As High as Snowdon

Up into those Hills

Week 6

Since starting my biking experience I having been quietly applauding myself how well I was doing for someone who barely cycled 5 or 6 miles with the children a few months ago to doing 40+ miles at one go.  But really the routes I have been taking have been relatively flat, in Welsh terms.  If you know Wales you will understand what I mean if not Wales is famous for it's mountains and hills.  In fact there is hardly a corner of Wales where you do not come across a hill or a mountain that needs to be climbed if you want to get anywhere.

So this week I have bitten the bullet and set myself a target of climbing the infamous Horse Shoe Pass that needs to be crossed if travelling from Ruthin to Llangollen. From my house coming back through Corwen, a 48 mile route with an ascent of over 3,564ft (that is as nearly as high as Snowdon)

Three Pigeons Pub Graigfechen

My appointed day arrived, a damp chilly start to this Sunday morning.  My wife and youngest daughter had flow out to Italy for the weekend with friends and my eldest daughter was as usual tucked up in bed.

The route started off gently enough through Llanbedr to Graigfechan past the Three Pigeon Pub (famous for it's Real Ale) but at the end of the village I took a left and from here on in the road climbed and climbed and climbed.

In fact I was pleasantly surprised that I coped reasonably well on these uphill climbs.  My new bike helped with it's thin road tires and 14 gears but all that training was actually paying dividends.  If truth be know I was quite enjoying myself in the exhilaration of the climb. Before I new it I was at the Dafarn Dywyrch Farm (which sells Rosie's cider) http://www.rosiescider.co.uk/ which is more or less the last building before the final push up to the Pass.

Cider for Sale

I crossed the roundabout and there is a short downhill descent before the final climb.  The road from here zig zags up the mountain and at times, the weather being what it was, felt as if I was going up into the clouds.

Horse Shoe Pass in the distance

At the top of the pass and out of the mist the Ponderosa Cafe appeared.  This is no log cabin and you are highly unlikely to see Hoss or Little Joe riding by and being 8am hardly anybody else either.  It was too early even for a cup of tea.

Ponderosa Cafe

Just at that moment the clouds lifted and I was rewarded by the magnificent view of Llangollen in the distance nested in the Dee Valley.

View down to Llangollen

After a quick bite of my chocolate bar and a drink of water and a quick text to my daughter to tell her where I was, not that she would probably see it for another hour or so, I jumped back on my bike and headed down towards Llangollen.

Way down to Llangollen

If the ascent is long the descent is short and fast a true test of my bikes breaks.  With the wind whistling in my ears I shot down the side of the mountain passing the many sheep that freely roam the mountain side

View of road leading down to Llangollen

After a few miles the road starts to level out and takes me past the well preserved Valle Crucis Abbey which dates back to 1201 and was home to Cistercian Monks.

Valle Crucis Abbey

Finally after a descent of nearly 4 miles I enter Llangollen itself passing the entrance to the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod.  For one week every year this is home to competitors from around the world who have been coming here since 1947.  The festival has also attracted famous artist such as Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa, Jose Carreras and not to forget our own Bryn Terfel who have performed in the Gala nights

Llangollen Eisteddfod Entrance

Less than 1/2 mile later on I arrived in Llangollen passing firstly the Railway Station on my right with the sound of clanking of carriages as volunteers that run this preserved steam line get engines ready for the days activities.

Llangollen Stream Railway Station

Going pass the station I cross over the Dee River using the aptly named Dee Bridge which was built in 1345 by Bishop Trevor of Trevor Hall.  The bridge on this day was festooned with flags of many nationalities to celebrate the International Eisteddfod.

Dee Bridge

Crossing the bridge and looking to my right is the impressive Dee river which at this point cascades over Trevor Rocks located between the station and the Corn Mill Restaurant on the opposite bank. This rapid is much favoured by canoeists for it's challenges.

River Dee

Once over the river and through the town I end up on the A5 heading for Corwen.  For most of the route between the two towns I follow the River Dee and the railway line with many stunning views round virtually every corner.

Llangollen Railway following the Dee River

View towards Corwen

By the time I arrived in Corwen, just after 9am, I was famished.  I new that the Rhug Estate shop and cafe would be open which is located a couple of miles beyond Corwen.  My hunger drove me on and I was torn on my arrival as to what to have, a bacon sandwich or an organic Aberdeen Angus burger. The burger won and was devoured in seconds.

Rhug Estate Cafe and Shop http://www.rhug.co.uk/

Replenished I jumped back on my bike and headed off towards Ruthin and home, a road which I was becoming familiar with by now.  I arrived home around 10.30am and much to my surprise my daughter was up munching away at her breakfast.

Cold, Dawn, Hare

During the previous few days leading up to my Horse Shoe Pass challenge I completed a couple of smaller 12 to 14 miles bike rides.  But as I have described some of those previously I won't bore you will the details here.  

Llnarhaeadr Church

There is one route I would like to describe which happened on the Thursday before the Llangollen trip.  I was up ridiculously early at 5.00am and decided to go for a quick bike ride.  I threw on my gear and headed out.  For a July morning it was very cold, 6C. but as I climbed up above my village towards Prion and then doubling back towards Cyffylliog I was rewarded by a magnificent dawn breaking over the Clwydian Range.

