29th October 2015: Gronant (brisk)

The rain caught me just before arriving at the Gallery where six of us (Brian M, George, Ken, Tom, Martin and myself) ended up in the warm but a bit wet. Liz D was also out “breaking in” her healing fractured foot on the bike. I proposed a ride over the Halkyns to Gronant via St Asaph, 51 miles around. So we set off under leaden skies with the rain clearing going the usual way towards Northop. Down Magazine Lane, we espy an enormous waste lorry slowly making its way down the very narrow lane towards us. After we managed to get past via the stinging nettles in the verge, we find out why the lorry was going slowly. It was acting as a branch slayer. We had to stop many times to remove broken branches off the roadway. Out through Northop, I elect to take The Green up towards the Bluebell pub. We sensibly agree to go at our own pace and further agree to meet at the Bluebell pub. Ken, Martin and I arrive to find Tom already there! He had been at the back and hadn’t heard the routing instructions, but nonetheless had figured out where we would be. We wait for 15 minutes or more, and Ken goes back down the lane (twice) to try to find George and Brian whilst I send George an explanatory text. After 20 minutes, we four decide to ride on to Rhuallt via Babell.

Photographs by Clive Albany

The sun is out now and the visibility is extensive. At Pant, I decide to go off-piste by taking the lane to Sodom. This lane is almost level with a kick up to the top of the hill outside Tremierchion. A few more turns takes down the tiny dead-end lane to overfly the A51 and down into Rhuallt proper. Running parallel to the A51 we fly down to ride the wide footbridge over the A51 and up into St Asaph. Here we follow cycle route 84 northwest towards Rhyl, before going through Rhuddlan bound for the “Bells of St Mary” at Gronant. The castle built by Edward I in 1277 is magnificent in the sunshine as are the “Three Knights of the Road” posing by the Medieval homage sculpture at the bridge over the Clwyd river. 

The pub is heaving as it is Half Term week but service is brisk as we tuck in after 32 miles. The return is along the coast road with a few shimmies to get us running parallel but not actually on the road. Coffee and cake is at the cafe behind Sainsburys. A few more wiggles and we are in Connah’s Quay where we four go our separate ways home. So, not a spectacular routing, a mystery as to where George and Brian got to, but nonetheless an enjoyable, almost dry, bright day over the Halkyns to 900ft and back.

CA

13th March 2014: Gronant (brisk)

A crowd of CER met at The Gallery where I had planned a fast ride to Denbigh.  So I set off west on a cold foggy day looking for the sun, along with Clive, Ray and Steve, also looking for a faster ride.  Once on top of Halkyn Mountain, the cold mist was blown away to reveal a sunny 15˚ C.  Glorious weather, the warmth made up for the fast pace.  

Unfortunately, for the third week in a row, after an hour my gears refused to move from the top two cogs, despite repeated visits to C O C to adjust/fix/cure it. Delayed now and as both Clive & Ray did not want to be too late home, it was agreed Denbigh was miles too far, so Plan B was started.  Past Babel, we crossed over the A55 on a footbridge at Rhuallt Hill, before dropping down into Dyserth, where the fog arose again.  

A fast descent on the old rail track which now doubles as the northern end of Offa’s Dyke path, took us into the CBD of Prestatyn.  It seemed to be closed, save for a car-boot sale in the old goods yard.  Continuing east along the North Wales coast, we crossed the links golf course and exited onto the old coast road at Gronant for our lunch stop.  Cheap & Cheerful was best way to describe The Bells of St Mary’s Carvery at LL19 9TB.  They don’t take bookings as its pile it high and sell it cheap.  The one real ale was dearer than the carvery + all-you-can-eat veg & spuds.

Photograph by Brian Mac

Suitably stuffed with food, we chose the easy option home along the monotonous A548 Coast road through downtown Mostyn, Greenfield and Flint.  Here we had a bomb burst as Ray & Clive went over the “new” Dee bridge (if you look close at the photo, you can just see them). Steve set off for Hawarden and Brian Mac to Wetherspoons.  A hilly, fast, hot and cold 48 miles in total back to the cafe.

BMac

4th March 2010: Gronant

Earlier in the week Ray had emailed with the suggestion that today’s ride from Hawarden should go out to Gronant near Prestatyn so that we could link up with Graham Payne.  Sounds like a good idea to me so I email the troops while Ray prepares the route.  Come the day 11 of us meet up at Hawarden, including Graham himself.  Is this the Graham Payne fan club I ask, or the promise of a good ride? Whatever the reason it’s a record for a regular Thursday ride: Dave Hill, Liz, Omry, Graham, Bryan, Clive, Dave Heath, Ray and Ivan plus two new riders Alan Oldfield and Alan Mort.
With the route predetermined we should be away on time but nothing is as straightforward as that. By the time all eleven of us have had our tea and teacakes its past eleven o’clock.  I notice Clive pumping up his front tyre.  “Got a puncture” I ask “No but the tyre’s blown off”. Closer inspection shows that the tyre isn’t seated properly so it’s out with the wheel and refit the tyre.  At last we’re ready and Ray leads off towards Ewloe and a diversion to Ewloe Green to add some early interest to the ride.  From here on we follow the original route through Northop, a short section of the A55 then up to the Britannia Inn and on to Holywell.  From Holywell we are back on the altogether more enjoyable lanes again through Whitford and Trelogan before descending steeply to the coast where we use the A548 to take us to lunch at the Bells of St Mary’s.
Now the Bells of St Mary’s isn’t our normal type of pub stop as is evident by the throng of customers jostling to get in. Well it’s certainly popular with the locals and with Cairns bitter on tap the beer’s not bad either.  As too food, it’s the carvery or the carvery, which explains the queue in an airport style check-in snaking back and forth.  This is too much for Dave Heath and with “I only want a sandwich”, he promptly disappears not to be seen for the rest of the day. I buy my pint and a carvery ticket and sit down to wait for the queue to disappear: big mistake!  As fast as the front of the queue is served more customers arrive, “Is the whole of Prestatyn here?”  Well at £3.59 for a superb carvery of pork, turkey and beef it is perhaps understandable. Could there be better value?
Clive has to get back so while the rest of us relax after eating he departs taking the coast road back to Chester.  By 2.15pm its time for the rest of us to leave starting with a climb up through Gronant to Llanasa.  Once on top the going is easier and we enjoy the ride in almost perfect cycling weather.  Then Alan and Graham head off for their respective homes leaving just seven to continue.  Ivan and Liz overtake Ray and take to the front for the descent through Gorsedd unaware that the rest of us are turning off at the Druid Inn: that leaves five! “They must be in Holywell by now” says Ray. I try Ivan’s mobile: no luck there, only a message saying he doesn’t pick up his messages so don’t leave one!  I try Liz next and a surprised Liz answers to discover that they need to cycle back uphill to rejoin us.
Once together again we continue through Brynford enjoying the views over the Dee Estuary from the Halkyns before a fast descent down towards Northop spoilt only by thorn strewn sections of the lanes.  Four riders decide on the direct route back through Northop while Ray, Liz and I complete the route back to Hawarden with Ray and I following the Dee cycle path back to Chester.
Today was certainly a day to remember: many thanks Ray for a great day out. Distance from Chester and back 61 miles.

BW