18th July 2019 :Trevor (brisk)

A usual ride from The Gallery tea rooms at Hawarden would be out towards North Wales but today Clive suggested a ride to Trevor with lunch at the Sun public house.

So, the brisk riders today loaded up their Garmins with the route and, led out by Clive with Ivan, John W, Nick and Ken in tow, we head out of Hawarden for the rough ascent to Bilberry Wood. Navigating the non-cycle friendly stile, we cross over the A55 and pass through Penymndd.

Hope and Caergwle are soon behind us before the continuous climbing through Bryneg and up to Rhosllanorchrugog. The route is still upwards heading for the Panorama walk. The lanes are good riding and not busy and when we pass the Prospect café, the scenery is breath-taking today looking over the Vale of Llangollen with Dinas Bran looking down over Llangollen.

Nearly at the top

We take an exit off the walk and head back down into town and join the very busy tow path with pedestrians and the barges and make our way to our lunch stop. The Sun Inn was as accommodating as usual. It was Ken’s birthday today (one off that well known Beatles track) so a celebratory round and a good lunch was had. Happy Birthday from the Brisk group Ken, and cheers.

Back on our bikes and onto the canal path, its towards Cefn-Mawr and the usual route for Ruabon and Bersham. Whisked through Wrexham by Clive with all his knowledge of tracks, we haul our bikes across the pedestrian crossing bridge over the A5156 and pass the Pant-yr-Ochain. This was a coincidence as it was in a conversation with our club leader at the start of today’s ride from Hawarden.

At Gresford, we stop for a coffee at Alf Jones cycles cafe. We say farewell to our birthday boy in Rossett as us four head on to Dodleston. Nick peels off to head back for his car at Hawarden. Clive, John and I continue to Ferrymans Lane where we go our own way home.

An excellent route and company. The route as a round trip would be 50 miles to and from the café but riding out from Chester an average of 60+ miles covered and 3317ft of ascent but it all equals out with the descents!! - as we’re so often told.

A good day out for the Brisk group.

See route map and/or gpx file download

ID

Photo by KP

24th May 2018 : Sun Bank via Worlds End (brisk)

Riding out to Holt this morning felt a little chilly after the recent warm days. On riding past the Grovensor Arms at Aldford, Colin was sitting on the wall but indicated he was ok. I’d just passed a rider in full wet weather gear and assumed he was waiting for a companion! At Cleopatra’s, a couple of riders were already enjoying tea and brunch breakfast. Soon there were plenty of riders out and the Brisk group today would be – John M, Clive, Colin and me. Fortunately, Colin’s rider to Holt was John M and not the all-weather cyclist!!

Today's route was the Sun Trevor pub via Worlds End and Minera. We set off at 10:30 out along the Borras road. Our ride through Wrexham was to keep to the B5100, which was a reasonable traffic free road except for navigation round the busy roundabout at Sainsburys and B&Q, before crossing over the A483 heading to Coedpoeth. The lanes are now dry and colourful, and we are enjoying being out and not thinking of bike cleaning. It’s not long and we are on the uphill stretch to Minera which is an 8% gradient. As usual of past week’s, temporary road work lights stop us in full pedal flow and we take rest to allow traffic to pass. Off again and to the start of the track over Worlds End. 

Are we nearly at the top!

It has been a few years since I’ve ridden this way and on the last occasion, to remind you how long it was, Bryan peeled off to do his own ride back to Chester and Mike Morley was with us. We head uphill and it is now 15% gradient before going over the brow and heading down to the ford.

Happy at the top of Worlds End  - just before the puncture!

 As we descend Colin hits a sharp stone and pssssss goes his rear tyre. It becomes a group effort in changing the tube due to fancy wheel flanges and poor pump efficiency. Tube replaced and sorted, it is now downwards again and, if you haven’t been here recently, the road has been resurfaced and better today than many main roads. There was a good flow of water passing over the ford but legs up and we’re through.

Our beloved leader with Dinas Bran in the distance

Panorama panorama

Now riding along the Panorama walk, we take the right turn to drop us down to our lunch stop which is the Sun Trevor. Clive and I arrive at the inn and we await the rear flank. Soon there's a phone call and John also has punctured and his pump is not working. I return uphill and pass the only hairpin where John and Colin are walking down to meet me. We inflate the rear tube only to find the front also is deflated. Pumped up temporarily we progress down to the inn and lunch.

Today's food service seems slow, but we enjoy the atmosphere and general chat of the route. Eventually we are ready to go and change Johns front innertube. Fortunately, a camper arrives in the car park and asks us if we need a track pump! John is now fully inflated and we cross over to the Llangollen canal for an enjoyable stroll/ ride to Pontcysyllte.

From here it is the usual return via Cefn-Mawr and Ruabon. A ride through the Erddig NT grounds is a must and thence to Cross Lanes where we ride the final leg home to Holt. It has been an enjoyable ride and full of talking issues centred around solo riding and tube inflation processes.Not the usual mileage today at 40 miles  but a ride full of scenic beauty and 2900ft of climb . Three punctures says it all really but, due to the competence of the group and team work ,everything is accomplished - eventually!

See route map and/or gpx file download

ID

Photos by John M