This mountain bike route of 21.2 miles starts in Glyn Ceiriog, in North Wales. It takes in the trails towards the eastern end of the Ceiriog Valley and for a short time drops into the Vale of Llangollen. The ride contains some testing climbs, which are paid back with fast rocky descents and some fantastic views.
1. Start from the car park by the Community Centre (GR204379). Turn right out of the car park to the roundabout in the centre of the village. Take the second exit ahead and slightly left to go past the front of the Glyn Valley Hotel on the right, then the public toilets on the left. Follow the B4500 out of the village, along the bottom of the valley, to Pandy. continue straight on along the road through Pandy. At the junction about 1/3 mile after Pandy, at the end of Erw Gerrig cottages on the right and the bus stop, take the lane on the left (GR195354).
2. Descend the lane, then bear left over the bridge at the bottom. At the junction at the house directly after take the left hand fork. Go past the footpath on the left and climb the lane to a gate on a right hand bend at the houses. Go through the gate and climb the broken tarmac to a gate at the woods. Go over the cattle grid on the left of the gate on to the forest track, then at the junction directly after take the right hand track (GR199349). At the following forked junction go left, then at the next junction go straight on to keep climbing. Continue climbing straight on, with the valley on the right and the trees on the left. Near the head of the valley go across a stream, just before the climb kicks up steeply. Bear left on the track and follow the stream to a gate near the top of the hill. Go through the gate and climb to a junction (GR211344).
3. Turn right and climb the hardpack track, which soon flattens off, to a gate. Go through the gate, into the field, and follow the ruts to the next gate in the opposite corner of the field (GR204338). Don't go through the gate. Turn left and climb along the line of the fence on the right. Go straight on over the crest, past the bridleway sign pointing right, and head towards the woods directly ahead. Go through the gate at the woods then follow the wide grassy trail along the right hand edge of the field, towards the rusty barn (old hanger). Go past the right hand side of the barn then descend, bearing left, to the junction at the bottom. Turn left and go through the dip then climb a short way to the gated junction at the lane by the farm (GR224340).
4. Turn left, then turn immediately right through a gate and climb the double track. Go through a few more gates and follow the trail as it bears left to Caemor Wood at the top. Continue along the track to a gated junctino with a lane (GR219352). Turn right and follow the lane straight on to the next junction. Bear left and follow the lane that soon descends and eventually bears right to a junction. Turn sharp left then, a short distance later, turn right at the next junction (GR244354).
5. A short distance later turn left at the junction with the bridleway that descends between the trees. The descent starts out as fast double track before becoming steeper and quite technical lower down, with lots of loose rocks. When the track ends at a junction with a lane turn right (GR234361). Climb the lane and go past the junction with the track off to the left. Continue climbing steeply up the lane to the crossroad junction at the top. Go straight on and climb the muddy double track. The track soons flattens off before ending at a junction with a lane (GR248362).
6. Turn left and descend the lane. Go straight on at the junction with a lane on the left, then straight on at the junction with a lane on the right by a farm (GR251365). Continue straight on down the hill. The road soon gives way to a fast loose and rocky track. Ignore any tracks off to the side and follow the main trail down through the trees. Near the bottom the track exits the trees, before coming to an end at a crossroad junction, with a view of Chirk Castle on the left (GR266369). Turn left and continue descending on the rocky track between the hedges. Bear right around the house to a junction with a lane, take care as the track comes straight out onto the lane and there is no visibility of whats coming. Turn left and descend the to the next junction (GR264374). Turn right and descend to the bottom of the valley. This road is steep, slippery and blind so take care. After crossing the bridge the lane ends at a junction with the main road (GR264377).
7. Go straight across the main road and climb the singletrack lane that bears off to the left. Continue straight on to a forked junction at a house. Turn right and continue climbing. At the next house follow the lane to the right and then up the dirt track, over the roots and into the woods. After a short, steep climb the track turns left and flattens out. The track soon starts climbing again. Bearing right then go straight on at the junction to climb the steep rocks (GR255385). The track soon flattens off before going up another short climb. At the junction at the top of the climb go straight on. Continue straight on until the track bears right and ends at a junction with a lane (GR254389).
8. Turn right and climb the lane to the next junction. Bear right and continue climbing to a junction with a house on the left (GR259392). Turn left and climb the steep lane through the bends. After a while, when the climb flattens off a bit, go straight across the crossroad. At the next junction go through the gate directly ahead onto the double track in the field (GR253404).
9. After taking in the great views of the Cheshire basin, the Vale of Llangollen and Worlds End, head off down the double track that is the top of the 'Three Trees' descent. Simply follow this fast rocky trail for about 1mile, through a couple of gates, to a junction directly after a sharp, gravelly right hand bend (GR237408). DO NOT continue down hill on the steep gravelly trail, or it'll be a hard climb back up! At the junction turn sharp left and climb by the fence on the right, to a gate at the woods. Go through the gate and continue climbing through the woods. After the trail emerges from the trees follow the rocky, rutted double track all the way to the gate at the top, while enjoying the views across the Vale of Llangollen on the right. Go through the gate and follow the muddy ruts for a short distance to a gate junction with a lane (GR227398).
13. Turn right and follow the lane along the top of the hill and go past next three junctions, with lanes on the left, then the right, then the left. Climb to the top of the following hill to a junction just over the crest, with a lane descending to the left, and a gate on the left (GR215394). Go through the gate on the left and descend through the field, keeping tight to the trees on the left. Go through a gate into the next field and continue following the line of trees on the left. After the next gate continue straight on along the rutted double track to where it ends at a junction with a lane (GR218384).
14. Turn right and descend the lane through a left hand bend. The lane then comes to a gated junction with a track on the right on the following then right hand bend (GR219381). Turn left and go through the small gate on the right hand side of the large gate. Climb the muddy double track to where the double track turns 90 deg left, then continue straight ahead following the drystone wall on the right. Jink left at the next gate and continue following the wall on the right, to a gate in the corner of the field, at the top corner of the woods. Go through the gate and follow the grassy and muddy track straight on until it descends to a junction with a lane (GR225381).
15. Turn left, climb the lane a short distance to the next junction. Turn right and descend a short distance towards a house then, just before, take the rocky track that drops away to the right. This track is steep, loose, rocky and usually has water running down it, so be careful. Lower down follow the main track through a sharp left hand bend for more loose descending to a farm. Go straight on through the farm, where the track becomes a lane. Follow the lane down to a junction at the end (GR231385).
16. Turn right then descend a very short distance to the next junction at the start of the farm buildings. Turn right and follow the muddy, grassy double track between the hedges as it bears right. Continue along the track to a forked junction at a house (GR231379). Climb the steep track on the right. The track soon flattens off for a nice bit of singletrack through the trees. At the next junction go straight on and descend the double track to a junction with a lane. Go straight on and follow the lane to a crossroad junction (GR225374). Go straight on and follow the lane up the valley. At the next junction continue straight on. Keep going straight on at the following junctions until the lane descends out of the trees and comes to a junction directly after a small humpback bridge on the outskirts of Glyn Ceirog (GR208381). Turn left and follow the lane by the stream to a junction with the main road. Turn right and follow the main road into Glyn Ceiriog, all the way back to the Community Centre car park on the right to complete the ride.
Gallery Page: The Edge Cycleworks 'Social' Ceiriog Shop Ride - 15 Jan 2012, a ride provided by Flattyres-MTB.
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