Chester and North Wales CTC - come ride with us!

Greenway Closure (again!): Sections of Chester's Millennium Greenway and Victoria Road are to close for around 10 weeks to allow vital strengthening work to the Victoria Road Bridge. Starting on Monday, 6 September for about 10 weeks, the work will close the Millennium Greenway between the Brook Lane access - opposite Newry Court - to the access path near to the Total Fitness Gymnasium complex. Victoria Road will be closed for the same period, preventing all vehicles and pedestrians from using Victoria Road Bridge at the intersection with Brook Lane. Access to residential properties will be maintained but only from areas south of the bridge. It will not be possible to turn into Victoria Road from Brook Lane, or access Brook lane from Victoria Road throughout the period of construction. In addition to strengthening the Victoria Road Bridge, engineers will take undertake essential maintenance work to the bridge at the same time. Click here to see a location map.

'Cycle Chester' latest information: Click here for a document outlining a brief snapshot of relevant cycling information and activities in Chester for August 2010, as provided by members of the Cycle Chester Steering Group.

Cycling Development Towns: Click here see the headline document outlining the results of the first six Cycling Development Towns projects in England. The full report is available through Cheshire West and Chester Council upon request.

The Bickerton Challenge Rides 25th July in aid of Help4Heroes: Click here for a provisional report of The Bickerton Challenge rides. Full details of the total amount raised by riders and supporters will be posted here in early September. If you would like to know more about the work of this worthwhile charity, have a look at the Help4Heroes August 2010 Newsletter. The Bickerton Challenge Rides were part of a huge and successful fund raising operation that has raised £37m over the last year.

Chester and North Wales CTC Treasurer
Situation Vacant!

Well, not just yet, but your committee are seeking a candidate to take over the reins of our finances from the current treasurer at the next AGM on November 7th 2010. At present the accounts are kept manually but there is no set format so they can be customised, or you could start afresh with your own ideas – manual, electronic, whatever! And there is no shortage of help with getting started – as much or as little as you want.

Why not give it a go? Email Mike Cross, Glennys Hammond, or John Mawson for more information and a chat about what the job entails.

Lake Vyrnwy for Sale: The Vyrnwy estate in Powys was recently put up for sale by Severn Trent Water and is expected to fetch £11m. An online campaign has been launched with the aim of securing a million Welsh people to buy at least a £10 share of the 23,000 acres (93 sq km). Nature-lovers and people passionate about Wales are being urged to club together to buy a beauty spot. The hope is that enough investors will come forward to ensure public access to the site for future generations. The campaign to buy the Estate was recently launched on the social networking site Facebook by Heledd Wyn Hardy, from Cardiff. Vyrnwy is a regular and much loved destination for all local cyclists. Click here for the BBC Press release and here for the Facebook campaign to raise the cash.

Closure of Cycle Path: The cycle path along the river between Rhyl and Rhuddlan is closed at the moment as the level of the path is being raised. Further information will be made available when known.

Annual President's Ride and Lunch, Sunday 5th September: This year's ride starts and finishes at Walk Mill Bakery and Café (GR 487643), where refreshments and parking are available. A two-course salad lunch will be provided at Tilston War Memorial Hall for a modest £6.00 per person. Two rides are planned - a shorter one and a longer one. Meet for a photocall at 11.45am - rides start at 11am.
The 2010 President's Trophy will be awarded at the Tilston Lunch. Come and socialise with your cycling friends, make new ones, and support the winner of the Trophy for 2010! The closing date for bookings is 27th August. Click here for a booking form.

Eureka Café 81st Anniversary Ride 29th August 2010: Each year the anniversary rides are extended by one mile. This year there are three rides starting and finishing at the café: 81miles (9.00am start), 51 miles (9.30am start) and a new 33 mile ride (10.00am start). Lunch will be available at Holt for the 81 and 51 mile rides and at the Eureka café for the 33 mile ride. Route sheets will be available at check-in. No entry on the day. Entry forms from The Eureka Café or

'The Bickerton Challenge Rides', 25th July 2010 - in aid of 'Help for Heroes': On behalf of Chester and North Wales CTC, President Mike Cross wishes to express his thanks to all those who took part in or helped with these rides. In particular, he wishes to thank David Ackerley whose idea this event was, and for the hard work he put into organising such a successful day. David was 'on duty' at Bickerton from 6.30 in the morning until well into the evening on the day of the rides. This was in addition to planning the rides beforehand and dealing with all the administration both before and after the event. There is still time to donate as prizes won't be announced until 31st August when all donations have been received. Download a donations form on the Events 2010 page, collect donations, or simply make one yourself. Send your cheque (payable to 'The Bickerton Challenge') to the address on the form. Many thanks to all who have ridden and already donated. We anticipate that a substantial sum will be raised for this worthy charity. Click here for an interim report.

News Sheet No 17: You can see News Sheet No 17 here. If you have changed your email address and still wish to receive News Sheets by email please notify the of your new email address.

CTC National AGM and Dinner, 15th May 2010: CTC members gathered at Loughborough University on Saturday 15 May for the CTC AGM. The agenda included three key motions to convert the whole of CTC - the UK's national cyclists' organisation into a charity. Almost 4000 CTC members cast their votes. Motions 1 - 9 were passed, including Motion 8, which stated that the Cyclists' Touring Club should be a registered charity and merge with the CTC Charitable Trust to form a unified membership organisation with charitable status. Motion 10 however, which proposed revising the Memorandum and Articles of the Cyclists' Touring Club to meet the requirements of a charity, achieved 61% of the vote but needed 75% of support from CTC's membership to pass. You can read more on the CTC website. Our winning CTC Competition team (Andy, Dave, Lowri, Ifor, Graham and Vicky), Chester and North Wales CTC President Mike Cross, and Sue Booth (North West England Volunteer of the Year) also attended the event. Click here for a few photos.

A540 Safety Improvements Survey: Chester Cycling Campaign and other local cycling organisations are fighting for improvements to be made to the A540 to protect the safety of the many cyclists who use this route for commuting, training, and/or leisure cycling. In order to be able to press for improvements, it is important to gather cyclists' views about their preferred options for potential safety improvements to the road.

How to take Part: Please take a few minutes to register your views which will be used in our liaison work with the relevant Highways Authorities, and Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC). To participate in the survey, simply go on-line and complete the survey form which you will find on the Chester Cycling Campaign website.

The survey is supported by cyclists affiliated to the CTC, Chester and North Wales CTC, Birkenhead North End Cycling Club, Merseyside Cycling Campaign, and Sustrans.

Tri-ennial Veterans 100, 4th July 2010: Chester and North Wales CTC President, Mike Cross, wishes to thank most sincerely all those who helped in any way with the 100-mile Triennial Veterans' Ride held on Sunday 4th July and who made it such a success. Most of the helpers had a very long day, especially the organiser, David Ackerley, who must also be congratulated on his patient work over the past few months in masterminding the whole event. Click here for a report on the event and here for a selection of photos.

Halfords Tour Series City Centre Race, Chester 21st June 2010: The Tour Series is a calendar of ten races taking place across the country in May and June 2010. These exciting races are held over a set number of laps on short town and city centre circuits, allowing the public to see spectacular action, high speeds and intense racing at first hand. This is the second year of a thrilling battle of the bikes in Chester. The cycle racing took part in the heart of Chester City Centre starting at the Town Hall Square. Visit the Tour Series Website for the results. Click here for the official Chester photos and here for some excellent photos by Andy Polakowski.

