2nd Cycle/Camping Tour North Wales

[ZIZAG]

Went on a Cycle/Camping Tour Cheshire and North Wales . Last week .All loaded up with my panniers and camping gear

In the lovely Sunny Hot weather . Set off Mon 26th Sept from Home In Handforth Cheshire out onto the Cheshire Cycleways along the leafy country lanes stopped a Davenham picnic area 20 miles for lunch . Then on down the A556 old Chester road past Sandiway ,Delamere Forest . Downhill along the Kelsall bypass .

, and headed off the main road before Chester towards Christleton . And Camped out the night at Birch Bank Farm . Next day found my way onto the NCR 5 Cycle Route on the towpath of the Shropshire Canal running directly West across Chester City . Avoiding the heavy traffic .After a couple of miles came out on the long stretch along the River Dee . Carried on to Shotton. Connahs Quay, and Flint . The weather was getting hot and nice and Scorchio

. Decided to turn Inland onto A5119 to go to a known Campsite .Bad mistake .

turned off the main road , found all the hilly and winding route upto Halkyn . ("yes Halkyn Mountains" )After what seemed hours pushing the bike and heavy load uphill . I finally got over the tops past Rhosemor and nice downhill to A 541 . Turned right towards St Asaph . Then turned off after Hendre village up a very steep Incline to Fron Farm CC . Site . Arrived 6:30pm . Just Enough time to pitch my tent and lay out all my gear . Decided next day to book another day pitch onsite , due to been very tired .So on Wednesday I just stayed on the campsite and chilled and did a lot of lounging lying In the sun . On Thursday headed out off the hilly part of Beautiful Denbightshire . Towards Mold 6mile away on the A 541 . Onto A549 ,Buckley ,came out overlooking the Cheshire Plain and Chester . It was all downhill from then onwards on the A 5104 onto the flat roads past Saltney . Then Into Chester via the lovey area of Handbridge . across the River Dee . Sat In amongst all the people on Holiday /Tourists . " Got strange looks with the heavily loaded bike ". Took a break and enjoyed the Scenery . Then made my way through Chester . Avoided the canal towpath this time . Going West followed the A 41 Whitchurch road to Christleton . Stopped in the village for provisions and lots of drinks for hydration . . It was extremely hot 27C . I was starting to feel tired by now. So oft I went towards Waverton on the B roads , lanes past Duddon turned away from Cotebrook . Turned left onto the B5152 heading North and came to Fishpool Farm CC site . About 5:30. Was greeted by Joan the lovely friendly Warden . " Who surprisingly knew me from the year before ". I was told to pitch anywhere I wanted . Tried out the brand new sparkling showers . I sat outside after Sundown . Stargazing due to a clear sky . also watched various Aircraft flying overhead . After a restful night . Friday I got back onto the B5152 headed north towards Delamere Forest .Crossed the A54 and after a short while turned right at the Abbey Arms . Onto A556 . Main Road then turned off at Davenham Village . And back onto the nice quite country lanes . cycled on all the known routes Lower Peover . A5081. crossing the A50 to Ollerton . The bike knows Its way home from there upto Marthall ,Mobberly .Morley Green , Styal and home . around 4:30pm. Clocked up 120 miles . . I had a Fab time away for a week . " Aint Cycling And Camping Brilliant "

 

[bigjim]

Sounds great. How did you find the A556? I'm always wary of that road.

 

[cycleruk]

sounds like a good ride. im looking at a cycle tour next year from holyhead to cardiff. i have some questions, what were the camp sites like, did you have to book in advance or did you just turn up, one last thing i need to know is, what are the hills like as im sure wales will have some somewhere! thanks for your time

 

[ZIZAG]

Hello BigJim. The A 556 can be bit hairy and Intimidating . With all the fast traffic on It . Worse part is the Heavies Trucks Vans lorries . The downdrought from them can move you Especially if your loaded with panniers . I usually join It after Davenham . Otherwise you have to go down and around the hilly Weaver River valley lanes to Avoid It . Also there are steep hills at Sandiway . Going North a lot of local people cycle on the U nused pathway . and also when you come past Davenham there Is a Cyclepath which seems to go on all the way upto the A559 Northwich turnoff .
Going back to my Westbound route I have been to Delamere Forest lots of times back and forth and have used It as a staging post for going to Chester and North Wales .
Also A dodgy part Is when you cross the A49 the road narrows after the major crossroads . The one were all the motorcyclist turn left for Oulton Park . As you go across the lights into Oakham ,bit of a darkened overgrown trees and Very rutted road . After that the road becomes the A54 going past Kelsall where you go speeding downhill at a Warp speed for a mile and half Freewheeling . Around Tarvin the road becomes very busy with traffic heading Into Chester . Then It becomes the A51.
Hope all this helps .

