Another sunny Sunday

Poor old Barbara had to work butchering salads and pizza's in Morrisons so after a restorative plate of bacon and eggs washed down with a few coffees it was out and at em on Tigger. First stop was to photograph a treat for the erstwhile Richard Holt of the Bridge Club fame. Holt Bridge, could it have been named after our favourite Cornishman or was it the whole town the bridge leads to that was named after him.

Holt Bridge

Holt bridge spans the River Dee and crosses the boundary between Wales and England, at Farndon. It is a medieval road bridge of uncertain date. The bridge was built during the reign of Edward 111 in 1338-9. In 1368 a trail at the County Court at Chester refers to a bridge between Farndon and Holt, constructed by John, Earl of Warenne. However, the present structure is more likely to be 15th or 16th Century. The bridge featured prominently in the Civil War with both sides trying to take control of the crossing.

It is built of the local and distinctive red sandstone with 8 segmental arches crossing the river, separated on both sides by pointed cutwaters with refuges. An arch exists in the causeway on the Welsh side, which was the site of a former chapel.
Listed Grade 1 for its medieval origins and one of Wales most important bridges. It is located in Holt Conservation Area.
I am on the English side with the boundary being in the middle of the river. So the canoeist is in Wales

As is the fisherman.

The town over the River is Holt and Welsh, possibly the odd hangover from the rugby the day before, was a cracking game.
Then it was off to Wales and, to carry on the bridge theme, to Rhiwabon where the first Welsh pub to win the CAMRA pub of the year is located. The Bridge End

 

The Bridge isn't up to much  having been updated with concrete at some time but according to Geof and Helen who know about these things the pub is superb. Must improve my timing this was 10:30 on a Sunday and the place was closed.

 Then it was off into deepest wales to find some muddy lanes and the likes.

Seemed to get a bit fixated with bridges today, no bad thing some may say, 

 These on a little track by the Llangollen Canal. Just look at the weather this is in the end of February, lovely.

This is the old Horseshoe Pass. Must have been pretty tricky getting the slate wagons up and down here.

The views are simply stunning.

This was looking back the way I'd just come.

Quite fancy this little place. Not much problem with noisy neighbours.

Sort of turned for home now but wanted to go down the hard way..

This is the road that defeated Bob and I last week in the snow but this time I am going down not up.

Think when I get some more knobbley tyres I will turn left up here and see what it leads to.

I just love the way Sat-Nav does this, set it for shortest way home when out here and you are going to be in trouble with a caravan, it is just fine on a Triumph, most of the time. An artic got stuck on here last month. Numpty.

One of the little lanes George sends me down quite often in the one to Llanarmon-yn-Ial, where there is a lovely old pub called The Raven Inn. I had thought it was closed and was a victim of the death of rural life but as I passed today there was a chap putting out a new "OPEN" sign. So I popped in for a restoring pint, just the one mind as I was driving Tigger. So glad I did as I was made very welcome and the beer was excellent only sorry I could only sample one brew but I will be back.

It is a volunteer pub run by locals for no salary A company ‘limited by guarantee’ has been set up run the pub, Raven Mad Ltd. The Raven Inn is manned by volunteers and any profit can only be used to fund village community projects. The whole story was filmed as part of the Save Our Boozer series with the first showing on December 8th 2009 on the ‘Blighty’ satellite channel. I wish them all the luck in the world. I shall certainly go back as Barbara has taken a shine to their menu.

Well that's it until next time I think I'll be working sorting out the shed and the likes next week so may only be a short blog with pictures of my sheds and the contents.

Dragon day and Tiger Trips

Out for a nice run the other Sunday on the day of the Dragon Rally. It must be global warming but it doesn't seem cold enough for the Dragon Rally.

  

This is up Moel Arthur one of my fave places.

Then it was off for a cuppa at the Ponderosa.

Just lurking at the side was a treat for Richard Holt at the Bridge Club http://thebridgeclub2011.blogspot.com

 Not a bridge but two Harleys and an Armstrong in the middle. The Armstrong was a bugger to start, the kickstart on the wrong side cannot have helped. There were a few other bikes at the cafe, I like to see bikes used and not just for show.

 
Then a bit of further pottering found a nice little church with a future green lane  next to it to try when I get my knobblies.

Note the stocks outside the church for miscreants.

Now we come to the Tiger Trips bit. I went out the following Sunday with my chum Bob to do a bit of pottering, He has just got his Tiger back on the road so it could have been a tail of two Tigers.

It was fine on the Wirral but a glimpse of the Welsh hills brought a little tingle on.
Moel Arthur again. Then off to the Ponderosa. We were defeated on the scenic route. Trying to turn the bike on the very narrow single track road in the snow was a little frought to say the least. Bob just spun his bike on the reinforced side stand he's fitted. He is a big strong bugger by the way. Must get a pic of that next time out.

Then we went off to Llangollen and from there over the hill to  Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog and the West Arms, well worth a visit. http://www.thewestarms.com

Small disaster here, we both fell off, nothing hurt not even pride as there was no-one to see our incompetance.Both bikes unscarred.
Still got the mud on my gear and the bike, looks good commuting through Liverpool to work.












This is Rick Wakeman's house, there was smoke from the Chimmneys but we didn't pop in for a cuppa.
My flaming camera battery went flat so not as many pics as I wanted but got a spare now and there will be other days.
Then off home for a roast dinner but just enough time to nip into the Coach for one on the way home.