Tilly's Coffee Shop, Bunbury Lane, Bunbury CW6 9QS: This new licensed café (the only one in Bunbury) was opened at the beginning of May with plenty of seating and an outside terrace. The menu offers a wide choice of food suitable for hungry cyclists which is reasonably priced and freshly prepared in the open kitchen. Unfortunately, at the moment, the café is not open on Sundays; times are Monday to Friday, 9-5pm, Saturdays 9-4pm, telephone 01829-261591.

Cyclists' Memorial Service, Meriden - 16th May 2010: The Cyclists' Memorial Service is part of the Heart of England Cycling Rally organised by CTC Heart of England Member Group over the weekend of 15th-16th May. Some of our winning CTC National Competition team competed in the Treasure Hunt and attended the memorial service in Meriden - designated the centre of England. Click here for some photos and the Order of Service. (Information and photos from Andy Polakowski.)

Deva Link Access Ramp: The newly-completed Deva Link Access Ramp linking the Greenway to the Deva Link Road and the Shropshire Union Canal is now open to the public. Funded by Cycling England, Sustrans Connect2 and Cheshire West and Chester Council, the ramps provide access for cyclists and pedestrians to these great off road routes.

Bob Clift Memorial Cheshire Cycleway Rides - 13th June 2010: The President, Mike Cross, wishes to thank most warmly Dorothy Clift and Hazel McDougall, the organisers of the Bob Clift Memorial Cheshire Cycleway Rides, and all those who helped in any way to make it a success. Click here for a selection of photos.

Chester Challenge - 29th August 2010: This is the third year of the 'Chester Challenge' in aid of a small newly-formed charity called IDEA League UK. This charity-sponsored event was started to raise money in support of families and children in the UK suffering from a very rare condition known as Dravet Syndrome, one of the most catastrophic epilepsies. There are four cycle routes of 12, 25, 60 and 80 miles around scenic country lanes starting from Old Hall Country Club and Spa in Huntington. Click here for more information and here for the Chester Challenge website.

Team Green Britain Bike Week 19-27th June - be a part of it! Check out www.bikeweek.org.uk to find events near you. If you register your interest and sign up to Team Green Britain by 4th June you will automatically receive a voucher for 10% off purchase from Raleigh at www.cyclelife.com. You could give your local event a real boost too. By signing up you will not only receive advice and support on living a more sustainable lifestyle, but you could also help your chosen event claim a reward.

CTC Two Mills is promoting two events during the week: on Saturday 19th June, a morning cycle ride just for women, and on the evening of Tuesday 22nd June, a treasure hunt using your bike. You can collect valuable points for the CTC Tourist Competition, too. Click here for details of the morning cycle ride and here for details of the treasure hunt.

Two Mills 'Pedal it Pink Ride' 17th April 2010: CTC Two Mills organised a Pedal it Pink ride to raise money for Breast Cancer Research. Wirral Bicycle Belles riders were joined by women from Chester's Fabulous Ladies for a round trip taking in Port Sunlight, Spital, Raby Mere, Ness, Wirral Way, Raby, Thornton, and completing the ride at Port Sunlight. A report and photos can be found here.

B&B, Caravan and Camping Weekend 7th - 10th May 2010: During this annual long weekend, a group of Chester and North Wales CTC members cycled the country lanes around Lacock, Wiltshire. The group enjoyed some excellent planned rides in the surrounding countryside. You can see the report and photos here.

Post of Secretary - Chester and North Wales CTC: Glennys Hammond will not be standing for re-election as Secretary at the Chester and North Wales CTC Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held on 7th November 2010, and therefore a new Secretary will be required. Click here for a summary of the Secretary's role. Glennys will continue as Website Editor.

Treasure Hunt and Map Reading Competitions 1st May 2010: This successful event was organised by Lowri Evans and centred on Denbigh. Prizes were presented by President of Chester and North Wales CTC, Mike Cross. Click here for a report, including results and some photos.

Early Spring Tourist Trial - 28th March 2010
The finishers list is now available on the Events 2010 page and on the Two Mills page.

A540 Safety for Cyclists near the Eureka Café: If you are concerned about safety for cyclists near the Eureka Café please consider using the brilliant CWaC 'report a fault' procedure to get the footpath repaired/reinstated on the A540 from Badgersrake Lane to the A550. If we can achieve this the footpath could be used by both pedestrians and cyclists.
The procedure is as follows: Go to CWaC's Interactive Mapping website, click on 'Highway Faults', select 'Pavement (Footway)' from the 'Select category:' dropdown, then select 'Other' from the 'Select Fault:' dropdown. Enter the Eureka Café postcode (CH1 6EZ) in the Location Search Box above the map, then drag the map to show the stretch of road between Badgersrake Lane and the A550. Zoom in until the location flag turns red, then drag the red flag onto the map between Badgersrake Lane and the A550. In the Fault Location box, enter, for example: 'The footpath is on the A540 (Parkgate Road), runs from , and is set back on the grass verge close to the hedge.' Then, in the Fault Description box, enter, for example: 'This footpath is badly in need of maintenance. If it is repaired and reinstated, cyclists would be able to travel in safety along this very busy stretch of road, on which two cyclists have been killed and others seriously injured in recent years.' (Use your own words.)
You can use the same interactive mapping procedure to report potholes and other road defects.

The 'Park That Bike' Project is working with Cheshire West and Chester Council to help improve the quantity and quality of cycle parking in Chester. The project offers up to 4 Sheffield stands free of charge to local voluntary sector groups, charities, social enterprises and small businesses. Each stand holds two bikes neatly and securely. The stands are available on a first-come, first-served basis during 2010, but the applicants must install them on their premises in approved locations. Recently, Chester Cycling Campaign compiled a list of premises where cycle stands would be useful. This list was passed to the Project Team which is currently contacting all listed people to encourage them to apply for free stands. If local CTC members know of organisations that would benefit from cycle parking within the Chester City Boundary, please tell the Project Team. The application form for free stands, plus a promotional poster can be downloaded from the Cycle Chester website or phone 01594 564 344 if you prefer hard copies.

Curzon Park Cycle and Pedestrian Bridge: The Cycle Chester team, part of Cheshire West and Chester Council's Planning & Transport Service, has been working over the past two years to make cycling in Chester a realistic option for people who don't ride for one reason or another. The team has looked at problem areas across the city and is trying to make cycling a regular part of day to day life. Cycle Chester aims to link up these areas by providing cyclists and pedestrians with less busy traffic routes. The Curzon Park Cycle and Pedestrian Bridge proposal would replace the existing pedestrian footbridge and create less congested journeys for cyclists and pedestrians to and from Curzon Park to the Roodee and into Chester. Cycle Chester is holding a public event where people can view and comment on this new, exciting Bridge proposal. A drop-in event will be held Wednesday 21st April, 1:30pm - 7pm in Room 3 of the Chester Quaker Meeting House, Frodsham Street, Chester. Any interested person can attend and share their comments and suggestions on the Curzon Park Cycle and Pedestrian Bridge proposal at any point during the day. From midday on 21st April until 3pm on 22nd April information can be found on the CWaC website where comments and feedback on the scheme can be forwarded to the Cycle Chester Team. (Information from Bethan Vaughan, Cycle Chester Programme Manager)

Early Spring Tourist Trial - Sunday 28th March 2010: The Scout Headquarters at Higher Kinnerton was the scene of great activity for the annual Early Spring Tourist Trial - 50 miles in 4 or 5 hours. The event, which was expertly organised and managed by Janet Gregory and her team of helpers, ran like clockwork, with refreshments at start and finish and a superb lunch provided at Overton Village Hall. You can read a report of the event here and see a wide selection of photos here.

Two Mills Dinner, Ship Hotel, Parkgate 13th February 2010: This superb well-attended event was organised by Barbara Smith. Click here for a selection of photographs.

