HK-Llangollen

The third of this year's 'linear compass point' runs. After HK-Hilbre in February (north) and HK-Denbigh more recently (west), this was the southerly(ish) version to Llangollen. All three are in the region of 20 miles/30km (I don't do 'east'). As with the Denbigh run, I've done this before (seven years ago in the deep snow of April 2013, when the Esclusham road was completely buried), but refined it a little. From home, I took the lanes to Hope then the brutal Bryn Yorkin climb to Cymau and down to Ffrith. A steep bridleway leads to Cefn Road and then, after a fair amount of climbing, up to Bwlchgwyn - the highest village in Wales (a debateable title). I then deployed the paths I'd used in my 38k Eglwyseg horseshoe earlier this year. These lead due south towards Minera, after which I unwisely plotted a route through the quarries and crags to eventually climb up to the old high road to World's End. All this took time, with less than obvious route-finding. The weather was superb, though, a perfect early autumn day with a cool breeze and stunning clarity. This all meant that the final leg along the OD path below Craig Arthur and Pinfold was as good as it gets (and I have always felt this is the finest landscape in NE Wales). I got to Llangollen in just over 2.5 hours after a fast descent down the lanes below Dinas Bran, where I met K and M for a walk and picnic pies by the Dee.