While I carried my camping gear "just in case", on a 110 mile tour of the Peak District last year, I managed in the day without trouble and did not need it. I had not, until the present trip, done any cycle camping. As I have run with camping gear in the past, the prospect of cycle camping was not that overwhelming. Nonetheless, I still felt some trepidation as it was a while since I had made a lightweight expedition, and this one would have to be particularly light.
My Topeak DXP 'Trunk Bag' is quoted as 22.6 litres capacity, that doesn't sound a lot smaller than the 25 litres of my OMM rucsack, but 2.4 litres represents a lot of food (or a bloomin' big water bottle). As I would be nearer civilisation when cycling than running, the obvious solution was to forego all but a minimum of food and shop as necessary. I also bought a small top tube bag, that holds a phone, with tiny 'panniers'. The panniers are useful for such items as; first aid kit, wallet, hand gel, charger, flapjack etc. The gear and packing all worked nicely and I will create a page to share details in the near future.
Cycling to Carrog
The ride to Carrog (route here ed: and now embedded below) was a real pleasure in the Sunday sunshine. I stopped to eat and drink every twenty miles or so, shopping to fill the empty sandwich space on the penultimate stop. Lugging the panniers round the Cefn Mawr Tesco was no joke! The trip, including stopping and shopping, took under five and a half hours, or about four hours and forty minutes of cycling. This was much quicker than the six hours of cycling I had anticipated.I had picked Carrog as a destination due to its pleasant situation, do-able distance and suitable campsite (the Station Campsite turned out to be very hospitable indeed, of which more later). There was plenty to see on the way down, if I ride down again I will schedule more sight seeing stops. As it was I stopped only to eat, taking in the countryside, beautiful villages and sights like the Horseshoe Falls as I cycled by. The cycle route along the Llangollen canal was pretty, but fairly busy on a warm Sunday, this must have added quarter of an hour to the journey time.
Chez Moi au Carrog for a few days.
Carrog Station Campsite
I can't say enough about Carrog Station Campsite. It was well run by friendly people, cheap, catered for solo back/cycle campers, is beautifully situated and has free showers! The site is in a field bounded on one long side by trees and a hedge, beyond which is the Afon Dyfrdwy, and the opposite side by the charming station building, sidings and line of Carrog station on the Llangollen heritage line. The eight pounds per night is very reasonable, though I was actually charged considerably less than that in the event. I must have merited a low profile, non weekend camper discount or something. I set up quickly and went to explore the surroundings. I was just in time to catch some gorgeous fifties diesel railcars, at the station, that were on for the Sunday only. Carrog is a tiny place and I had guessed that there were probably no shops*, the good news is that there is a pub.*There are shops in Corwen which is only 2.8 miles away (2.5 by the main road).
The Grouse Inn
The Grouse sits on the north bank of the river. There is food at reasonable prices, I couldn't see much suitable for vegetarians, but I didn't ask, they may 'mix and match'. Pub grub on a daily basis is way beyond my budget, for what I intend to be a way of life, even when at reasonable prices. I am fond of pale beers with plenty of bite and so I settled on the Manchester Pale Ale. It is not a 'memorable' beer, but is entirely satisfactory.I found the Grouse Inn to be a friendly place. On the Sunday night I got chatting to a lovely local couple. We found plenty in common, from the outdoors to jazz, and soul singers. We ended up talking the evening away, from Peggy Lee to surfing. It was a real joy to meet people who enjoyed activities as I do, for the pleasure of living completely in the moment, and oneness with movement and one's environment, and not for the extremity of the circumstances.
Steam Train to Llangollen
I had anticipated walking over Llantsilio mountain and descending to join the railway, then riding to Llangollen to do a bit of shopping/ambience absorption. The rail time table meant that I would have to complete a 9.5 - 11.5 mile walk very quickly if I was to get back to Carrog after the shopping. The idea of doing anything quickly, in the very warm weather, was not even to be considered. This especially as my 'cycling light' meant that I had only a bum bag to carry water and sustenance†.Consequently, I decided to just enjoy the sights on offer in a lazy, touristy way. I arrived at Carrog station early and just chilled on the platform and enjoyed watching the train go through on its way to Corwen. The ride to Llangollen is outstandingly pretty, I changed sides in the carriage several times to make the very best of it.
Carrying the shopping wasn't too big a problem, I ate most of it on a pleasant riverside seat! The rest I put in a carrier bag (I always carry one or two as they take up so little space) to take back. The problem with shopping a day or meal at a time is getting fruit and veg in suitable quantities. The NISA store had a coleslaw and a chick pea salad available, these and a banana were a reasonable compromise. Not quite up to my usual ten a day habit though.
†This is a problem I need to address for the future. Something like the old Berghaus Blitz might be useful.
An evening walk, or two
Though I had walked a few miles round Llangollen, as the evening was still young when I got back to Carrog, I set off on the 'Quarry Path' from Llidiart y Parc after a beer (a 'one for the road' gift from the couple I had met the previous evening, the route was also a recommendation from them). The path was, as I had been told, very worthwhile, the view of the village and the hills beyond unfolded beautifully. The greenness of the valleys and the hills is quite breathtaking.
After my evening meal, it was still a little early for the pub so I set off up the steep path from the Grouse that rejoins the Bryneglwys road. I walked to the top of the ridge to take in the views to the north, then retraced my steps back to the Grouse.
The ride home
The ride home was pleasant, the canal towpath was a little less busy on a weekday and the weather was a little cooler. The ride did not have the same thrill of anticipation that the ride down had. To add some interest, I stopped along the way to take in Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. I have seen pictures and films many times, but was still shocked by the sheer audacity of the structure when I saw it for real. A visit is strongly recommended.
A little later, I was pedalling up an extremely steep hill when my phone rang. After a false start and a lost signal, I answered and the conversation ran a little like this:
"Hello, el"?
"Speaking".
"This is work and we're making you redundant".
"I see, well thanks for letting me know, I'll see you tomorrow"!
Looks like I'll be doing more touring than I thought.
Apart from that... as they say, the experience proved remarkably accessible and I am sure I will do it again. Maybe I will travel on after a stop in Carrog next time. Maybe I will do that Llantsilio walk.
Ed: I am now a supporter of Mapometer. Supporter status allows me to embed maps in my blog. The trip described above is mapped below. I will endeavour to update some of my old routes with maps when I can.
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