Cilcain and Keegan's Lane

Region:
Clwydian Range, North Wales

Difficulty:
Moderate
(For Experienced Riders)

Distance:
11.4 miles

Map:
OS Explorer 265

Route Text Download:
Cilcain and Keegan's Lane

GPS Download:
GPX and KML
(available via the full MapMyRide page for this route, on the right hand side of the page)

ViewRanger
Cilcain and Keegan's Lane Route

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This is a mountain bike route of 11.4 miles that starts just above the village of Cilcain in the Clwydian Range in North Wales. The route includes some of the best descents these hills have to offer including Keegan’s lane, at the bottom of which the famous footballer used to live (so I’m told, as I ride bikes). The ride has great variety with fast as you dare rocky double track, flowing singletrack, a big climb and some stunning views.

1. The ride starts from the view point car park above Cilcain (GR170652). Turn right from the car park the follow the lane up a gentle climb to a crossroad junction (GR166653). Go across the junction then climb the lane straight on. Go past a farm on the right where the lane becomes a dirt track. Bear right then left on the double track through the trees, then immediately after leaving the trees bear right then left again. This leads to a straight section of track that comes to a junction with a byway signposted through a gate with a white gatepost, on the right, just before the track ahead starts descending (GR161661).

2. Go right through the gate for a long, fast and straight descent with a lot of rocks and some mud, it can also be a bit wet. Follow the trail straight on all the way to the bottom where it gets really rocky, before finishing with some muddy double track ruts. Follow the ruts through a couple of bends to the next junction (GR171671). Turn right and follow the double track to a gate ahead then turn left along the singletrack. Follow the muddy and rooty singletrack through some bends between the hedges before descending more steeply through the trees to a junction by a house on the right. Go straight on and descend the steep gravel double track to a junction with a road at the bottom (GR177672).

3. Go straight across the road and follow the wide gravel track straight ahead to a junction a short distance later. Take the left hand track for a gentle descent to the next junction (GR180674). Turn right in the direction of the bridleway sign to follow the undulating, muddy double track through the trees, by the fence on the left. At the following forked junction take the left hand track, to stay by the fence, and descend all the way to where it ends at a junction with a road in the village of Hendre (GR188676).

4. Turn right and climb the lane, going past the back of The Oak pub on the left. After a while the lane flattens off before coming to a junction with a lane on the right (GR194673). Turn right and climb the lane. After reaching the crest descend a short way to a junction with a lane on the right. Turn right and climb the lane to the next junction with a wide dirt track, in the trees (GR191670). Turn right and follow the double track as is bears left. Go straight on past a track on the right and some cottages all the way to a gate ahead leading into a field, with a cottage on the right (GR187670).

5. Go straight on through the gate then follow the grassy double track into the trees. At the junction a short way into the trees turn right. Keep following the grassy track ahead, which can be muddy in places, as it descends through a number of bends between the hedges, going through a couple of gates on the way. The descent eventually finishes at a junction with the previously ridden gravel double track. Turn left and follow the track a short distance to the junction with the road (GR177672).

6. Turn left and follow the road to the next junction with a road on the left. Go straight on and climb the road past a farm on to the right to the next junction with a lane on the right, immediately after a house (GR177663). Turn right and climb the lane to the next junction at a farm. Turn left and descend the lane through a dip then climb to the following junction (GR172658). Turn right and climb the lane through a couple of bends then on to a junction with a lane on the left. Go straight on and climb steeply to the previously visited crossroad junction at the top (GR166653).

7. Go straight on and continue up the now gentle climb. Descend to a junction in a dip with some tracks on the right and bear left to stay on the tarmac. Climb to a farm on the left and continue straight on, where the lane changes to a rocky double track (GR160651). Follow the track ahead and climb for roughly 1mile, going through a gate on the way up. Eventually the track comes to a junction with the three trails on the left, at the end of a drystone wall on the left, just before reaching the ridge of the Clwydian Range (GR146642).

8. Turn left then follow the right hand singletrack, a concessional bridleway, and climb into the heather. At the following vague junction bear right up a short, tricky climb over some rocks to the next junction. Turn left and keep to the trail that follows the direction of the ridge, on the right. After going through a couple of bends the trail goes through a dip then up an increasingly steep climb. At the top the trail generally bears right and goes through some undulations before finally descending and bearing left to a previously visited junction (GR153630).

9. Turn left to start of a great descent into the gully ahead. If it is wet the top section can become a stream. After a few bends the trail bears right for a short, steep and often boggy section over some big rocks. After this the trail reduces in steepness and becomes fast and flowing grassy singletrack. After a while the track goes into a dip by a tree. Directly after the tree go left up the short rise over some rocks then follow the track by the wall on the right. At the end of the wall turn 90deg right and descend the rutted and grassy trail through some steep bends to junction by the stream crossing on the right (GR154639).

10. Turn right and cross the stream using the ford or the plank. After the stream follow the muddy trail ahead and descend all the way to a small gate, just after some steeper bends in a gully. Turn right after the gate and descend the double track. Go straight on through the gates and descend all the way to where the double track ends at a junction with a lane (GR172647).

11. Turn left and follow the lane through a dip. Climb right then, a short while later, left to a junction by the church in Cilcain (GR176652). Turn left then climb the lane through a right hand bend to a junction with a lane on the left, at the end of the houses on the right. Turn left and climb the lane to the houses where the lane gets steeper and climbs through a couple of bends. The lane soon flattens off and straightens out before returning to the view point car park to complete the ride.