Oswestry to Llangollen

June 22, 2024

riding north into Wales

The editor of an airline magazine has emailed to let me know that I'll be getting paid soon for an article I wrote about cycling across the USA on the country's 6,000km Rail Trail. It'll help pay for the £115 room at Sebastians.

There's a Costa Coffee just down the street from Sebastians and it's open fairly early. We're in there before nine and get a window table and watch the bikes through the glass as we enjoy a breakfast of bacon & mushroom baps before checking out two charity shops along the main shopping street. The sun's out and no doubt it'll be a warm day again.

It'll also be hilly as the contours on the OS map are tight together. In my mind we'll be rolling along valleys, but we'll see how it is in reality. The original plan was to reach a place called Llanrhaeard-ym-Mochnant and stay there the night, but after a phone call, we now know the one hotel has become just a pub. This means that a planned ride up to a waterfall at the top of the valley northwest of the village has been scrubbed, and instead we'll have to ride north to the town of Llangollen to get a bed for tonight... I booked a cheap B&B online while in Shrewsbury, so that's our goal today.

We hit a couple of charity shops before leaving Oswestry

Oswestry is a fairly small town and it's easy to ride out of and within minutes we're heading into rolling countryside, cycling up a tree-shaded road. After a couple of turns we're on a narrow lane that's leading us due west, with tall hawthorn hedges lining the way and oscuring the view. When we reach a spot giving access to a field, we pause to admire the bucolic vista that ends at an horizon about a mile away.

If I'd checked the OS map more carefully, I'd have seen a pair of >> that denote a steep hill. After a minute or so of slogging our way slowly up it, we decide to get off and push. The descents tend to be in gentle curves and with it being such a tranquil part of the world, we don't have to worry too much about oncoming vehicles. In fact there are none to speak of as we slowly travel further west.

One spot I recognise from my online research is a driveway to a house that's hidden behind trees. Two stone walls form a causeway that reaches a tall bridge, but to get a proper view of it, it's a case of having to climb over a gate and walking across a grassy field. I manage to get a snap of Debbie on the listed structure before someone appears and asks what we're doing on private property.

17th century causeway and bridge leading to a house called Glascoed

Another old piece of road architecture, probably dating back to the same time as the nearby causeway, is a double-arched bridge spanning a shallow river called Cynllaith. Again it's a case over getting into a field to get a decent photo, so I climb over a gate and step around cowpats that are dotted across the grass. Although it doesn't really look it, it's likely a few hundred years old.

The bridge is one of the few flat surfaces we ride on. Most of the time it's a case of spinning away in our lowest gear up the hills, but a couple of times it seems it's best to walk. Our speed is about the same.

We eventually meet a road that goes north to Llansillin, but decide not to ride up to the village and just keep heading west, as it shouldn't be too long before we get to Llanrhaeard-ym-Mochnant, a village that boasts at least one shop, plus the pub that used to be a hotel.

Pont y Glascoed over the shallow Cynllaith - a flat piece of road

There are two more hills that the OS map awards a single chevron and by the time we reach Llanrhaeard-ym-Mochnant we're ready to eat and have a break. The pub is serving food and we find a seat and order meals together pints of cold lemonade.

This village is one I've been to a few times, as a good friend used to live nearby. However, I've never really looked around, so we make our way to its chapel - Capel Seion - built in the Arts and Crafts style, then seek out a greenish menhir that's around 2m tall that was turned into a milestone back in the 1700s. Before setting off, I replicate an old photo of a shop, then we pop into a Spar store and buy some goodies, because there are more big hills to climb as we veer due north towards today's goal of Llangollen. We're about halfway there.

This menhir was repurposed as a milestone in the 1700s

I've been on this undulating lane quite a few times, both on a bike and by car, as my friend lived in a remote farmhouse that we reach after a few miles. It's not visible from the road and is reached via a bridge made of what looks to be railway sleepers and the path on the far side of the stream seems quite overgrown. Debbie finds it hard to believe someone could actually live in such a remote spot.

There are more leg-aching > on the OS map and we pass lots of sheep, but that's about it. The route climbs one long hill that we can just about pedal up, but the last section has me walking again. It's more open now allowing us to see much further, with the hedges being replaced by wire fences.

After dropping down another 17% hill, we eventually roll into a village called Llanarmon. We're ready for another break. It's hot.

Heading north from Llanrhaeard-ym-Mochnant

Llanarmon has two pubs, but one is currently fenced off for some reason. The Hand Hotel is open and we park our bikes outside and sit near the window and have a couple of cold drinks. I replicate a photo I have of the place and look at the map, which shows the road going north surrounded by contours.

We follow the road across a river and climb some more. The hills don't seem too bad and lead us through a bigger village called Glen Ceiriog. It's tempting to stop again, but we know it's best to keep going. There's a tough climb to tackle as we continue north, one which the OS maps denotes with a couple of >>.

We don't ride far out of Glyn Ceiriog. It's a 25% incline. For some reason the number of cars increases and as the road is just a narrow lane, we have to get onto the grassy verge to let them pass. Pushing is hard work and it seems to take forever to reach the top.

Once we cross over the ridge road, ride past a sign saying the lane is 'unsuitable for motor vehicles' and cruise down to a farm, where a black labrador that's past its prime comes out barking, but wagging its tail. It gives us a good sniff and seems pleased to see us. A sign beside a farm gate tells us it's a 25% drop and repeats that it's 'unsuitable for motor vehicles'.

Having a breather as we push up the steep hill out of Glyn Ceiriog

At the start of a 25% rough drop to Llangollen

The sign was right to a certain extent. It should state it's unsuitable for anything, including hikers and cyclists. It's like a quarry and there's no way we can freewheel down. The stones and rocks are simply too big and loose, and it is steep. Walking is hard work and it's nice to have the bikes for support, but I worry about twisting an ankle or worse.

We arrive in LLangollen a bit later than expected but the B&B called Bodwen Villas that I booked online the other night is on this side of town, and we soon find it. Our bikes get wheeled around the back and parked in a rear yard. The bedroom is small, with twin beds, but it's clean and fits the bill. It's only £60.

We wander down the hill into town after a shower and a rest. I feel knackered. We search for a decent place that does food without any luck, so settle for burgers in a cafe, then go to a pub across the road called the Bull Inn for a beer. It's packed.

I pay with my card, but it's not accepted. Thankfully I have cash on me, but it's very worrying that the main method of paying for things is not working. Hopefully it works in the morning, because there are not many pounds in my wallet.

Debbie weighing up where we have a pint in Llangollen

Today's ride: 57 km (35 miles)
Total: 823 km (511 miles)

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