Bicycle Belles: This new women-only cycling group meets at 10.00am in front of the railway station at Greendale Road, Port Sunlight on the third Saturday morning of each month. The rides will be approximately 15 miles with a café stop midway and paced to the slowest. Ten riders met for the first successful ride of 12 miles on Saturday 20th February. Click here for more information and here to see the new Bicycle Belles blog.

New Café - Mamagama's, Burwardsley: The café was opened in June 2009 - GR 117/506559. It's part of the Mickerloo Art Gallery and Workshops in the Mickerloo Barn. Opening hours are 10am-4pm every day but closed on Tuesdays. Tel: 01829-771568. Website: www.mickerloo-arts.co.uk. Food is reasonably priced, locally resourced, home-made and in very pleasant modern surroundings.

New store for Eureka Cycle Sports: From 9th January 2010 Eureka Cycle Sports shop is moving to larger premises in Mollington. More information here.

New Year's Day 2010 Lunches: Riders from Wirral, Cheshire and North Wales met for the annual New Year's Day lunches at Carden Arms, Tilston, and Mclean's Pub, Pentre. See reports and photos of the Carden Arms here, and McLean's Pub here.

Wrexham Reivers and Mold Informals Christmas Lunch: Click here for a selection of photos of the Wrexham and Mold Groups' Christmas Lunch held at the Ponderosa, Horseshoe Pass on 22nd December 2009.

Wednesday Riders Christmas Lunch: Click here for a selection of photos of the Wednesday Riders Christmas Lunch held at Trafford Hall, Bridge Trafford on 16th December 2009.

Chester and North Wales CTC Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on 1st November 2009 at Kinnerton Scout Headquarters, Higher Kinnerton. You can read a brief report and see photos of the winners of the 70th Anniversary 'Certificates of Meritorious Conduct' here.

CTC Competition Results 2009: Many congratulations to members of the Chester and North Wales CTC team for their success in winning the team category of the CTC Competition. The CH & NW team members are Andy Polakowski, David Statham, Ifor Jones, Lowri Evans, Graham Payne and Vicky Payne. Chester and North Wales won with 629 points for 68 rides, followed by West Yorkshire with 597 points for 72 rides and South Bucks with 532 points for 57 rides. The team will be presented with a trophy and medallions at the CTC AGM on 15th May 2010 in Loughborough. Congratulations also for their high individual ranking in the Competition. Lowri Evans is 2nd Lady, Andy Polakowski is joint 6th, David Statham is 9th and Ifor Jones is 10th. Graham and Vicky Payne are placed a creditable joint 35th considering the vast number of entrants in the competition. See the full results of the CTC Competition here.

Recovery of stolen bicycles: Cheshire Constabulary has recovered about 300 stolen bicycles from a farm in Hargrave. They are trying to identify the owners of these bikes and will be putting an article in local papers to appeal for owners to come forward. They will also be arranging viewing days and marrying up the bikes to their lists of stolen pedal cycles over the past few years. A local man has been arrested and is helping police with their enquiries (ref: Cheshire Constabulary News Bulletin - Western Rural Round-up - 7th December 2009).

Johnny Helms Obituary: On 5th November 2009, the local and national cycling fraternities lost their well-loved cartoonist Johnny Helms, at the age of 85 years. His obituary is reproduced here - courtesy of Merseyside CTC.

'Think Bike' signs on the A540: Temporary 'Think Bike' warning signs were erected by Cheshire West and Chester (CWaC) Road Safety Team at the end of October 2009 on the A540 at several points near the Eureka Café. They will be re-erected at the end of January 2010 to other suitable locations along the A540 towards Parkgate.
On behalf of various cycling groups, Chester Cycling Campaign is requesting a meeting with Cheshire West and Chester Council representatives to discuss the lack of safety on the A540 from the A494 (formerly the A5117) as far as 'Leahurst', Hanns Hall Road, Neston. (News item from Peter Williams, Right 2 Ride Representative)

Official Opening of Chester Millennium Greenway Extension - 25th October 2009: The latest section of the Millennium Greenway from Mickle Trafford to Newton was officially opened with a sponsored walk and fun-day. A new pedestrian bridge across the Chester to Manchester railway line is complete and safety barriers erected at each side. Access points are situated at Fairfield Road, Mannings Lane (South), the A41 at Greenfield Lane, an access point near Guilden Sutton (Park Farm bridleway) and Station Lane, Mickle Trafford. Several of our groups rode along the new extension at some point in the day. Peter Williams and Janet Gregory promoted Chester and North Wales CTC on the day with a stand in the main marquee. You can see a selection of photos here.

Safety Problem at Farndon/Holt Road Bridge: Cyclists - please be aware that traffic detection equipment within the road surface is unable to detect cyclists and therefore is not prolonging the red period of the traffic lights. This results in motorists from the opposite side having an early green light and meeting cyclists mid-bridge. The situation may not be resolved for at least several months so take care!!

CTC Two Mills - Liverpool Culture Ride 18th October 2009: From the Pier head in Liverpool, Graham and Margaret planned and led a very interesting themed ride taking in some Art Deco buildings, including the Crown Plaza Hotel, the Bryant & May match factory, the Littlewoods building and a great finish at the Ship and Mitre pub. See some photos here.

Election of CTC Councillors for the North West Region: The closing date for voting to elect two members of Council to represent the NW Region closed on Friday, 16th October. Our congratulations to David Robinson, who was re-elected as a CTC Councillor for the North West Region, and to Welna Bowden, who was elected as our second CTC North West Councillor for the first time. They will serve as Councillors for three years commencing 1 January 2010. Results of the election will be formally announced to Council at the meeting to be held on 24th October at the Mechanics Institute in Manchester, and in the next issue of Cycle magazine.

Mike's 75th Birthday outing for the Wednesday Riders. 9th September 2009: Our President, Mike Cross, had planned a delightful, easy-paced, car-assisted ride starting from Chirk, where fourteen riders met up at the town car park. The coffee stop was at Whittington Castle where a new café has been opened in the attractive Castle gardens. It's well worth a visit. Twelve more riders who joined us at the Red Lion Coaching Inn at Ellesmere, had ridden from the Eureka. The return ride to Chirk included afternoon tea and cake at Betty's Tea Shop, Derwen College, Gobowen. Apart from missing Reg near the end of the ride, the day was very relaxed and enjoyable, and the weather was warm and sunny for the whole ride. Look at a selection of photos here.

Wrexham Reivers 70th Anniversary Ride to the Northgate Arena 5th September 2009:
Our select group of fourteen riders known as the Wrexham Rievers, left the café in Gwersyllt as usual just after 9.30am. Riders included the Dilworths on a tandem! The route to Chester took us through Llay, Kinnerton, and towards the Saltney crossing of the Dee. Here, we turned left just to add on a few more miles! From the direction of Sealand, we travelled on the excellent cycle path to give us better access to the Northgate Arena in Chester. As we hadn't had a 'café stop', we had a real treat of a picnic in a Chester park - sponge, cookies and shortbread all home-made and very tasty, courtesy of Lowri! By the time we reached Northgate Arena we had clocked up 25 miles, nearly twice the normal distance from Wrexham! Leaving the Cycle Sale quite loaded with our purchases, we took an indirect route home via the Ice Cream Farm - where we had a rather late lunch! By the time we got back to Wrexham we had done a respectable 54 miles. An excellent day out in kind weather! (text from Gareth Williams)

Chester Touring & Mountain Bike Club's 70th Anniversary CTC Ride 6th September 2009: The Chester Group met at Christleton Pond for their usual monthly ride. Their route took them via Northop Hall, climbing over Moel-Y-Crio to Cilcain for lunch at the White Horse Inn. It was well worth the effort to experience the stunning views of Moel Fammau and the Halkyns. A spontaneous decision by the group to celebrate CH&NW CTC's 70th Anniversary with (C)coffee (T)tea and (C)cakes at the Grosvenor Hotel in Chester at the end of the ride, provided a very enjoyable and unexpected end to the day. Read Sue's Report here.

