The road to Nasareth

North Wales and Snowdonia - castles, lakes and mountains

- Dave Owen

I was on a ride near the bottom of South Wales when I saw a sign for Bethlehem, which it turns out is on a list of places to visit in the UK with globally famous names. Back at home I did some research and found that another biblical place name - Nasareth - is near the top of North Wales, which became the object of this ride. But not from Bethelehem as I live near Stoke on Trent.

Heading out towards Whitchurch on the A525 from Newcastle under Lyme I was soon out of the urban north Midlands and riding pleasant country roads in and out of Shropshire and Cheshire.

At Woore I turned right, then immediately left, to stay on the A525 to Audlem, a quiet little Cheshire village with a very narrow road in the centre - beware oncoming traffic! Then the A525 out of town for Whitchurch, sticking to the A525 (signed Wrexham) to avoid Whitchurch centre.

Shortly after that I took the left turning signed for Ruabon and Llangollen on the A539. This takes you close to Pontcysyllte, Thomas Telford's famous aquaduct, known when it was built as the 'stream in the sky', thanks to its 38-meter height above the valley. It's always worth a visit, to walk over if you dare, and has tea rooms and pubs nearby to recover in afterwards.

It was a slow and busy couple of miles to Llangollen, home of the Welsh National Eisteddfod, and carrying on here will take you to the famous Ponderosa Cafe on the equally famous Horseshoe Pass, where there are always plenty of bikes parked up.