(click any thumbnail for a larger pop-up photo)

Chairman's Blog

Aug 12

Whistlestop Cafe review

Tuna Mayo with Salad and New Potatoes

OK, so it was a Thursday, and late afternoon. The sun was shining (occasionally), and the rain was falling on our son in Manchester rather than here in Wales so……we decided to go out for a ride! After all, it had been at least……oh, a day, since we’d been on the Wing!

The new revamped Whistlestop Cafe (in Rhuddlan) has opened across the car park from where it used to be (the old premises now contains an Aladdin’s cave of ‘bike’ stuff, new and used) and, as every Thursday is bike night there (for the Whistlestop Motor Cycle Club), we decided (more…)

Mar 28

The Raven Cafe, Part II

The Raven Cafe entrance

Following on from my recent article about the Raven Cafe at Prees Heath, I have had cause to revisit the premises so I can now add Part II to the Blog.

Following the R.A.F.A. Egg Run, which finished at RAF Cosford, a group of 6 bikes left the aircraft museum at about 2.10 pm after leaving our donated Easter Eggs with the RAF staff at the event. (more…)

Nov 17

Review of the Alpine Cafe, Betws-y-Coed

by Chris Phillips

Bikers love Betws!

Betws is – and has long been – one of the most popular places to visit in North Wales, and has for many years been a favourite stopping point for bikers.

It may well be that when the sun is shining there are few places one would rather be. It could just as well be that the roads into, out of and surrounding the village are some of the best biking roads in the United Kingdom. Or is it because you can get some of the tastiest food and great ice cream there is to be had for many miles around?

Well the answer is probably a combination of all of the above, and in my opinion one of the finest eateries in the village is the Alpine Cafe*. Situated centrally in the village, right next to the single platform railway station, it is actually (more…)

Oct 24

Lakeside Cafe review

by Joanna Mackintosh

Steam trains always invoke memories of yestyeryear

Steam trains always invoke memories of yesteryear

On a sunny day, Blaenau Ffestiniog (not to be confused with it’s older and smaller neighbour, Ffestiniog – nowadays known also as Llan Ffestiniog, just to keep you guessing) is quite lovely, and the roads to it are superb for bikes (especially the newly repaired and resurfaced Crimea Pass from (more…)

Oct 11

Dragons Rest Cafe report

by Joanna Mackintosh

Plenty of parking space

At the A55′s Caerwys exit (J31), near Holywell, you’ll find not only McDonalds but also the Dragons Rest Cafe* (alongside the owners’ caravan shop).

When we went last week, they were in the process of enlarging the seating area in the cafe – so it’s not an ideal stop at the moment, but the fairly small ground floor will be twice the size it is now when they’re finished. There is lots of good quality parking space, and the location is (more…)

Oct 1

A cafe that’s……well, Spot On!

The friendly staff at the Spot On Cafe

by Joanna Mackintosh

Oddly, given all the fantastic biker roads in North Wales, there seems to be a dearth of good biker-friendly cafes here (as opposed to pubs, which is another story).

Most people are aware of the Ponderosa Cafe at the Horseshoe Pass (excellent, but I wish they wouldn’t stop serving hot food so early), and some know of the the Whistlestop Cafe in Rhuddlan (though the lumpy, gravelly, potholed road surface there is far from Wing-friendly!), but it’s hard to (more…)

Mar 1

Ride to GoldWings North West Meeting 1st March 09

Nigel full of attention after a full English - with toast

I’ve just returned from a great day out with Janet, having been out on the trike to the GoldWings North West Meeting then onto Rivington Barn.

It started off with Nigel, the ladies and me meeting up at a rather early hour. I had been told that Pete would meet us there so just the solo and the trike travelling up.

Now anyone who knows Nigel will be aware that he is hydrophobic – he doesn’t do wet at all. So you can all guess what happened inside 5 miles!

The forecasters had got it wrong - Instead (more…)

Feb 1

Trip to Inaugural Meeting of the GoldWings North West

Bob Summers almost smiling

It would appear that these Northern Englanders don’t have toast with their breakfast! – how do I know? Because in the famous words of Max Boyce – ‘ I was there’.

Jan and I headed up the motorway at 8am this morning to see if the hospitality of The Swallow Hotel was all it was made out to be, and apart from the lack of toast with my breakfast it was just so. This breakfast was eaten along with Pete and Diane of our club and some forty odd others who had decided to listen to what was being offered by the new ‘GoldWings North West’.

(more…)

Crezz: Just to let everyone know, that I have registered for next year’s RBLR1000.
Sheila and Alun Atkins: It was lovely to join our friends in Goldwings NorthWales at the Rhyl Air Show. As always the...
Sheila and Alun Atkins: Nice write up Joanna, I feel that it’s Alun and Danny’s get away place on a...
Chris: Great write-up Dave, nice one!
Dave: You kept this quiet .. The ponderosa cafe looks great place to eat and shop. Just been on the web site.....