The Expresso Cafe, Gwersyllt is not the most popular of CER starting points. Possibly the café itself, the distance from Chester, the hilly environs or a combination of the three. So on a lovely late summer day only Ivan, Ray, Bryan, Colin, Martin & Lizzie and Liz & Dave P turned up at the café. We were then joined by three Wrexham Cafe Hoppers - Bruce, David and Mike. However the numbers were soon whittled down as Bryan was in less than good form and decided to do his own thing, the tandem arrived punctured and Dave & Liz decided to meet us at the lunch stop and the three Wrexham boys retired early on the initial climb up to Minera preferring a less hilly route.
Photograph by Ivan Davenport
The five remaining riders continued on with the winding climb through Minera towards Llandegla, past the MTB centre, briefly onto the A565 and then along the gated lane that emerges on the road halfway up to the top of the Horseshoe Pass. We soon reached the Ponderosa Cafe and started down the steep Old Horseshoe Pass Road and the right to the bottom of Worlds End and up to the Panorama route. This must be the most picturesque ride in our area and the road surface is now good but it is littered with rocks and debris that have been washed down from the steep slopes above. Perhaps as a result, it is a frequent puncture site and true to form Ivan had done so by the time he had reached the Sun, Trevor. The repair was a protracted procedure requiring 3 inner tubes taking place during lunch eaten outside in the sun with a lovely view over the Vale of Llangollen. Dave and Liz then arrived after cycling over Worlds End - pretty impressive on the tandem.
The return was along the canal path to Acefair, Johnstown, Bersham, Wrexham and Gwersyllt. Ivan and Ray then continued back to Chester, Martin to Hawarden and Colin and Lizzie took their cars home.
A beautiful hilly ride of only 33 miles but 1,160 metres of climbing taken at a slow pace. The return journey to and from Chester adds a further 28 miles.
MD
Sorry I couldn't make the ride as I have a heavy cold at the moment.
ReplyDeleteRegarding this start point---I don't like the ride out or back through this urban and heavily trafficked area. Would like us to find an alternative. My suggestion is Chirk which has excellent cafe and scope for excellent rides---but there are other possibilities.