Offline off the map

The ever-peaceful Clun Mill

I'd spotted a bike shop the previous evening, so first thing we went back to the very excellent Alf Jones Cycles of Gresford. Colin checked through the spare inner tubes whilst I eyed up the Speedplay pedals - remember I'd broken the Time pedal and cleat earlier in the week. As is the danger in any decent bike shop we were soon brandishing our credit cards. Colin had 2 tubes and a puncture-proof tyre, whilst I had some gorgeous new Speedplay Zeroes. And some more spare patches. You never know.

All told it was 10:00 before we turned south and our journey for the day, first destination Wrexham centre where satnav decided to throw another Wendy. The poor thing couldn't hack the one-way system. I picked a direction (Whitchurch) and went with it, with the idea we'd correct later.

This was inspirational - the road to Whitchurch was very smooth and fast. Sadly 30 minutes riding showed us deviating significantly from the right direction. Our correction, to Erbistock, was through some of the prettiest lanes on the journey yet. Blissful in the sunshine, we stopped for coffee. Now back on route, we stopped for lunch at Stan's Supermarket - an amazing place bigger than the average Tesco and completely independent.

In Oswestry we stopped to look at the remains of the rail station and offices which still dominate the centre of town although no BR trains have run there since the '60s. Then on into the hills and a very convoluted run of B roads which must have made sense to me when planning but seemed completely obtuse when riding. Eventually, signs for Craven Arms which isn't a pub but an actual whole town. I wonder how long the bar is.

The hostel is an old watermill in the middle of nowhere, a lovely peaceful spot with no mobile reception at all.