September Holidays ! We had planned a three days tour – well not planned, but decided to spend three days somewhere with the bikes of course. At 6am we were up, and eating a hearty breakfast we glanced over the bikes and started off to – somewhere! The morning was raw and extremely cold and misty, promising anything but a nice day. Bareheaded as usual we sailed towards Leigh, and passing that town reached Glazebury, and out on to the open road. Little crystals of mist gathered on our hair and eyebrows, and we could not get warm, but the air was really delightful. We mingled with the early workers at Warrington (7.45am) but soon we were alone again on the Chester road. At Frodsham we caught hold of a motor lorry which bore us into Chester at 9.45. Sipping hot Oxo, for we were chilled, we planned our next move, and decided to make for St Asaph.
A weak sun was slowly clearing the mist when we left Chester, and turning right beyond the Dee Bridge we, in time, sped through Saltney, and once more into the open country. We soon reached Hawarden Castle, the demesne of the late Mr William Gladstone, and running through the accompanying rural village, we stopped for a wash and brush up. A couple of passing labourers bade us a cheery good morning as we rode off in the highest of spirits, all the world seemed smiling. Through Northop, and by a pretty main road reached Holywell. Uphill out of the town, and up and down via Gorsedd, with a peep at Llyn Heylio, until we came to the top of the last hill. In the mist before us lay a plain with farmsteads here and there, and in the half light the long pointed steeple of Bodelwyddan marble church, and the twin towers of Rhuddlan Castle were just discernible. Then we came tumbling downhill for a thousand feet and threading our way through luxurious bylanes we reached the ivyclad ruin of Rhuddlan, and then right ahead to Rhyl.
We stayed here for an hour or so, and then retracing our steps to Rhuddlan, made for Abergele. A monotonous four miles across Morfa Rhuddlan, and then we reached a more beautiful road. By the coast we climbed upwards along a pretty scenic effect of rocks and wood. Through Abergele to Llandulas and then swiftly downhill through Old Colwyn to Colwyn Bay. Through the town and uphill again over Penrhynside, then down again, and into Llandudno. Here we decided to stay, and after a long hunt we got ‘digs’ for the night. As it was only four o clock we had tea and made a beeline for the sea. We took a boat out for an hour and brought it back almost two hours later, for which we were asked to pay almost double, but we sneaked out of it. Afterwards we climbed Great Orme’s Head. At dusk we returned, and walking down the pier listened to the weird moaning of the troupe in the Pavilion, afterwards retiring for the night. We felt thoroughly satisfied, we did not know where to go on the morrow, but we could find somewhere – and we did !
93 miles, 9.5 hours
