North east Welsh beauties by Alaina Beacall

Alaina Beacall is an adventure cyclist, completing epic trips around the world for charity. She recently completed the Trans Am race across the USA, and was one of Cycling UK's 100 Women in Cycling for 2018.

A luscious little loop of some north east Welsh beauties! Begin near Chester, and after some gentle rural spinning, the passing signs warn you of your first approaching treat, Hope Mountain: a wonderful wee 200m climb up to Wayn y Llyn country park. After settling into this punchy starter, you are spoiled with a fine vista of quintessentially British countryside.

An enjoyable descent (carefully!) will eventually lead to some weaving around rusty red moorland lumps, also enjoyed by the Tour of Britain in 2016. Pop off to the local tuck shop in Llandegla if you need some sustenance for the exciting second half. Now you head up the ‘top 100 climb’ Bwlch Penbarras into the lands of Moel Famau; the goal is to stay on the bike for that hairpin!

A further little climb after this will treat you to more sparkling rural views, allowing you to forget the previous strains and wish you could do it all again! Continue gently through Moel Famau and descend from here through Maeshafn and eventually the final little town of Penyffordd, to take you sadly to the finish.