Progress on the Millennium Greenway: Construction work is progressing well. There is a new access point at Mickle Trafford which by-passes the original right of way and an adjacent property. Work on the access from Guilden Sutton and the Railway Bridge is impressive. When the Greenway is completed and landscaped it will be extremely welcome as an extra route out of Chester to the Cheshire countryside. The date for the Grand opening at the Fairfield Road bridge at Newton Hollows, Chester, is scheduled for 25th October. Have a look at some sneak photos taken while the contractors were away on Bank Holiday Monday!

CTC Two Mills 70th Anniversary Event 23rd August 2009: This excellent event was attended and thoroughly enjoyed by Mike (President CH&NW CTC) and his wife Pam. Coffee (brewed on picnic stove) and biscuits at Hadlow Road Station, a ride to Royden Park, W. Kirby, buffet lunch laid on at Royden Park and return to Hadlow Road Station for more tea, scones and cream and the cutting of their own celebratory cake by Janet (Secretary CTC Two Mills). Graham James rode a bike of the period dressed in plus-fours and a deerstalker (amongst other items of clothing, of course) and Margaret Blakeborough, dressed in a tasteful floral dress and knitted hat, rode an antique New Hudson. See a report of the event here.

Television debut for Wrexham Reivers and Café Hoppers! Wrexham Reivers is one of our Chester and North Wales CTC Informal Groups (IG) that regularly ride with the Café Hoppers - formerly a 'Section' and now an independent group. The groups were filmed recently to celebrate the Café Hoppers' 10th anniversary and the success of the CH&NW CTC riders in both the individual and team results in the 2008 CTC Touring Competition. The groups were filmed in the drizzle at The Ponderosa at the Horseshoe Pass. For any of our members who would like to see the broadcast, it will be shown as part of the 6.30pm evening news (BBC Wales) on Monday 17th August. That's the intention - unless there is some news item deemed more important to replace it. (Information from Lowri Evans)

Chester and North Wales CTC 70th Anniversary Rides 19th July 2009: This event to celebrate the founding of Chester and North Wales DA in 1939, took place on Sunday 19th July starting and finishing at Bickerton Village Hall. There were three rides: a 75-mile ride which covered some serious climbs in Wales, a 50-mile ride taking in Delamere Forest and the Peckforton hills, and a 25-mile ride around the Cheshire lanes. In all, 106 entries were accepted of which 101 riders started. There were 26 starters on the A ride, 50 starters on the B ride and 25 starters on the C ride. Riders were welcomed back to Bickerton Village Hall to a superb sit-down tea. The prize draw winners were: Brian Pendlebury who won the bicycle, Mike Cross who won the Garmin GPS, and Harvey Blair who won a pair of cycling shoes. Prizes were very generously donated by The Bike Factory. Despite the poor weather, including torrential rain at times, there were many compliments about the route planning and organisation, and afterwards, the very welcome meal provided for very hungry riders. An extremely tasty 70th birthday cake, made by Margaret Pendlebury, was decorated with the 70th Anniversary logo and a piece was given to every rider. Click here to see a report by the organiser, David Ackerley, and here to see the photos taken during the event.

Wanted - archive material about CTC's pre-1939 North Wales DA: In 2009 the Chester & North Wales CTC (formerly District Association) celebrates its 70th Anniversary. As the clouds of war gathered over Europe in 1939, a very active Chester Section separated from the Liverpool DA to amalgamate with the North Wales DA. The latter had become inactive after a vigorous social calendar earlier in that decade. Our knowledge of the North Wales DA is limited. Roy Spilsbury would like to know more. Are there any photographs or written accounts amongst family archives? If you have anything and would like to share a treasure or two with visitors to www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk, please contact

Bert Bailey Memorial Veterans' 100 Tourist Trial, 5 July 2009: Mike Cross, the President, wishes to thank David Ackerley for organising and planning this event. He thanks David and his team of helpers most warmly for the hard work they undoubtedly put in to make it such a success. He hopes, too, that all riders who took part had an enjoyable day with good cycling and good companionship, through pleasant countryside in what was generally good weather. You can see a report from the Event Organiser here and a selection of photographs here.

Tour Series Round 9 Cycle Race, Chester 23rd June 2009: This was the first ever Tour Series, an exciting new concept of city centre cycle racing. Ten of the best British racing teams took part and riders included two Olympic medallists from Beijing as well as some great up and coming talent. The circuit began and finished in Northgate Street, Town Hall Square - a great natural amphitheatre for spectator viewing although there were other excellent viewing points. Cyclists raced passed the Town hall and Cathedral and under the City's Roman walls twice per lap. An expected rainfall at one point tested the riders' skills round corners and over a wet set of cobbles. After nine rounds, and almost 500km of racing the top three teams in this year's Tour Series were separated by one single point. The team of the early rounds, Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta packed a trio of Russell Downing, Malcolm Elliot and Graham Briggs into the first six positions and took the win by a whisker from Rapha-Condor - as Team Halfords Bikehut crossed the line a beaten team on the night. However they held onto the overall lead going into the final race of this year's Tour Series in Southend-on-Sea. Click here to see the final result of the Tour Series and here to see photos of the Chester event including a community parade of bicycles.

Bob Clift Memorial Cheshire Cycleway Rides. 14th June 2009: As well as being a regular annual event for Chester and North Wales CTC, the Bob Clift rides were planned to coincide with Bike Week which spanned 13th to 21st June. In spite of some late changes, such as the starting venue and the 100 mile lunch stop, it was a very successful event. The number of 100-mile entries was down on previous years, at 20, but the number of 50-mile entries was well up, at 98. This high number caused some consternation at the Jessie Hughes Institute in Eaton where the 50 milers have their lunch but the Women's Institute coped beautifully as we knew they would. For the first time this year we had a 25 mile ride which had 25 entries, some of them children. The Waverton Institute was a very satisfactory alternative to Christleton Sports Centre as our starting and finishing point. The good weather was a bonus, of course. Thank you to all who rode and contributed to making it a very successful day. Lastly, Dorothy Clift and I as event organisers would like to give special thanks to all our willing helpers without whom the event would not take place. You can see photos of the event here. (Hazel McDougall)

Opening of Pen-y-Clip Bridges: On Friday 19th June the new Pen-y-Clip section of National Cycle Route 5 between Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan was opened to the public. Comprising two bridges connected by the spectacular and rarely used carriageway built by Thomas Telford in the early nineteenth century, this upgraded coastal headland route not only meets an important need for the communities immediately involved, but also provides a safe passage for commuting and leisure cyclists. Sue Booth (Chester and North Wales CTC Development Officer) and Sonya Oldershaw cycled National Cycleroute 5 (NC5) from Holyhead to Chester on 16th to 17th June to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Chester and North Wales CTC. They were the first cyclists to cross the bridges and were accompanied for part of the route by Roy Spilsbury (CTC Cymru and editor of www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk) who has tirelessly campaigned for the provision of bridges at this point. Click here to see photographs of the Pen-y-Clip bridges, and Sue, Sonya and Roy at the bridge.

