38 miles, grade C+ (+ because there are quite a few big hills; one with a short stretch at 12%). The ride goes out to Loggerheads Country Park on the far side of Mold / Yr Wyddgrug (2,000 ft of climbing in total).
The route leaves Chester via the Greenway to Hawarden Bridge, then through Connah’s Quay and up past Wepre Park via a long couple of hills to Northop Hall with a stop for a snack at Northop. Then out along The Green, up another long, narrow and steep hill to Bryn Eugain and down into Rhydymwyn (where the British Nuclear Weapon programme was based in WWII). Then up again and over the next long, narrow and steep hill to Pantymwyn, down a narrow steep and bumpy descent to cross the ford on the River Alyn (there is a footbridge if there is too much water in the river) before turning back to the south and east and on to lunch at Loggerheads Country Park. There is a Cafe (Caffi Florence), but looking at the reviews on Google (some very good reviews, but many people complaining about the slow, poor service and high prices), it may be best to bring your own sandwiches which we can eat in the picnic area.
The return route is back up a hill to Mold / Yr Wyddgrug, with a slight diversion off the main road and another hill towards Gwernaffield, then after Mold up a long hill to Buckley and down to Dobshill before a welcome, long downhill stretch via the Old Warren to Broughton. Back to Chester railway station via Bretton, Saltney, Hough Green and Handbridge and up past the Groves and Dee Lane.
The ride is mostly on tarmac roads and tracks, but those roads get narrower and steeper and muddier as we move deeper into the Clwydian hills. There are a few long steep hills, but we won’t be rushing up them, so people can ascend at their own speed, or even get off and walk. There will be breaks to get one’s breath back at the tops. Most of the descents in the Clwydian hills are on narrow roads, with some sharp bends, mud, gravel and potholes; so no rapid descending. There are five sections on main A roads (about six miles in total), but they are all straight roads with good visibility; so riders should split into smaller groups for those sections.
Here is the route on Komoot: Chester to Loggerheads via Rhydymwyn
38 miles, Grade C
Created by John Hampson