6th September 2012: Sun Inn, Trevor

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

12th April 2012: Worlds End & Panorama Walk

A perfect spring day – cool, bright, sunny and no showers as Dave & Liz P, Martin & Liz D, Mike M, Alan, Ray, Ivan, Tony, Bryan and I set off from Expresso with Bryan leading out his prepared route to the Sun Trevor by the “over the top” route.  The way out from Expresso was ever upwards with several new lanes appearing.  

The ford above Nant Mill

Photograph by Bryan Wade

A brief photo call at a ford upstream from Nant Mill caught most of us out for the steep grind up the other side of the valley.  Here we emerged in New Brighton and the start of the long slog up and over Esclusham Mountain towards World’s End.  Bryan waved us goodbye as he savoured the long descent down the Minera Steps back to Chester for an afternoon appointment.  We were now slogging up over the moors up to 1,400+ ft with magnificent views over Liverpool Bay. The tandem has some technical issues going up so we agreed to meet them later at the Sun Trevor.  The Panorama lived up its name as grand views of the Berwyns and Dinas Bran came into view.  

Reaching the final descent down to the pub, Ray and I set off believing the pack to be behind us. Having ordered a drink and lunch, they still had not appeared. A phone call revealed that Alan had had one puncture quickly followed by another and was walking down the lane.  Whilst the pack lunched (and very good it was), Ray and I helped Alan with his front wheel puncture issues.  It appeared to be due to a brake pad rubbing the tyre wall right through.  Dave P lent Alan a spare tyre and Alan was mobile again. As we all, bar two, sunned ourselves outside whilst waiting for a certain couple to finish their two course lunch, I decided upon an unauthorised deviation from Bryan’s route i.e. we take the tow path rather than the lanes to the aqueduct. Cutting back down the valley we appear the other side of the aqueduct taking the towpath back towards Cefn Mawr.  We follow the usual route back to Wrexham dodging along by the A 483.  A second unauthorised diversion finds us taking tea at Erdigg House before wending our way through Wrexham and back to Expresso Café.  Only 33 miles today but a lot of hills.  We four out from Chester sped back down Marford Hill and Eccleston with 60 miles on the clock.

CA

27th January 2011: Sun Inn, Trevor

Cold (0°C) but dry and a hint of sunshine - just right for going over Horseshoe Pass.  I arrived at Tudor Café first, to find it firmly shut for the day.  Off up the High Street, I found the “Deli” which offered hot fare and a few seats – this will have to do.  Andy and Dave H were de-biking their cars in the car park so they went to the Deli while I went back to Tudor Café to find two lost souls looking for more cyclists.  This was repeated a little later with a further two lost souls.  We were nine in all, Dave H, Mike M, Ivan, Liz and Martin, Andy, Ray S, Brian Mac and I.  A circular route stopping at Sun Trevor pub was agreed.  It would be hilly on the way out and “flat” on the way back- only 34 miles but those hills take it out of your legs.
Setting off behind the car park was a small lane that would cut the corner off and save half the slog up the Minera Steps.  A slight hill climb practice up a no through road set us up for the long 20% climb proper up and onto the top to Cymau village.  After apologising for the rather hilly start  (there was no mention of chevrons on the OS map!) we ducked out of the village down the steep twisting River Lane ending at a ford.  A couple of brave bikers rode it, but the rest of us took the bridge.  An equally steep twisting ascent took us up to the Steps road – Ray S decided to change his front inner tube by the ford so we regained our breath whilst we waited for him.  The rest of the route of about 10 miles was all up hill.  Cutting right of the Steps Road into Bwlchgwyn (translates as “White Pass”) and across the A525, we reach the top and onto the Old Road.  Taking the lane to the Llandegla outdoor centre, we ran parallel to the Ruthin Road.  A left at the traffic lights took us up to the roundabout signposted left for the Horseshoe Pass.  We agreed to stop at the Ponderosa to regain our legs.  It became noticeably cold and windier as the advance guard arrived ready to use the facilities.  Once the rest arrived, an unscheduled tea-break ensued.  Good for morale I reflected, after a lot of climbing to get here.
Dave and Mike decided to take the main road down and meet us at the Sun Trevor Pub on the Wrexham side of Llangollen.  After carefully briefing the remaining riders about the steepness of the old Horseshoe Pass road and the fact we would take the first left to access the Panorama road, we set off down the lane brakes well engaged. A certain slim Trek rider zoomed past and into the distance and out of view.  We six all took the left lane to get us to the Panorama road.  It became quickly evident that we were missing a slim Trek rider.  Ten minutes later my mobile rings – “Where are you?  I’m at so-and-so”.  New directions were given via the main roads to the Sun Trevor.  Meanwhile we six enjoyed the panoramic views of the Llangollen valley and Dinas Bran ruins.  Arriving at the Sun Trevor we were very soon joined by the errant three.  There is always a warm welcome at the Sun Trevor with good real ale and fare with a window seat to boot. The return route took us past the Bryn Howell Hotel and down the back lanes passing the aqueduct canal basin and into Cefn Mawr high street (very sorry state) and onto Ruabon. There is nothing pretty around here so the back road to Wrexham found us twisting this way and that around the A483, finally arriving at the Sainsbury’s roundabout.  The Summerhill road beckoned and it gradually went uphill and largely parallel to the busy Wrexham to Hope road.  A short stretch of this road found us back at the start with the Deli café shut.  Four of us set off back for Chester via Sandy Lane Kinnerton making a 60 miler with lots of hills.

CA

30th April 2009: Panorama Route & Worlds End

Photographs by Bryan Wade

What’s happened to the sun? Just when we need good weather to enjoy the views from the Panorama Route it’s wet and miserable. So it was on with the waterproofs and off to Caergwrle to join the others for elevenses. I arrive early, despite trying and failing to find a new way over a roman bridge suggested by Ray. Ray and Mike arrive together, having discovered an “even better” route, which turns out to be the one I had been using for the last year! Graham completes the group of four for the day so we set off up “the steps” with Ray leading. The plan is to head up through Minera and then to take the back lanes south to Penycae before contouring round on the Panorama Walk. We make good progress with the only stops being to shed waterproofs and then put them back on as the weather changes: at least the rain wasn’t heavy. By the time we reached the Panorama Walk the rain had eased and we stopped to admire the view and take photographs.
Lunch at the Sun Inn at Trevor necessitated a long and steep descent almost down to the River Dee knowing full well that we would have to climb back up after. The Sun did us proud with a good choice of food (including a very satisfying chicken curry) washed down with Timothy Taylor. While discussing the benefits or otherwise of stainless steel chains, armadillo v continental tyres and other sundry cycling topics the rain bucketed down outside making us reluctant to leave. Leave we had to though, as the Inn was being locked up for the afternoon. Back in the saddle we used the car park to engage bottom gear and started on the climb back up the way we had come and then on towards Worlds End. Having done this section a couple of weeks earlier I wasn’t looking forward to the final climb out of Worlds End but we all made it in good spirits although I for one needed a stop at the top to recover! It just doesn’t seem to get easier. From here on the gradient was easier and we were able to enjoy the views over the moors before a fast descent returned us to Minera, Cefn-y-bedd, the Kinnertons and home.
The round trip from Caergwrle was just over 30 miles while Chester and back totalled 53 miles with a tiring 2269 metres of ascent.
BW