 

[ZIZAG]

Hello Cycleuk .
One of the Campsite I was on was very rural . basically a Farm .
I was camping near an Orchard . And the only thing between me and a herd of cows and Bulls was a low lying ,electric fence . Cost for the night £5.
that is an example Another one I stayed at near Mold was a very large Acres of land big working Farm . Rated at 2/3 Stars Great facilities I got for £ 4:50p a night . Full value . And then I paid over the odds In Cheshire In a lovely top rated 4 Star Beautiful Site £12. As I was on my way home "I did not care" .
Ref: to booking .
I did not book any In advance !!!!!!!!!.
But I took a list of all campsites with me And had quite a few options In case I did not get a pitch on any site .
And the Q) on hills .
I only pushed my bike Up the "Baby Ones " Up and Around Halkyn mountains . But the Cycle your are planning on . Holyhead .Cardiff .
I know Anglesey very well and that is quite flat . When you come over the Menai Straits to the mainland If you follow the A5 . It will take you around the Snowdonia range and they are serious Mountain road climbs . But If you turn right towards Caernarfon think A 487 And skirt the coast and follow the route to Pwllheli Then Inland To Portmadog Its all fairly flat Apart from one or two hill . This Is a beautiful route along the Llyn coast . From there you can decide which route to take through Mid-Wales to Cardiff . .
( I'm Sure there are others that have cycled North to South Wales.) Can give you the tips on the best route . Good luck with your cycle tour .

 

[superbadger]

Clocked up 120 miles . . I had a Fab time away for a week . " Aint Cycling And Camping Brilliant "

Thats a brill trip.... And yes it is

 

[ZIZAG]

Thanks . Superbadger.

 

[superbadger]

Got any others planned ZiZag???? I am hoping to get at least one more trip done before . Wales is a good option from where i am and very tempting. Or i may head north into Yorkshire. gonna get the maps out and have a good look .

 

[1965phil]

next time your planing a trip put it on here,may even join you.

 

[ZIZAG]

Superbadger .
You are probabley nearer to Yorkshire .
As you are In Atherleigh area near Chequerbent roundabout across by Bolton you are heading in a North Easterly Route .To Yorkshire . I have never cycled that way . So I'm not familiar .
Personally.
I always go to Wales as Its on the Border Of Cheshire . And I use The Cheshire Cycleway a lot as Its on my doorstop . And I have Camped all over North Wales .
Even to Midwales Barmouth area .
As I Lived in Pwllheli for 7 years .
I loved all the beautiful countryside mountains and All the great Beach's .
If you need any advice on cycling to North Wales I can help :
" I have Not got Any Camping /Cycle trips planned or In the Pipeline" . At this time .
You never know .
We just need another freak Sunny Summers week like last week . Then I may be Inticed .
Cheers

 

[superbadger]

Thanx will do...

 

[ZIZAG]

Hello 1965 Phil .
Thanks for your suggestion.
" If we got together for a trip ".
We might get a Mass following . As all my Cycle/ camping trips . As Cheap As possible
Because I'm on a very tight budget .
Where are you based !!!!!!!!!
Cheers

 

[1965phil]

mass cycle tour next year to wales,sounds good
i live in winsford,so spend lots of time in the cheshire lanes

 

[superbadger]

We might get a Mass following . As all my Cycle/ camping trips . As Cheap As possible
Because I'm on a very tight budget .

So are mine and yep it looks like you might have a following coz i would be up 4 that..

 

[ZIZAG]

Hello 1965 Phil . So you are from Winsford .
I call this place Sleepy Hollow . As Its In The Weaver Valley . Prone to mist and Fog when the weathers Autumn Winter mode . I came back from Day out Cycle to Chester Came off the A54 onto Clay Lane Cheshire Cycleways Marton Green one day and decided tofollow the Whitegates way . Came Out On Bradford Lane followed the road Into Winsford . " Which I found has a lot of Roundabouts " . Followed the A 5018 and turned onto the A 533 near the retail park . Headed North to the A 556 . I found this Carriageway a bit scarey Lots of Heavies and white van man . Looking for Cyclists to build up there points I was tootling along getting a bit tired and I had done about 40 miles . When this young show off scally on mtb came flying past me cycling like mad . Im sure he said " Take that you Ould Git " I got Irate . And put my foot down . As I'm not a racer and only cycle for fun and leisure . So he had got a good start on me . I got up a bit of speed on my old 1970 steel touring bike: Over 20mph and eventually caught up with him and flew past him . The look on his face . Up your's I blabbed !!!! .
He could not catch me as I was going faster and faster .. I was full of adrenalin from being miffed . And shot past my turnoff for the A 556 . Kept seeing signs for Leftwich . As I was Near A shopping area called Kingsmead. I was slightly nackered with all this and then got Disorintated . Which way to go . Eventually I found my way onto the A556 Old Chester road and struggled very tired on the country lanes back home to Handforth . After a Grand Day Out