This year's Clarion Cycling Club Easter Meet was in Llangollen, so a great opportunity to explore mid-Wales and the railways there. I got a lift up with Mick and Anne on Good Friday who were taking their bikes (read about Mick's exploits here), and the journey was uneventful with just one comfort stop to buy Waitrose sandwiches: M40, M6 Toll and through Oswestry, where I saw signs for the orthopaedic hospital in which I spent many months of my childhood.
In Llangollen we parked outside Cottage 21, owned by Gales of Llangollen, which was pretty near perfect with two double bedrooms, a well equipped kitchen, conservatory, a garden backing on to the River Dee, a Co-op across the road and wifi that worked! We missed seeing the Llangollen Railway steam train on the first day, but it was apparently Prairie Tank 5199, never to be seen again. Then to the Wild Pheasant (Wrexham Lager the only decent beer) to collect our ribbons and the meet and greet. The mayor didn't turn up, so after a slice of bara brith it was back to town for a curry with Bob Harber, David and Terry at the BYO Samira Tandoori and I popped over the road to the Co-op for some beer (and got stung 5p for a carrier bag - good old Wales, I'd forgotten).
On Saturday 4 April, after the Clarion CC AGM (in which Mick proposed an amendment), I caught the 2pm railcar to Corwen (£13.50 senior), passing the steam train pulled by GWR 2-8-0 3802 at Glyndyfrdwy. I got off at Carrog on the way back to have a pint of John Willie's (JW Lees) at the Grouse Inn and await the steam train, which had pushed the carriages back to Carrog from Corwen, where it could run around to the front.
In the evening it was back to the Wild Pheasant for a ceilidh (the band comprising keyboard and accordion) and buffet supper.
On Sunday 5 April it was time to confront my fears and travel over the scary Pontcysyllte Aquaduct. After my second Bombay bomb (£1.80 from Bailey's) in two days, and a pint of Dutch Courage (North Star Porter) at the Corn Mill, I bought a ticket at the wharf (£13.50 again) and was told to wait for a bus down by the river at 2pm. The narrow boat Thomas Telford took us over the aqueduct, which wasn't scary at all as we were sitting down and enclosed, and then on a leisurely cruise back to Llangollen, via Trevor basin, bumping into the odd day boat on the way.
After a cappuccino and a quick look round the bookshop in the former Dorothy cinema, it was back to the cottage and thence to the Clarion dinner and prize giving. Our section won nothing, but Mick won a mug in the raffle.
On Easter Monday 6 April, it was a climb up Butler's Hill to Plas Newydd, home of the infamous Ladies of Llangollen. My 10% off leaflet was two years out of date but I was offered a free audio guide (£1.50 on top of the £5 admission) which I stupidly declined. However after chatting to the woman on the door I was persuaded to hire one and stumped up. It was well worth the money. I'm no fan of dark gothic wood carvings, but the interior is just bonkers. I had some leek and potato soup in the cafe, where the poor man was rushed off his feet, then wandered back to town for another pint at the Corn Mill, just in time to see the steam train arriving over the water. Popped in to the church yard on the way back to see the memorial to the Ladies and it was a self-catering meal and telly in the evening.
More photos on Flickr.
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