22nd November 2011: Welshpool (Tues)

The weather was ideal and the scenery well worth the 4,000ft of climb.  Ray, Ivan and I set off from Chester at 07:30 for Welshpool and, by 08:45 we were having a pre-ride drink in the Coco café in the High Street.  Dave M was down with the lurgy so regrettably missed what was a very rewarding if not extremely hilly ride.  The hills started immediately out of the town and with cold legs we ground up and out bound for Four Crosses via minute lanes up and down dale.  At Four Crosses, we rode across the flat Severn River valley floor.  Espying a monument on the top of Breidden Hill (1,056ft) Ivan was keen to ride up to “Rodney’s Pillar” named after Admiral Rodney of Cape St Vincent Battle fame in 1779.  This was not to be as we were bound round the back of it for Long Mountain and 1,265ft.  From the ridge road there are extensive views of the Long Mynd, Stiperstones and Clee Hills to the East and the mountains around Lake Vyrnwy to the West.  Soon we were running fast downhill towards Montgomery.  This delightful but small county town is on a hill and overlooked by a Parliamentarian ruined castle.
Photograph by Ray Stigter

The main hotel was expensive and the other pub did not offer food so, asking a local, the Ivy House Tea Room was suggested.  This quaint tea-room cum deli was ranked 1st in Wales and 17th in Britain.  The lunch was wholesome and good value, although the sweets were a bit of a let down according to the “sweet pair”.  After this early lunch, the sun came out as we ground up the hill out of the back of the town bound for Abermule.  A short diversion was planned to try to find Dolforwyn Castle but all we found were more steep hills!  Turning for home we now followed the 81 through Bettws Cedewain and Aberrriw.  As I stopped to replace the Motorola battery, Ivan spotted the local and nipped in for a swift half and Ray decided upon a precautionary change of the rear tube in the churchyard.  Continuing with the 81, we were up and down dale finally passing the gates of NT Powis Castle.  A short burst up the main rode and over a wee canal bridge found us back to the Old Station car park.  Here in exchange for free parking, we honoured our promise of being a customer at the café as the sun started to set.  Bike Route Toaster stats gave the cumulative height gain as 4,000ft – my legs agreed – interestingly it was 1,800ft hillier than last Thursday’s Llangollen ride!  A wonderful 55 mile ride enjoyed by so few.
See route map and/or gpx file download.
CA