Llangollen Overnighter, Late May Bank Holiday.
Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2021 10:10 pm
On the first day of a short bikepacking trip in the Llangollen area, I followed the canal from Chirk, and crossed the amazing Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, where I left the canal and took a cheeky path through Trevor Hall Wood.
After this, I went over the hills to the east of Llangollen, and rejoined the road near the top of World's End pass.
I left the road shortly afterwards, and followed the boards towards Llandegla. I collected some water here, and then left the boards and had a character building push through thigh high heather to the top of Cyrn-y-Brain, and the ruins of Sir Watkin's Tower. I'd planned to camp here, but everywhere was lumpy or slopey or covered in heather, so I rode down towards Horseshoe Pass and found a very good pitch that faced the setting sun.
No. 2 in a series of "Is that a hidden camera?" selfies.
On day two I didn't have to go far before I stopped for cake. This fuelled me for the ride / push up Moel y Faen, which gave me a good decent to the next bit of pushing to the final top of the day, Moel y Gamelin. I dropped down from here (it was so steep and loose I had to walk part of this) towards the Clwydian Way, which gave a beautiful descent to the valley, the highlight of the trip.
Mango and passionfruit Victoria sponge, if anyone's interested.
Looking back towards the cafe, and the hill that I cycled down and camped on.
There was a short section on the road past Horseshoe Falls before I was able to get back on the towpath, and I followed this back to Chirk in the sunshine. I took a short diversion through Chirk tunnel to see Chirk Aqueduct and Viaduct, and returned to the truck along the road.
After this, I went over the hills to the east of Llangollen, and rejoined the road near the top of World's End pass.
I left the road shortly afterwards, and followed the boards towards Llandegla. I collected some water here, and then left the boards and had a character building push through thigh high heather to the top of Cyrn-y-Brain, and the ruins of Sir Watkin's Tower. I'd planned to camp here, but everywhere was lumpy or slopey or covered in heather, so I rode down towards Horseshoe Pass and found a very good pitch that faced the setting sun.
No. 2 in a series of "Is that a hidden camera?" selfies.
On day two I didn't have to go far before I stopped for cake. This fuelled me for the ride / push up Moel y Faen, which gave me a good decent to the next bit of pushing to the final top of the day, Moel y Gamelin. I dropped down from here (it was so steep and loose I had to walk part of this) towards the Clwydian Way, which gave a beautiful descent to the valley, the highlight of the trip.
Mango and passionfruit Victoria sponge, if anyone's interested.
Looking back towards the cafe, and the hill that I cycled down and camped on.
There was a short section on the road past Horseshoe Falls before I was able to get back on the towpath, and I followed this back to Chirk in the sunshine. I took a short diversion through Chirk tunnel to see Chirk Aqueduct and Viaduct, and returned to the truck along the road.
