I’m going to be in Llangollen (with family) for a couple of weeks. I will have a bike but my riding opportunities will mainly be limited to shepherding a total novice around (think one step up from complete beginner). Apart from the canal tow path, any suggestions where we might usefully ride?

On another note, the last few times I visited, I have been sussing out the (road) climb from the Australia (Trevor) up via Pen y Gaer Rd to Panorama. It looks like a monster to me. Is it do-able or am I kidding myself?

Take a look at Nercwys forest – it’s a shared-use trail not too far from Llangollen that sounds like it could be perfect. A bit further afield is the Alwen lake trail, which is also pretty good. Other than that, there’s also a short green route at Llandegla.

Any help?

Brilliant! Thanks very much.

The climb from the Aussie Rooster pub is pretty steep in parts, and not much fun itself but it does get you pretty sharpish up to the riding around the panorama. Whichever way you look at it though the climbing’s pretty harsh out of the town up to the good bits.

Not sure how well you know the panorama but I’d get up to the top of worlds end road, leave the woods, turn right, climb up around worlds end, and take your pick from what you can see. Most of its cheeky, but no one has ever raised an objection to us riding there. Just don’t ride Offa’s Dyke Path.

So it is do-able then. The bit by the chapel looks more than a little daunting. Last time I tried, I had been riding for 8 hours already and failed dismally. I have always fancied a bash at it ‘fresh’.

I did a ride up there many years ago, past the ruined castle (the one on from Panorama, standing alone on a very steep hill) and up to the radio/tv tower, over some proto north shore (very low – not much penalty for failure) and down to the cafe (Windmill?) and over the other side.

We’ll be in Pen y Gaer Rd so a spin up Worlds End Road might be a plan for an evening ride. :o)

If you’re staying on Pen y Gaer Road you’ll probably just have got used to both Garth hill (and the very steep short bit up from Pen Y Gaer Road up to the Panorama cattle grid) by the time you go 🙂

Locally, it’s pretty much 95% cheeky – a nice ride is the one you mentioned (ODA / llandegla do a weekly ride similar to the ride you mentioned ^^) plus there are lots of old quarries nearby, the best one IMO is the long one between Dinas Bran Castle and Trevor Rocks (map), good for beginners along the old line or some gnarr (TM) on the spoil heaps on the right (photo 1 photo 2)

Another nice loop (short, but I don’t mind doing a combination of loops) is – scrolling east on the map above – the track continuing uphill where Offas Dyke Path joins the Panorama, keep on heading up and head either (a) east on the FP to the right of Eglwyseg Plantation, to eventually end up back down towards the cattle grid or (b) carry on until the end of the plantation and left / downhill to head towards the Castle, along the ridge and back down to where the road bends in on itself.

Give me a shout when your down slowjo – happy to show you the local stuff to any level you want.

Thanks everyone. Lots to think about and plan.

@trailhound – may well take you up on the offer if you don’t mind showing an old f@rt about. Fitness is fine but (dare I say it) my descending is not great…something to do with living in Suffolk I daresay!

I forgot…rigid or HT?

I know I’m not going to die if I bring the rigid but if I get away for proper rides…I assume the HT would be a more comfortable tool for the job. (Around here, the rigid is best so…..)

No problem mate, just drop me a message on here if you fancy it, and I would definitely say some form of suspension would be preferable.

Riding plans scuppered in one fell blow :o/

Berlingo died last night. We got it to the garage where they had it overnight and thought they had fixed it. Picked it up this morning and it died (on the forecourt fortunately). It seems the scan missed something. The fault is fixable but the parts can’t get here until Monday at the very earliest.

We can still get to Wales but three of us in a Mini is going to be tight enough and there will be less than no room for bikes.

Looks like we’ll be packing our walking boots then.

🙁

definitely bring boots as there’s tons of great walking right on your doorstep!

Take your kit and hire a bike at llandegla also an hour in the car will getvyou to the marin good for a beginner. Also penmachno or Cyb you can hire there as well