Sunday 13th August 2023 Manhoc ride to YR HWB café Bala.
It’s a large well converted barn with great food and adult playground with slides etc – paradise for us children.
It was an early start, leaving Poplar 2000 at 10am, with a good turnout and 3 new Sunday riders. Down the twisty A49 – left for a coffee stop midway at Broxton – onward, passing Wrexham and cross country on some of the best Welsh country biking roads, south to just outside Bala for lunch.
Return was over the moors and hills, riding east through the pretty village of Ellesmere and homeward.
There was a mid-way stop at The Bradford Arms for coffee, more cakes and much ice cream, but hereafter it was not to be straightforward.
The road was closed midway at Knockin and following a sharp left at the barrier we headed blindly into open country and we spent a good hour “green lane-ing”.
We finally popped out, surprisingly, on the main road to Ellesmere. Were we lost, worried, or delayed? No! Thanks to little help from Richard’s GPS, we were saved and back on route.
The final stop was at The Sun Inn, after Ellesmere for final coffees and hugs.
Here, we were treated to fantastic stories from Martin and Erica about their recent 18 months, 34,000 miles trip from Alaska to Chile.
Apart from a downpour just after we had set off, the day was dry and warm.
An hilarious Manhoc day out on fab Welsh roads.
Cheers
Malcolm
