18th February 2010: Bangor on Dee

With my central heating boiler back in action again I start today’s ride reasonably warm.  But hey, yesterday evenings snow has already disappeared and it’s really quite pleasant outside.  I arrive at the Tudor House Café in Caergwrle to find a couple of bikes parked outside: always a good sign.  Omry introduces himself.  He’s ridden out from Chester on Ray’s recommendation to join us for the first time today and is already enjoying his tea and teacake.  Ivan and I order ours and then Jim and Dave H arrive.  After more introductions you would think that Dave and Omry were lifetime buddies given their mutual contacts and friends.  Brian Mac has texted to say that he won’t be with us today as he is off to the Royal Liverpool to see his wife Pauline who has just had a hip operation.  We wish her a speedy recovery.  Liz, and Martin (joining us for the first time) make the numbers up to seven before Dave P arrives just as we prepare to leave.  Ivan fancies a ride to Llangollen over Worlds End but I’m not sure what the roads will be like up on top today and with low cloud we won’t get any views either.  After considering the options we decide to go up “the steps” to Minera before taking the back lanes to Penycae and Ruabon returning somewhere round the other side of Wrexham.  Martin suggests The Buck at Bangor on Dee for lunch and with that we are off.
I miss out the climb to Cymau across the shoulder of Hope Mountain and we reach “the steps” the easy way via Cefn-y-bedd.  Then it’s the usual slog up to Minera down to the bridge and up the other side.  Its lovely on the lanes to Penycae until suddenly cries of “ICE” as we descend, but it’s a false alarm and what looks like ice turns out to be slush.  Its 12.30pm when we reach the Wynstanley Arms in Ruabon our first possible lunch stop but the majority view is to continue until 1.00pm.  We take the minor road north before turning east on to the B5426 past The Plassey and as Liz points out a field of newly born lambs to arrive at Bangor on Dee just after 1.00pm.
The Buck always serves up a good lunch and today was no exception.  Hot pot with bread and pickles was the popular choice together with Stonehouse Station bitter: a very nice pint indeed!  Ray would have approved of the price of lime and soda, at least at the favourable rate achieved by Dave H.  Ivan announced that he had joined the CTC and even had the card to prove it, while Dave H let slip that he had bought a new bike but it was still in its box.  Next week then Dave!
It was well after 2.00pm when we left.  Back over the pack horse bridge, up to Cross Lanes and eventually left into Redwither Lane to skirt the industrial estate on the way to Marford.  Then, with the sky darkening, we negotiated the lanes through Burton with Omry and Dave P leaving us for home while the rest of us continued back to Shordley where we finally spit up with Dave H and Jim returning to Caergwrle, Liz and Martin to Hawarden and Ivan and Bryan to Chester.
Distance from Chester and back an enjoyable 53 miles.
BW