Hope Mountain

This mountain bike route of 7.3 miles starts from Ffrith and travels over Hope Mountain, one of the first hills on the Welsh side of the North Wales border, near Chester and not far from the Clwydian Range. While there are some steep climbs they are on quiet country lanes, which makes accessing the trails on the hills a little easier. It’s a quiet area with stunning views and some fun riding, so great for a morning or afternoon blast. Some of the trails can be quite muddy in the wet.

I organised this route for the Vinyl Bear 2^nd Birthday Party, which raised money in aid of Wales Air Ambulance.

1. Start from the small bridge over the stream on the main road through Ffrith (GR285552). Head into the village, immediately passing the gated entrance to the village hall and playing fields on the right. Continue ahead to the far side of the village where the road goes up a short climb to a junction with a lane on the right (GR284554). Go straight on along the road to head up the valley, eventually coming to a junction with a road on the left dropping into the bottom of the valley. Go straight on and climb the road into Llanfynydd, to a junction by the pub in the middle of the village (GR280566).

2. Follow the main road left then right before climbing past a riding school and lane on the right. After this descend the main road into a dip to a junction with a gated gravel track on the right at the bottom, directly before the main road starts climbing again at the national speed limit signs (GR275572). Turn right onto the gravel track then go over the horse stile to the left of the gate. Follow the track along the disused railway line through the trees. At the far end continue ahead, over another horse stile, then along the lane to a junction with a road a short distance later on the edge of Coed-talon (GR269588).

3. Turn right on the lane then, as it leaves the village, follow it left up a steep climb between the hedges. At the junction halfway up bear left and continue climbing the steep lane. At the top continue ahead along a short plateau to a junction with a double track on the right directly before the lane starts descending (GR280589).

4. Turn right and follow the double track past a building on the left to a junction with a footpath directly after. Bear right and descend the grassy double track between the hedges. Keep descending this track to the bottom, by a house on the right, then bear slightly left to start climbing. At the next building on the right continue ahead on the double track for some steeper climbing. At the following junction with a gated track on the right continue ahead along the overgrown singletrack. After a while go past a large boulder in the middle of the track to where it ends at a junction with a lane (GR284577).

5. Go straight across the road to a gated double track signed as a bridleway. Go through the gate and follow the track across the hill to the next gate. Go through this gate then follow the double track up a short climb. At the top bear slightly right and descend the grassy double track. Descend straight ahead past a gated track on the left then between the broken stone walls on either side. After going through a rocky and nettle covered section underneath some trees the track comes to a grassy three-way junction (GR584570).

6. Go left through a gate then follow the short section of singletrack to another gate. After this gate climb the wider, muddy track that after a while flattens off before coming to a junction, by a farm below on the right. Go through the gate ahead to a junction immediately after then bear left and climb the grassy track a short way to another junction. Go straight on along the double track to where it ends at a junction with a lane by a house (GR285565).

7. Turn right and descend the lane to the previously visited junction by the pub in Llanfynydd. Turn left and follow the main road out of the village. Directly after leaving the village descend the road to the junction halfway down (GR281563).

8. Turn right off the main road and descend the lane into the bottom of the valley. At the bottom follow the lane right over a bridge then turn right again. Enter the trees then turn left under the old stone railway bridge. After the bridge climb the lane, which soon goes through a steep right hand bend. Continue climbing to a junction with a path on the right and follow the lane through a tight left hand bend (GR277562). Continue climbing past a bridleway on the left and on up to the Trimley Hall farm on the left. Follow the lane left around the farm to a T-junction (GR277558).

9. Turn left and follow the lane across the top of the hill. After a while the lane descends to a junction (GR278553). Turn left over the concrete descend the broken track through the trees and undergrowth. This descent is steep with off-camber sides funnelling into a rocky rut in the middle. There can be lots of nettles down here. After quite some time the track widens before coming to a house on the left. Go straight on past the house then immediately after follow the loose, wide track through a left hand bend. Shortly after the descent ends at a junction beneath an old railway bridge (GR283552).

10. Bear left underneath the bridge then follow the track ahead back into Ffrith, where it becomes tarmac. Continue ahead until the lane ends at a junction with the main road through the village. Turn right and follow the road back through the village to complete the ride at the small bridge.