Honorary Auditor required for Chester and North Wales CTC: The club must appoint an Auditor to audit our end-of-year accounts. This is not time-consuming, carries no remuneration, nor is it necessary to be an accountant or a member of CTC, but knowledge of the auditing process is desirable. If you are interested or know someone who may be willing to take on this voluntary task please contact the Secretary.

Cheshire Constabulary - Random Bicycle Checks in Chester: Police in Chester are carrying out checks on cyclists in the city as part of a new operation to crackdown on thieves. The number of pedal cycles being stolen has risen over the last few weeks across the city. To tackle the issue, officers will be carrying out random checks on cyclists. Inspector Ian Thorp said: 'We hope that genuine cyclists will be patient with us over this period. We want to protect them and make sure they don't become victims of theft. In order to do that we will be stopping people and questioning them about their bicycles. In most cases we will be able to establish if they are genuine by talking to the riders on the street. However, this operation could also involve officers taking bikes off the street for a thorough investigation to ascertain the true owner.' Cyclists are also being asked to make sure their bicycles are left secure when they are unattended. The checks have taken place and continue to do so. In one successful case, officers recovered a £2,000 stolen bicycle and arrests have been made Local PCSOs have also been running bicycle marking schemes. In recent weeks, since this operation began, the number of thefts has dropped.
The local Chester District Police Community Officer will be on the Countess of Chester Hospital Site, Liverpool Road offering free security marking for your cycle during lunchtime on 16 June between 12 noon and 2pm. Visit www.cyclechester.com for more information.

Bodfari Rally Weekend, 1 to 4 May 2009: I was pleased with the success of the Bodfari Rally Weekend, and would like to thank all those who supported it in any way. We estimated that around 60 Chester and North Wales members (from both sides of the Clwyds) attended all or part of this, our 'own', celebration of our 70th Anniversary. In particular, thanks are due: to Lowri Evans for her organisation of the Treasure Hunt and Map Reading Competitions on Saturday 2 May; to Bob Witton and Pam Cross for planning and organising rides; and especially to Arthur Miller who chose the camp site for the campers and caravanners and organised the first-rate (and fully booked) Dinner at the Kinmel Arms on Sunday 3rd May. With the success of the CTC AGM and National Dinner the previous weekend, we have had an excellent start to our Anniversary Year. I sincerely hope that our other events planned for the coming months will be equally well supported. Mike Cross
Click here for some photos.

CTC National AGM, Dinner and organised rides took place on 25-26 April 2009 at the Queen Hotel in Chester. Click here for the list of national prize winners. The official launch of Chester as a Cycling Demonsration Town (CDT) began on Saturday in Chester with the Chester Cycling Festival consisting of twenty stalls representing businesses and organisations in Chester. Sunday rides to suit all abilities were planned to start from the Queen Hotel. Click here for a selection of photos, and here for the CH &NW CTC President's Dinner Speech. Details of the events and rides will follow soon.

A Message from Your President: I would like to thank all those who helped to make the weekend of 25th and 26th April such a success. This includes those who helped at the CTC stall in the Town Hall Square, Chester on Saturday; those who turned up at the CTC AGM on Saturday afternoon; as well as those who organised and led rides on Sunday or helped in any way at all. Alan Mealing's Blue Badge guided tour of Chester on Saturday afternoon raised £41 in donations to the local Hospice. As far as the CTC National Dinner and Awards Presentation is concerned, the support that Sue Cherry (from National Office), David Robinson and I received was outstanding. It was gratifying to discover that of the 160 diners present (one of the highest number of attendees recorded at this annual event), over a third were from Chester and North Wales CTC. Warmest thanks to everyone concerned. Mike Cross

Early Season Tourist Trial, Sunday 5 April 2009: 150 riders registered in advance for the event - a record, we think. We'd like to extend a very big 'thank you' to those Chester and North Wales members, their friends and family who rallied to the late call for extra help. Everyone was registered inside the Scout HQ at Kinnerton and started on the 50 mile course - 15 groups, 5 minutes apart. The weather was dry and bright throughout. At the second control, young Kate 'Bailey' took 150 photos. Was that one of every rider checked through? The buffet lunch at Overton is always popular. Amazingly, all our cyclists completed to collect their individual certificate at the end. Whilst tourists enjoyed the fine spring day, the flowers and the little lambs, others put themselves 'against the clock'. Amongst the personal bests: Frank Kinlan retained top place for the third year in a row, one minute up on newcomer, Nick Cavill. Val Smith did us women proud. She was followed very closely by junior rider, Abigail Forshaw. Vicky Payne, on tandem with Graham, also turned-in an excellent time. John Hamblett was a strong veteran. All seven of our Eryri group finished together in 4½ hours. Doreen has been training them hard on those Welsh hills! CTC chair, David Robinson, who completed in 5 hours, reckoned that he had been introduced to some new lanes in the area. The missing pair of glasses has since been found. Please contact Derek Rowlands at Broad Oaks farm, telephone 01244-660834 See some of the photos here. Kate's photos will be posted when we receive them (Janet Gregory, event organiser).

A Newsletter for CTC Members in the North West: Have you ever wondered what your CTC Councillors actually do, or what goes on at Council meetings? One of our Council members for the North West, David Butler, has started a lively and interesting newsletter for members in our area revealing all! (The other North West Councillor and Chair of CTC Council is David Robinson). Read the Newsletter for yourself!

Get Paid For Cycling! Cheshire County Council is offering a fantastic opportunity for local cyclists to become Bikeability Cycle Trainers. Bikeability was launched in 2007 and is 'cycling proficiency' for the 21st Century. It is great fun both for kids and trainers. The four-day training course is free, and you would then be paid for delivering training at schools. Contact Anna for more details.

The 'Clwydian' 200k and 'The Clwyd Gate' 138k Audax Rides
21 March 2009

We were very lucky with the weather for these 2 events. It was dry and varied between misty and sunny, albeit a little chilly. There were approximately 50 entries for each event (the maximum allowed) and 40 starters/finishers for each ride. Everyone who entered seemed to enjoy themselves. Climbing on the Clwydian has been reassessed at 3500m (originally assessed as 1500m!) so the ride now carries 3.5 AAA points. The Clwyd Gate is to be reassessed in future, but is unlikely to increase much from the current 2.25 AAA points. Overall the rides were a great success (David Matthews).

Christleton Tea Rooms: The ladies of Christleton Village will be serving refreshing teas and homemade cakes from 2.30-4.30pm each Sunday in the Methodist Church Hall opposite Christleton Pond (otherwise known as the Pit), commencing June 7th to the end of September. A large sign will be in place when afternoon teas are available. Cyclists are very welcome.

CTC Two Mills Half Wheel Trophy: CTC Two Mills group held its annual lunch on Sunday 15th March at the Cheshire Cat pub in Christleton. Approximately 30 cyclists were at the pub to see Janet awarded the infamous half wheel trophy. CTC Two Mills Chair, Bob Witton, composed an amusing verse about the trophy for the occasion. The ride from the Eureka Café included the Greenway at Blacon where we were sorry to see that three of the five meercats in one of the sculptures had been vandalised. Click here for photos of the ride and presentation.

Cyclist assaulted in Saltney, information wanted: A 39-year-old cyclist was assaulted and knocked unconscious by five men between River Lane and Ferry Lane in Saltney at 5 pm on Tuesday March 17. The men were in their late teens or early twenties, four white and one Asian (who is believed to have attacked the cyclist). He is described as about 5' 8" tall, stocky with black hair, unshaven and wearing a light grey hoodie over his head. Anyone with information should call Mold CID on 0845-607-1002 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555111. Alternatively, send a text to 66767 or email North Wales Police.

