th June 2009: Overton Bridge

Riding out to the Ice Cream Farm with the wind from behind I decide on the Waverton route and make a note to use the more sheltered Greenlooms route on the way home. It’s a good decision and catching another cyclist we ride together for a few miles before he turns off with an invitation to check the blog and join us the next time he has a free Thursday. Arriving early I settle down to sort out a route as the others turn up. Graham arrives complaining of a slow puncture which he hopes will be OK and before long there are nine of us although sadly Glennys won’t be joining us for the ride.
My suggestion of a ride southwest to Overton Bridge with the return skirting Wrexham, to get assistance from the prevailing wind on the way back, is accepted without a murmur of dissent. Once outside Graham decides his rear wheel puncture requires more than just re-inflating which gives me an opportunity to investigate an abnormally large amount of float on the left hand pedal and difficulty unclipping. The verdict: excessive wear on the pedal release necessitating extra care today.
Once away we are soon bowling along at a steady pace through Tattenhall, Tilston, Shocklach and Worthenbury with superb views across to the Welsh hills on our right. This really is ideal cycling weather; later in the summer as things warm up the views will be lost in the haze but not today. Then taking the minor lanes to bypass Bangor on Dee we head towards Overton and the final descent down to Overton Bridge with the Dee valley laid out before us. The terrace of the Cross Foxes pub was designed for days like this and we take full advantage sitting outside in the sun looking down at the river below.
Is this to be another case of lime and soda over spec? I can almost hear Ray preparing to do battle but no we are spared the onslaught for today at least. Once Jim had reminisced about his school days as union rep. it was time for some admin. Do we seek organisers’ liability cover for the group in addition to our individual third party cover and if so how. With full agreement to opt for additional cover the only issue was how: affiliate to the CTC or become an “Informal Group” (IG) of an established CTC Member Group. Opinions were aired, views expressed and affiliation to the CTC chosen. With that out of the way we could settle down to enjoy the rest of the day.
The return journey took us further south to Erbistock before we turned northeast along the lanes through Crabtree Green towards Wrexham. My recollection of the roads around King’s Mills proved sadly flawed but once recovered we were soon skirting the industrial estate on idyllic lanes passed Erla’s Hall (wondering about the past Viking connections) where Dave P left us to make his own way home. The rest of us continued on to Holt where Ray suggested Vernon’s for afternoon tea and we took an outside table to enjoy the afternoon sun, tea and cakes. What more can you ask for? All the right ingredients today, good weather, lovely lanes, great views excellent lunch stop, great company and we even pulled in afternoon tea. Now that’s what I call a ride.
Distance from Chester and back 62 miles; Ice Cream Farm and back 42 miles.
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5th June 2008: Overton Bridge

After a late night celebrating a friend’s birthday in true Italian style the ride out to Holt to join the group at Bellis’s Garden Centre seemed to take somewhat longer than usual. After tea and teacake things looked up and despite a head wind on the winding back lanes we then made good progress to Bangor on Dee past the Race Course and on to Overton Bridge for lunch at the Cross Foxes pub. It was then south on a short detour to Erbistock before heading north to Erddig. It being Thursday, the house and café was closed but we enjoyed the ride through the park before following the cycle route signs to Wrexham Town Centre where we scrambled into a café in time to miss a sudden heavy shower. Once out of Wrexham it was back on to the lanes with a brief stop at Hoseley Bank to take in the views over the Cheshire plain before completing the return journey through Lavister and Eccleston to Chester.
Distance from Chester and back 48 miles, flat.
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