Where to ride to? - that is the question. After a 65 mile fast run to Whitchurch and back on Tuesday, Ivan advised he would be excusing himself on Thursday. So I decided to look back through old rides to find some inspiration for today's ride from Hawarden. H is for “Hawarden” and inevitably for “Hills". I remember Bryan Wade remarking that “This is why we start in Wales” when I was complaining of yet another hill on one of my very early rides with CER in 2009.
So today's ride does involve hills, but crucially only for the first 10 miles, then a further 10 miles of slight ups and downs (except for near Cwm) and the rest downhill or flat for 31 miles – bet you'd wished you had come now!
Nick had excused himself preferring the dentist to hills today. So Ray, John M and John W follow me out of Hawarden bound for Northop. Surprisingly there is a very stiff breeze about and it's going to plague us all the way to Kinmel Bay. Just before we join the short section of the A55 west of Northop, I notice a front flat. It takes me far too long to sort it out but at least we have had a rest.
Onwards and upwards to Brynford, the strong wind is a force to be reckoned with as it strakes across the golf course making us lean the bike into the wind to keep upright. Just before Pentasaph, there is the hamlet of Calcoed where there is a roadside monument to the “Horse's Leap” where a horse leapt 22 ft across an open mine shaft way back when – strange monument really!
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| Leaping horse monument Calcoed |
At Gorsedd, we turn for Lloc and the road to Dyserth but turn off due west towards Rhuddlan. It is a pleasant slightly cross country downhill run towards Cwm with some protection from the wind. There is a steady climb up narrow muddy lanes to arrive at the fierce single chevroned drop with right angle bends into Cwm and the Blue Lion pub. Back in May 2013, I led a ride to this pub along with Roy and George. Although it advertised to be open all hours, it was firmly shut. We then had to climb out up the road we had just come down today to find a lunch venue back in Lloc 6 miles away. At least we didn't have the hailstorm today that we had back in 2013.
It's an easy run now to Rhuddlan Castle. I can't ignore such a magnificent building which has been there since 1277 and all down to Edward I. There is an earlier motte and bailey castle at Twthill, a stone's throw away started by Willam I. We now leave Rhuddlan along the Clwyd river path bound for Rhyl. There is a very strong crosswind, and we have to lean into it to stay upright. Exiting into the west of Rhyl, we cycle through the miniature railway park and boating lake to cross the bridge into Rhyl Yacht club marina and the Harbour Hub cafe in Kinmel Bay.
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| At Rhuddlan Castle |
The cafe is quite busy, but we find a table inside to get out of the wind for lunchtime. The attaching bike shop is called the “Bike Hub” but is not connected to the Chester cycle shop of the same name. After savouring a hot drink and hot meat-filled bap, we start to savour the possibility of a wind-assist ride back to Flint. This is so as we speed along the recently upgraded promenade all the way to the Pontin's Holiday park, and thence the golf club. Onwards through the massive Presthaven Sands holiday park, we arrive via a newly gravelled path to Talacre and the Point of Ayr.
I take the trio via the cycle path around the remains of the coal mine so that they can enjoy the view of the gas plant which takes gas from the Irish Sea, “sweetens” it, and pumps it off to the power station at Connah's Quay. It is here at Point of Ayr, where we admire the info board relating to how busy the Dee estuary was in shipping of yesteryear, that John M succumbs to a slow rear puncture. He assures us that just re-inflating it will work as it is a tubeless tyre – and it does! I now cut out the remaining cross-country bit of this cycle path to spare his tyre anymore grief.
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| Puncture repaired and ready to go. |
John W had suggested an ice cream at Talacre, but I offer a coffee and cake stop in Flint – which wins out. So it's a 18-20 mph, 10 mile dash to the Flint shopping park for coffee and and cake. We set off again, but eschew the Papermill Lane route back up to Hawarden and set out for Shotton and the Greenway. Along here near Oakenholt, John W manages to pick up a puncture and the culprit is in plain sight. A ¾ inch brass screw can be seen screwed into the tyre!. The tyre is expertly repaired and we blast off again bound for home.
So after nearly around 70+ miles all round to home, and 2600ft of up and three punctures later, we arrive in Chester still battling the wind but having enjoyed a great, if very windy, day out over the hills. So thanks to John W for acting as a wind-break for a good part of the ride, and to Ray and John M for their company today.
As Bryan W remarked all those years ago about Wales and its hills -”It's why we come here!” - but we could have done without the three punctures.
See route map and/or gpx file download
CA
Photos JW and JM
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