Snowdon Charity Bike Ride 7th March 2009: On Saturday 7th March, 'Mold Informals' Team Tony Small, Jono Small, Tony Wilkins & Alan Mort set off in bright sunshine to ride the Snowdon Charity Bike Ride. After they left Llanberis to begin the four-mile climb to Pen-y-pas, the weather changed to gusting head-winds and lashing rain! On the long descent to Beddgelert the roads were awash and they were soaked. Conditions improved slightly on the climb back to Rhyd-ddu but the hot soup provided by the Cwellyn Arms at the finish was most welcome. Regardless of the weather, the successful team had a memorable ride in the mountains - and also raised some money for a worthwhile charity.

CTC is now on Twitter: CTC is on the micro-blogging site Twitter.You can see what CTC is saying by reading their page on the Twitter site. Log on and see what CTC is tweeting about.

Chester Cycle City for all things cycling in Chester: Check out this new website, dedicated to cycling in and around Chester. Why Chester? Because Chester is a 'Cycle Development Town' (CDT) and exciting things are promised in and around the city. The website is currently populated with items from members of the Chester Cycle Campaign, including short routes, news items and an artist's view of the proposed bridge over the Dee. It also has a chat forum - 'posts' (a statement or a question) that can be part of a 'thread' (discussion or conversation). It's a fun way to observe and join a narrative about local cycling. You don't have to live in Chester - anyone who cycles here will have the opportunity to put forward views and suggestions. The more cyclists who use this website, the more use it will be, which can only lead to better cycling for all of us! Text from Sue Booth, Development Officer Chester & North Wales CTC.

First 'sustainable travel town' in Wales: Cardiff has been selected to become Wales' first 'sustainable travel town' in Wales by the assembly government. The £ 28.5m scheme aims to provide free cycle hire, bus travel around the city centre, and improved bike and walking routes. The city will receive the funding from the assembly government and the county council over the next two years. If the scheme is successful, it could be repeated in other areas of Wales. Read more about the scheme here.

Improvements to the A5117: On the 22nd Jan 2009 Peter Williams (CH&NW CTC Rights Officer) took part in an audit of the new section of the A5117 with other NMUs (Non-Motorised Users). The improvements are from the M56 Junction 16 at Dunkirk to the Deeside Park Junction A550/A548, a distance of 5km. This particular section had a poor safety record and facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders were very poor. The main aim of the road development scheme was to improve traffic flow along the route, which is part of the Trans-European Network connecting Ireland with Scandinavia. New routes for cyclists, horse riders and walkers are impressive, especially the new road bridge over the A5117 - now the A494. The purpose of the audit, which included representatives from walking groups, cycling groups and horse riding groups, was to point out any problems while walking the whole route. You can read Peter's report here.

Get Paid For Cycling! Cheshire County Council is offering a fantastic opportunity for local cyclists to become Bikeability Cycle Trainers. Bikeability was launched in 2007 and is 'cycling proficiency' for the 21st Century. It is great fun both for kids and trainers. The four-day training course is free, and you would then also be paid for delivering training at schools. For more details, contact Anna at Anna.Geroni@cheshire.gov.uk.

Photos taken at Christmas lunches: Our riding groups met for a variety of Christmas lunches and rides. Wednesday Riders had a very enjoyable lunch at Trafford Hall on Wednesday 10th December on a very cold and icy day. Mold Informals and Wrexham Reivers joined forces and held theirs at Cheshire Ice Cream Farm on Tuesday 16th December where they were made very welcome. Watson's Wanderers were joined by independent group, Chester Easy Riders, for their Christmas ride and lunch at the Carden Arms, Tilston on Thursday 18th December 2009. You can see a selection of photos from each lunch in the Photo Gallery.

CTC Cymru AGM: CTC Cymru AGM will be held on Saturday January 10th 2009 at the National Cycle Museum, Llandrindod Wells. Gwenda Owen, the new cycling training officer for Wales, will be attending and has been asked to talk about the first few months in her new post. CTC Cymru is in a critical state. We require a new Chairman and new blood to help take a National View of Cycling in Wales. We are hoping to run the four-day Welsh Cycling Festival at Rhayader again this year. Helpers are urgently required to assist. The reward is free entrance to the museum when you produce your CTC membership card at the AGM. (Text from Dave Twiddy, Hon Secretary CTC Cymru.)

Congratulations! This year Chester & N. Wales team has won the CTC Tourist Competition by a large margin. The team collected a grand total of 721 during the season, beating the closest team (Derby DA) by over 150 points. The team of six riders is made up of the riders in Chester and North Wales CTC who have the highest scores at the end of the season; these are Andy Polakowski (123), Peter Dilworth (122), Dave Statham (122), John Hamblett (121), Lowri Evans (119) and Ifor Jones (114). We were the only team that was able to complete the maximum number of counting rides available for a team (72 events, 12 per individual).

The competition for individual places was very close and again congratulations are in order as, in addition to the team award, Andy Polakowski has gained 2nd place overall and Peter Dilworth has taken third after a tie breaker. Dave Statham was equal 4th, John Hamblett was 7th and Ifor Jones was 11th. Tony Wilkinson narrowly missed making the team in equal 25th with a score of 94. Lowri Evans was the highest placed lady.

To gain the points the riders completed a wide range of rides from 50km events to those over 300km, off road rides and competitions. The awards will be presented at the CTC National Dinner in Chester in April 2009. Click here for a photo of the winning team.

CONGRATULATIONS

CH&NW CTC would like to extend our congratulations to all those athletes who won trophies at the

BBC PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2008

TV programme at Liverpool on 14th December 2008, but especially to our cycling heroes. In particular our congratulations go to:

CHRIS HOY of Cycling Team GB for winning the coveted 2008 BBC PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR award

DAVID BRAILSFORD, Cycling Team GB coach, for winning the 2008 TEAM COACH OF THE YEAR award

CYCLING TEAM GB for winning the 2008 TEAM OF THE YEAR award.

New Club Jerseys: It's Chester & North Wales CTC 70th anniversary in 2009. If you decide to order some new kit for winter or summer (we hope) there are plenty of special riding events and runs to show it off. Our official club colours are green and gold, of a striking design, highly visible, and come in a variety of styles for winter and especially (we hope) for the better weather to come. Our supplier will not deal with single item orders so if you are prepared to invest the necessary cash (£40+ because they are special designs) please or phone (0151-334-0978 or 07919-117738) Adele Blakeborough as soon as possible. You can see a front and back view of the design here.

Liverpool Culture Ride, 30th November 2008: Seventeen riders led by Graham James (planned by Graham and Keith Taverner) met at the Engineer's Monument near the Liver Building in Liverpool on a bright, cold and frosty morning. The party consisted mainly of Two Mills members but there were also some friends including canoeists, mountaineers and a conservationist! They visited several places of interest during their incredibly interesting ride including the Iron Men of Crosby. You can read about the ride here and see the photographs here.

Llysfasi Hill Climb and Freewheel 4th October 2008: Photos of this successful event, which was organised by Lowri Evans, are now available in the Photo Gallery.

Snowdon Charity Bike Ride 7-8th March 2009: Since it began in the 1990s this annual charity event, formerly known as the Snowdon Marathon Bike Hike, has raised more than £55,000 for charities. It's a bike ride of 30 miles on roads around Snowdon, starting at the Cwellyn Arms in Rhyd Ddu, from where the event is organised. Riding on either day, cyclists follow a picturesque route via Llanberis, Pen y Pass, Nant Gwynant and Beddgelert before returning to the Cwellyn Arms for a Completion Certificate and a bowl of home made soup. This is an informal, sociable event, with stewards on duty throughout the day. A fun day's cycling for family groups and leisure cyclists, a ride on tarmac for mountain bikers, or a challenge ride for club cyclists. Sponsorship and donations for the event will support the rescue services. More information here.

