15th July 2010: Rhewl & Llantisylio

Liz and Martin, Brian Mac and Jim were tucking in when I arrived at the Tudor House Cafe – Jim was not riding as he was under orders for the afternoon.  At my request we agreed what looked like a pretty daunting trip over Worlds End cutting off into the Dee Valley by the Horseshoe Falls and over Llantisylio Mountain back through Lllandegla and Bwlchgwyn. My ulterior motive for this suggestion was to confirm my grasp of the middle section of the Bickerton Challenge Route.  Dave and Liz arrived and although this was not ideal tandem territory were happy with the proposed route so having bade farewell to a relieved Jim we set off of for the haul up to Minera.  We eventually emerged to enjoy the splendid views from the top and descended towards the ford at Worlds End in fine fettle. The dry weather had eliminated most of the treacherous green slime that usually makes the ford so hazardous and it was negotiated without mishap. Unfortunately a mile or two further down the hill Brian Mac was much less fortunate at a sharp bend when a patch of damp gravel in conjunction with braking hard for walkers on the road conspired to tip him head first into the stone parapet of a bridge. I was only a few yards behind him and could see that this was a full on collision. Although shocked and dazed Brian appeared to be in far better shape than I had feared.
My own attitude to helmets has now changed dramatically as it was absolutely clear that the front of his helmet had taken the full impact of the crash and saved him from very serious injury or worse. Combined with James Cracknell’s assertion that his life was only saved by his helmet I shall no longer venture out without a protected pate! Maybe time for the CTC to be more proactive in encouraging helmet use and I cannot see that this is incompatible with the understandable reluctance to see helmets made compulsory.
Dave and Liz P agreed to escort Brian to the hospital in Llangollen where Liz could also avail herself of transport back to Chester with Dave joining us at the agreed lunch stop in Rhewl some 3 miles away. Martin Liz and I pressed on and reached the Sun Inn with no further drama. The welcome was warm and the beer refreshing along with very decent portions of food at reasonable prices. A mobile phone no go area so we had almost given Dave P up when he arrived in urgent need of a pint of Facers Flintshire bitter and sustenance in the form of a chicken creation and mounds of chips. How a road running along a river valley can be quite so hilly is beyond me but the anticipated gentle 4 miles to the start of the ascent of Llantisylio Mountain was full of gratuitous hills that seemed to go up and down endlessly. Reaching the turn for Bryneglwys we soon found out what hills are all about and my aging limbs along with the large portion of fish and chips and couple of pints of Facers put me in pedestrian mode sooner than I would have liked particularly as it is a very long steep climb to the top of the mountain. Pain has its own reward and the views were again stunning and accompanied by the beauty of the heather adorned hillsides were almost sufficient compensation for the climb. Hat tips to Dave, Martin & Liz who displayed considerable climbing ability!  We now looped round via a side road to Llandegla where a road cum track running near to the visitor centre took us back up towards Bwlchgwyn.  Here Dave P lost leave of his senses and suggested a little diversion that took us down a charming little lane that had another stiffish climb back up onto the B road down to Cefn y Bedd and thence up to Caergwrle.  Only around 40 miles or so from Caergwrle but quite enough given the topography and drama encountered during the day!
See route map and/or gpx file download.
MM