12th April 2012: Worlds End & Panorama Walk

A perfect spring day – cool, bright, sunny and no showers as Dave & Liz P, Martin & Liz D, Mike M, Alan, Ray, Ivan, Tony, Bryan and I set off from Expresso with Bryan leading out his prepared route to the Sun Trevor by the “over the top” route.  The way out from Expresso was ever upwards with several new lanes appearing.  

The ford above Nant Mill

Photograph by Bryan Wade

A brief photo call at a ford upstream from Nant Mill caught most of us out for the steep grind up the other side of the valley.  Here we emerged in New Brighton and the start of the long slog up and over Esclusham Mountain towards World’s End.  Bryan waved us goodbye as he savoured the long descent down the Minera Steps back to Chester for an afternoon appointment.  We were now slogging up over the moors up to 1,400+ ft with magnificent views over Liverpool Bay. The tandem has some technical issues going up so we agreed to meet them later at the Sun Trevor.  The Panorama lived up its name as grand views of the Berwyns and Dinas Bran came into view.  

Reaching the final descent down to the pub, Ray and I set off believing the pack to be behind us. Having ordered a drink and lunch, they still had not appeared. A phone call revealed that Alan had had one puncture quickly followed by another and was walking down the lane.  Whilst the pack lunched (and very good it was), Ray and I helped Alan with his front wheel puncture issues.  It appeared to be due to a brake pad rubbing the tyre wall right through.  Dave P lent Alan a spare tyre and Alan was mobile again. As we all, bar two, sunned ourselves outside whilst waiting for a certain couple to finish their two course lunch, I decided upon an unauthorised deviation from Bryan’s route i.e. we take the tow path rather than the lanes to the aqueduct. Cutting back down the valley we appear the other side of the aqueduct taking the towpath back towards Cefn Mawr.  We follow the usual route back to Wrexham dodging along by the A 483.  A second unauthorised diversion finds us taking tea at Erdigg House before wending our way through Wrexham and back to Expresso Café.  Only 33 miles today but a lot of hills.  We four out from Chester sped back down Marford Hill and Eccleston with 60 miles on the clock.

CA

8th April 2010: Panorama Route & Worlds End

Over lunch last week Ivan had suggested, not for the first time, that as we were meeting at Caergwrle this week we should do the Panorama Route and Worlds End.  I agreed provided that the weather was good: only a masochist would do this ride in poor visibility or icy conditions.  Well today’s the day, and the weather’s almost perfect: clear skies, sun and not much wind.
Four riders were already at the Café when I arrived with Jim and Dave Heath, but no sign of Ivan.  “What do think of the proposed Shrewsbury route?” I ask, having put a link to it on the blog at the weekend.  “Has anyone had problems displaying it?”  “Yes, it’s very slow to display” is the almost universal answer from those who have tried.  Graham P suggests it works OK if you display it in a new tab but not if you just click on the link.  Further discussion establishes that all are using Microsoft Internet Explorer as their browser!  So if you are using Internet Explorer and have problems try Graham’s trick or switch to Firefox, Chrome or Safari (all available as free downloads).  Computing problems aside Dave Hill, Dave Heath and Graham & Vicky Payne all promptly sign up for the ride.  I can see that this is going to be oversubscribed if I’m not careful!
Still no sign of Ivan but I broach the subject of today’s route and admit that I had promised Ivan we would do Worlds End if the weather was good.  Dave Hill thought this an excellent idea before admitting that he wouldn’t be joining us today!  The others were more cautious but on the promise that we would miss out the Sun Inn at Trevor and instead take lunch at Prospect Garden Tea Room we agreed on the Panorama Route and Worlds End.
Bryan leads off up “the steps” to Minera and across to Penycae with Dave H complaining that we should be contouring around not going up and down: if only, I think.  From Penycae we are on lanes we haven’t done for a while until Prospect Place comes into view and we turn off the lane and climb to the tearoom.  The good weather has clearly brought out the crowds, and the conservatory and many of the outside tables are already taken when we arrive.  We take a relaxing lunch in the garden while enjoying the view before leaving to ride the Panorama Walk.  The views today are the best I have experienced up here.  Beeston Castle and the Peckforton/Bickerton Hills with the Pennines behind are clearly visible.  Then we continue further along and the views across the Vale of Llangollen open up.  This is absolutely superb and well worth the effort to get here.  All that remains is the climb up to Worlds End!  Brian Mac leads us up to the ford and wisely walks across the stepping-stones.  I choose a line to avoid the algae but the rear wheel feels extremely skittish as I cross and Dave has a similar problem.  We stay upright and then struggle with the final two climbs up to the cattle grid but it’s not to be and we all end up walking the last stretch.  All that is, except for Graham and Vicky on their tandem.  Dave puts it down to their gears but Lance’s book title “It’s not about the bike” springs to mind and I make a mental note that I need more hill work.
After a brief rest to recover we enjoy the open moorland terrain before starting the exhilarating descent down to Minera.  From here it is down “the steps” to Cefn-y-bedd with Graham and Vicky way out in front.
By the time I arrive back in Chester the SatMap is showing just over 50 miles, a maximum speed of 40 mph and a total ascent of 1,493 metres.

BW

30th April 2009: Panorama Route & Worlds End

Photographs by Bryan Wade

What’s happened to the sun? Just when we need good weather to enjoy the views from the Panorama Route it’s wet and miserable. So it was on with the waterproofs and off to Caergwrle to join the others for elevenses. I arrive early, despite trying and failing to find a new way over a roman bridge suggested by Ray. Ray and Mike arrive together, having discovered an “even better” route, which turns out to be the one I had been using for the last year! Graham completes the group of four for the day so we set off up “the steps” with Ray leading. The plan is to head up through Minera and then to take the back lanes south to Penycae before contouring round on the Panorama Walk. We make good progress with the only stops being to shed waterproofs and then put them back on as the weather changes: at least the rain wasn’t heavy. By the time we reached the Panorama Walk the rain had eased and we stopped to admire the view and take photographs.
Lunch at the Sun Inn at Trevor necessitated a long and steep descent almost down to the River Dee knowing full well that we would have to climb back up after. The Sun did us proud with a good choice of food (including a very satisfying chicken curry) washed down with Timothy Taylor. While discussing the benefits or otherwise of stainless steel chains, armadillo v continental tyres and other sundry cycling topics the rain bucketed down outside making us reluctant to leave. Leave we had to though, as the Inn was being locked up for the afternoon. Back in the saddle we used the car park to engage bottom gear and started on the climb back up the way we had come and then on towards Worlds End. Having done this section a couple of weeks earlier I wasn’t looking forward to the final climb out of Worlds End but we all made it in good spirits although I for one needed a stop at the top to recover! It just doesn’t seem to get easier. From here on the gradient was easier and we were able to enjoy the views over the moors before a fast descent returned us to Minera, Cefn-y-bedd, the Kinnertons and home.
The round trip from Caergwrle was just over 30 miles while Chester and back totalled 53 miles with a tiring 2269 metres of ascent.
BW