John Mosinski's sponsored bike ride: CH&NW CTC member John cycled Hadrian's Way to raise funds for the Coronary Care Unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital after suffering a heart attack last year. He completed the ride of 174 miles in three days beginning at Ravenglass on 29th September and finishing at South Shields on Wednesday 1st October. John finally raised £1155.90 which will go towards the cost of new flat screen TV sets to be installed on the coronary care ward at the countess of Chester Hospital where he was a patient in March of this year. He presented the cheque to the hospital on 18th November and he thanks everyone who sponsored him. Pictured with him in the presentation photograph are Ginnie Williams, Dr John Soumoroo and CTC member Steve Weakes.

Greenway Closures: Cheshire County Council (CCC) is planning to carry out structural strengthening work to various bridges that go over the Chester to Connah's Quay Greenway. The first of these is Newton Lane Bridge. Work will start on Mon 10th Nov and continue for approximately one month and will involve closing a section of the greenway and putting a diversion in place. Other bridge works will take place on: Manning Lane South Bridge, Liverpool Road Bridge & Victoria Road Bridge - these too will need closures during the construction period. Exact details are not available at the moment. Information will be posted on this website as it becomes available.

Design-a-Logo Competition: The Chester and North Wales CTC President and Chairman, Mike Cross, is pleased to announce that the winner of the 70th Anniversary Design-a-logo competition is Glennys Hammond. Although there weren't many entries, they were of a high standard. He thanks all who took the trouble to take part and assures all competitors that the competition was judged fairly and anonymously by an independent graphic artist. The logo will appear on all our documents, certificates and memorabilia during 2009.

Shotton is a pilot scheme in the Station Travel Plans (STP) project: In a recent CTC membership survey public transport access emerged as one of the greatest concerns for cyclists. One initiative that may be of interest to those members who want better station cycle parking and better access to stations is the Station Travel Plans (STP) project. Currently there are 31 stations included in a pilot project due to start next year. It may surprise you to learn that one of these stations is Shotton. You can take part in a survey if you are a passenger who uses the station. More information about the STP project and Shotton can be found here.

Cycle Chester: Chester City Council in partnership with Groundwork Wrexham, are putting on a programme of cycle rides for the general community to access within the Chester district. The aims of the cycle rides are to encourage those who enjoy cycling with other people, like shorter rides, or would like to improve their confidence on their bikes. The group is run by trained leaders who offer support and guidance to riders during the sessions. The routes are manageable distances that have minimal or no traffic. Further information can be found here.

John Mosinski's sponsored bike ride: DA member John cycled Hadrian's Way to raise funds for the Coronary Care Unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital after suffering a heart attack last year. He completed the ride of 174 miles in three days beginning at Ravenglass on 29th September and finishing at South Shields on Wednesday 1st October. All money raised will go towards the cost of new flat screen TV sets to be installed on the coronary care ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital where he was a patient in March of this year. John has raised £800 so far and his employers (BP Oil) will match his final figure. A fellow CTC member rode with him. Look at some photos here.

Eureka Cyclists Café and Shop: Chester and North Wales CTC is very pleased to announce that Keith and Anne Peek, owners of the famous Eureka Cyclists' Café and Shop, have agreed to give a 10% discount to CTC members on production of their CTC membership cards. The discount applies only to full-price goods purchased at Eureka Cycle Sports, not the Café. The discount also applies to parts required for repairs but not labour costs. The address and contact details of the shop can be found at www.eurekacyclesports.co.uk.

Cycle stand at M&S Money, Chester Business Park: Take a look at this excellent well-thought out cycle stand located just outside the store's main entrance. Many employers make no provision whatsoever for cycle parking. Those that do, put it 'around the back'. Marks and Spencer are to be applauded for bringing cycling to the fore as are the manufacturers of the cycle stand. Not only does this stand provide secure parking, with loops to pass a cable lock through both wheels and frame but it also keeps off the rain. It's compact and visually appealing too - so much better than those cranky iron contraptions favoured by the council. Look at the photo here. Report by Stan Thomas.

Certificate of Meritorious Service: Next year, 2009, is the 70th Anniversary of Chester and North Wales CTC. The Awards Committee feels that some recognition by the DA of individual members' contribution towards the work and welfare of the DA should be made. For 2009 only, the Awards Committee have decided to award seven 'Certificates for Meritorious Service to Chester and North Wales CTC'. Any member can nominate recipients for these awards. Details of how to nominate for the Awards can be found here.

Walk Mill Café and Bakery: This new café opened on 22nd August. Wheat grown in local fields, and flour produced by the Mill is used to bake their own bread and cakes. Walk Mill can be found just outside Waverton following signs for the Crocky Trail. Pass the Crocky Trail on the left and the sign for Walk Mill is just before Ford Farm on the right. The café is open Tuesdays to Sundays 10am-5pm, serving coffees, teas, sandwiches (with salad) and cakes (closed Mondays but open Bank Holidays). Cyclists may eat sandwiches in the picnic area if they buy drinks. Caroline (proprietor) would like prior notice if groups require sandwiches. Walk Mill homemade bread and local flour can also be purchased. Tel 01829 749373.

Cycle-friendly cafes and pubs: Many thanks are due to Brian Lowe who has spent a lot of time compiling a list of cycle-friendly cafes and pubs as an easy reference for individual riders, small groups or leaders of larger groups in the Chester and North Wales CTC area. They have all been used by CTC members in the past. However, it's always advisable to check availability and opening times with the proposed venue before making any plans. Changes will inevitably occur. If you would like to change or correct items in the list or add a new venue, please contact the co-ordinator Brian Lowe. Cafés and pubs are now included as a menu item on the navigation bar. The list can also be found here.

Family Ride photos: Click here for photos taken by Sue Booth during the Family Ride on 20 July.

The Bert Bailey Memorial Veterans' 100 ride, 6th July 2008: This popular event attracted 95 entries ranging in age from a mere stripling of 50 to a stalwart of 88, with 77 riders starting on a wet, gloomy and cool Sunday morning. The weather matched the forecast at the start, but luckily this turned out to be wrong for the rest of the day, as apart from a very heavy shower near lunchtime, the ride was blessed with reasonable weather conditions. Two riders retired at elevenses with mechanical problems, but no one else bothered the sag wagon. The caterers responsible for lunch and tea seem to have met with universal acclaim for their efforts, and good food goes a long way to alleviating fatigue and sore bottoms! It is understandable that those with a long way to go should wish to make tracks quickly, but it was a disappointment that a large number of riders failed to stay for the presentation of the certificates at the end. The certificates were presented by David Robinson, Chairman of the CTC's Council, who confessed in his speech, that he now saw the point of mudguards when riding in wet weather. A big thank-you is due to all the volunteers who freely gave of their time to assist in running the event; without their efforts, the event could not take place. A helmet, cap and a pair of mitts were left behind. Claimants should ring 01829-770224 to get them back. (Report by David Ackerley - organiser)
A selection of photos can be seen here.

The Bob Clift Memorial Cheshire Cycleway Rides took place on 15th June this year. There were 48 entries on the 50 mile ride and 33 entered the 100 mile ride. Everyone finished their rides and many commented on the excellent planning and organisation. The day was good for cycling with only light rain in the morning and dry in the afternoon. Both rides take advantage of the lovely lanes in Cheshire with the longer ride including a few hills round Macclesfield. The catering was, as always, much appreciated by the riders with stops at the Carriers Inn, Hatchmere; Great Budworth Ice Cream Farm; Bollington; Eaton Primary School and the Ring O' Bells in Christleton. Around one in six of the riders were women. No children took part this year. This very successful event was organized by Dorothy Clift, (the rides are named after her husband), and Hazel McDougall. We hope to see you again next year. You can see a selection of photos of the 50 mile ride here. Photos from the 100 mile ride will be included later.

