22nd August 2019: Baschurch (mod)

Chirk proved as popular as ever as a dozen of us sat around mulling over where to go with our coffee and teacakes. Dave M came out on the train and was riding home; Ken and Nick were looking for a brisk route; so the rest of us took up on my suggestion of 51 miler via Baschurch. We set off on time down the Ceiriog Valley road. There was George, Dave P, Dave H, Steve T, Trevor, Andy B, the two e-bikers, Peter and Graeme and myself - so nine of us ground up the hill into the hinterland of Weston Rhyn bound for Oswestry. It soon became clear that the planned route into Oswestry wasn’t going to work with 9 strung-out riders, so at Hengoed, I opted for the Iron Age Hill fort transfer. After successfully negotiating the town without losing any riders, we head due south, and after a brief ride on the A483, run parallel to it in lanes anew.

The area is delightful in that the lanes are pretty good, and the hedges were high to fend off the stiff south westerly breeze. We head south east on a long run of quiet lanes closing in on the River Severn at Severnside, and now heading for Shrawardine passing the hidden ruins of Castell Isabella built in Henry I reign. The route now is to Montford Bridge which was Thomas Telford's first bridge design over the Severn river built around 1792.

We now head north-east with a following wind as 30 miles finds us just west of Baschurch and Moor Farm shop and cafe coming into view. I was glad I had telephoned ahead for a table as the place was packed - always a good sign, which proved correct. The food and service were very good, as looked the pork pies in the adjacent farm shop - but no room in the saddle bag unfortunately! Wiki told me that Agnes Hunt was a prominent local Baschurchian. Along with Dr Robert Jones, they founded the orthopaedic hospital at Gobowen where Steve T and myself have used their excellent services of late.

As we are leaving, we notice that a major equestrian event is to be staged over the holiday weekend on the adjacent equestrian centre. Earlier we had passed a steam traction engine puffing its way towards Shrewsbury - no doubt for another Bank Holiday event. A few drops of rain threaten as we circle around the PGL young person’s adventure holiday park at Boreatton (www.pgl.co.uk). When he was 18, Steve T enjoyed a PGL holiday in France apparently, but enough of ancient history.

The rain soon passes and more long lanes with wind assist find us circling Rednal airdrome and onwards to Tetchill. A North Westerly ever-upwards track finds us at the edge of St Martins. I offer a choice of a largely hill-free route back to Chirk, or the descent and ascent in and out of the Ceiriog river valley and into the back of Chirk. Surprisingly, all elect for the latter as we enjoy this delightful valley with a fairly strenuous climb out.

So, plenty of new and quiet lanes today, and new lunch venue and largely a wind-assist all day, and a light sprinkle of rain. A few more sunbeams would have made the 51 miler a perfect CER day out.

See route map and/or gpx file download

CA