Early Season Tourist Trial (Spring 50) 16th March 2008: Following such a wonderful event, which was praised from many quarters, it is a pity to reduce it to, what is with Janet's help (Janet Gregory - organiser), only a brief list of facts and figures. 106 rode on the day. The youngest was six years old Cameron Boyd who rode 'tug-a-long' behind his father and there were two other juniors. There were 39 veterans, 16 ladies and 2 tandems as well as some potential new members. Whilst it is not a competitive event, it is well known as a 'get fit' ride for the faster element and this year we saw Frank Kinlan record a time of 3 hours 5 minutes. One couple made a sponsored ride of it in aid of The Cats Protection League. There was the usual large Welsh contingent and 'across Dee water' was well-represented by the Anfield group and the Prescot Eagles. Everyone survived, only a few out of time, a broken chain, a puncture or two, and only one incident when a large dog unseated a rider. The catering won particular praise which was both ample and good. Regrettably, due to EU and Health and Safety rules, we were unable to transfer the uneaten sandwiches back to the scout hut as in previous years. Sorry folks - those are the rules! Janet wishes to say 'a very big thank you' to all the helpers. See a selection of photos here.(Report by Bob Witton)

Melverley Camping Weekend took place on May Bank Holiday, Friday 3rd to Monday 5th May 2008. Eight members of the Two Mills Group enjoyed three rides out from Melverly in Shropshire. Camping on the banks of the river Vyrnwy, a tributary of the river Severn, the site provided us with excellent facilities including toilets, free hot showers, a washing up kitchen and use of a fridge. Photos of the weekend can be found here.

All the rides were lead by Keith Tavener so it was a foregone conclusion that the lunch stops and the end of each day would take in a pub! Saturday's ride left camp at 10.30 am and took us a steep route over Long Mountain with a picnic lunch in a forest clearing, some smaller hills and a bit of sheep herding then finally with 50k on the clock we returned to camp for an evening BBQ. Sunday's ride was via West Felton and Haughton, and the village bus shelter in Brownhill made an excellent CTC canteen, a local was overheard to say 'its nice to see the shelter being used' and again with 50k under our saddles finished at the Royal Hill Hotel overlooking the river Severn for a pint or two before returning the short distance back to camp for showers and a BBQ. Monday was a later start and a lunchtime finish, but we still managed a café stop at the new canal side tea room just west of Maesbury Marsh - wonderful tea and cakes highly recommended - before packing up and returning to the Wirral. The weekend was very social, we broke no speed records nor clocked huge mileages but everybody had a great time. Who knows where we will go next year, but please do join us ....

National cycle training standard across Wales: Plans for a national cycle training standard across Wales were announced at a Walking and Cycling Conference in Cardiff on Wednesday 25th June. The Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, Jane Davidson said the Welsh Assembly Government would be investing £250,000 to train over 100 instructors to teach the new standards. The funding will enable CTC to employ a Cycle Training Development Officer dedicated to supporting all the providers of cycling activities in Wales. More information about the plans can be found here. You can see photos of the event here (courtesy of CTC National Office).

Chester is a Cycling Demonstration Town: Yes - It's official! Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly last week announced a further 11 Cycling Demonstration Towns (CDTs) across England of which Chester is one. Bristol will be the UK's first cycling city. The 11 towns have succeeded in winning a share of the record £100m investment package to pioneer innovative ways to increase cycling in their areas. Applicants were chosen from a shortlist of 19 local authorities, out of an original 74 bids. Cheshire County Council and Chester City Council made a joint bid for money from the CDTs Project supported by City MP Christine Russell. The bid was backed by businesses, community groups and sports clubs. Proposals include improving cycling infrastructure such as dedicated cycle lanes, increasing bike parking provision and cycle training and promoting the benefits of cycling. The further 11 CDTs will build on the work of the existing six CDTs appointed in 2005, which have seen significant increases in cycling levels. Click here for a photo of Chester's celebration (photo courtesy of the Chester Chronicle). More information can be found in Ruth Kelly's Press Release and in the article published in the Chester Chronicle (June 20, p10). Read more about CDTs on the Cycling England website.

New Rides: As a result of the '5 Miles to Fabulous' initiative, Sue Booth intends to run regular Saturday morning rides, probably monthly. The next one will be on 12th July, meeting again at Kingsway cafe. If any ladies are interested in joining her, or knows someone who would like to ride but is unsure of their own ability or is nervous of riding in a group, please contact Sue Booth (07702-933834). More information about '5 Miles to Fabulous' can be found here.

5 Miles to Fabulous took place on 7th June. It's a CTC initiative, aimed at encouraging ladies to come for short rides on their bikes. Many ladies I have spoken to about cycling in recent weeks have expressed concerns about cycling, and share common worries about riding in a group. This event encourages ladies to ride a short distance within a ladies-only group. Despite advertising the event as widely as possible, only two turned up. But, two turned up! That is more than if the event had not been run. I had two fabulous helpers, Jean Miller and Monica Robinson. We had super weather, and enjoyed a little run up Mannings Lane, through the Zoo, along the canal and back up the Millennium Cycleway. We ended where we began at the Kingsway cafe, and enjoyed a cuppa and a chat. Quite a number of people were interested, but were away that weekend. Both riders were very keen to come out again, and one did make it to the Wednesday evening ride. You can see some photos here.

Aquaduct Audax Ride -Saturday 31 May 2008: Thirty riders set out on the Aqueduct Audax on Saturday 31 May. All reported an enjoyable day on the bike, helped by the great weather. Twenty seven completed the route, all comfortably within the time limit.The fastest time for the 174km was 7h28m and the slowest 10h30m, although some riders confessed to stopping for a pint in Rhewl. There were some minor difficulties with directions on the descent from the Ceiriog ridge to the Chainbridge Hotel with some people ending up on the A5 closer to Llangollen. Fortunately everyone had the good sense to head for the Horseshoe Pass. Froncysyllte Community Centre did an excellent job of providing us with hospitality at the finish. The Community Centre is open for afternoon teas from 1pm to 4pm every Saturday and Sunday through the summer and makes an ideal stop if you are visiting the Aqueduct or Llangollen. Stan Thomas - Organiser.

The CTC Cymru Treasure Hunt and Map Reading Competitions, organised by Lowri Evans, were held on 3 May 2008. This year's events were based at Caffi Florence in Loggerheads Country Park. Competitors thoroughly enjoyed this very successful event. You can read Lowri's report and see the results here.

CTC Winged Wheel Re-dedication, Corwen 19 April 2008: Thanks to funding by Chester and North Wales DA, a very rare cast-iron CTC repairer-type winged wheel was restored to its original location in Corwen, Denbighshire on 19 April 2008. DA members from many areas attended the ceremony and took part in a ride to Bala afterwards. The event was attended by our President, Mike Cross, Roy Spilsbury (who organised the restoration and the ceremony), and Gerallt Tudor, Chair of Corwen Community Council. You can see photographs of the event here and on the Cycling North Wales website.

CTC National Dinner and Awards, 26 April: The CTC National Dinner and Awards Presentation took place in Belfast on the weekend of 26th April 2008. You can read the speeches of CTC Chair David Robinson (also one of our North West Councillors) here, and of Paul Priestly, Permanent Secretary of Regional Development here.

You can also see who won the most prestigious awards and find out more information on the CTC National Website.