And then in the field in front of me a Hare broke cover racing away at a breathtaking speed.  I waited a few moment more and much to my delight two more hares appeared before darting away into a long patch of grass.  These now rare animals are truly a wonder to see and a sight I have not observed for at least 20 years.

Hare - not the one I saw but one kindly supplied by Wikipedia

It had been worth the effort to get up so early firstly to see such a wonderful dawn but also to observe this rare creature.  Being able to see these sights made me realise why I was making all this effort to get fit so that I can get out and about into areas I would not usually visit.

Classic Chicken Kiev

Chicken Kiev

Chicken Kiev

I have fond memories of this classic 1970's dish with the moist chicken breast, breadcrumbs and when you cut it open the butter and herbs oozing out all over your plate.  When my daughter came home the other day from school and said she had Chicken Kiev for lunch but that it was horrible I decided to make my own.  It was a lot easier to make than I thought and the finished article tasted divine bringing back fond memories.

Ingredients
Serves 4

4 x 150g chicken breast
3 heaped tbs flour
2 free range eggs
150g breadcrumbs

For the butter
5 cloves garlic crushed
3/4 tbs traditionally Chicken Kiev is made with parsley but I used Herbes de Provence on this occasion
80g butter
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place the butter, garlic, herbs and cayenne pepper in a blender and wiz together until you have a creamy paste.  Wrap in cling film, in a sausage shape and place in the fridge to set. 

Herb Butter

Chicken Breasts

To prepare the chicken make a pocket in the breast meat as shown in the picture. Place a quarter of the herb butter into the pocket and mold it slightly until it fills the gap then reseal the chicken. Repeat for the remaining three breasts of chicken.

Chicken breast with herb butter filling

Crack two eggs into a bowl and whisk, flour in another bowl and the bread crumbs in a third. Dip the chicken breast into the flour until it is evenly coated then into the egg mixture, then finally cover with bread crumbs.

Egg, flour and breadcrumbs

There are two ways to cook the chicken either shallow fry in a frying pan with oil or as I have done by placing the chicken in a tray, drizzle some olive oil over the chicken and place in a preheated oven at 180C for 25 minutes.

Breaded chicken ready for the oven

After 25 minutes the breadcrumbs should be golden brown and the chicken ready to be served. Place on a serving plate and serve with some young new potatoes and a side salad.

Chicken Kiev ready to serve

Moroccan chicken with preserved lemons - 1 month in the making

Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons

1 month in the making

This is the dish I wanted to cook using lemon preserves but when I could not get any I ended up making my own.  It was well worth the month I had to wait for the lemon preserves to be ready before I could finally make this dish.

Moroccan Chicken

Ingredients
1 cinnamon Stick
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 tsp whole cloves
3 tbs Welsh Rapeseed Oil (Blodyn Aur) or olive oil
6 cloves of garlic chopped
2 tsp of fresh grated ginger
2 bay leaves
1 pinch of saffron
1 free range chicken cut into 8 pieces
pinch of Welsh Anglesey Sea Salt
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
1 preserved lemon (see recipe in my blog) http://searchofgoodfood.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/lemon-preserves.html
chicken stock

In a heavy based frying pan, over a medium heat, toast the cinnamon, cumin, paprika, chilli flakes, whole cloves until they start to smoke. Remove from the pan and grind to a powder.

Heat spice mix gently until they smoke

Cut the free range chicken into 8 pieces

Place the chicken with the spice mix, oil, garlic, ginger, 3 bay leaves, and saffron in a bowl mix all together and allow to marinade for a couple of hours.

Put a little bit of oil in the tagine and place over a medium heat.  Add the onions and fry until tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the chicken, a pinch of salt and marinade to the tagine. Mix one 1 cube of chicken stock with a cup of boiling water and add to the tagine. Remove the lemon preserves from the jar, discard flesh and cut rind into strips and add to tagine.

Cover the tagine with a lid and either place on the hob over a medium heat for about 30 minutes or, as I prefer to do, place in the oven on 180C for 1 hour. When ready serve preferably with couscous

Lemon Preserves

Lemon Preserves

The other day I was looking at a Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Lemon Preservers to cook in my Tagine.  It sounded such a wonderful recipe that I went out to get some of the ingredients.  But for the life of me could I get hold of the Preserved Lemons. I then got to thinking well how difficult can they be to make, in fact as it turned out they are quite simple to make the only catch for me on this occasion was that I had to wait a month before you could use them.

This did not deter me and I set about doing the lemon preserves and the dish would have to wait till they were ready.

Ingredients
3 unwaked lemons
1 1/2 tbs of salt - I have used Anglesey Sea Salt or any quality crystallized salt will do
Water to cover.

You can use optional extra's such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds, black peppercorn or bay leaves.  I didn't use these on this occasion as I just wanted to see how they turned out but by adding them you are increasing the flavour and they also look good enough to give as presents.

Add a bit of salt to a sterilized Kilner or similar type of jar.  Take off the tip of the lemons and quarter

Place in the jar and repeat, adding a bit more salt to each layer until the jar is full

Pour some boiling water onto the lemons until the jar is full, then seal.

Place on a shelve out of direct sunlight for a few days.  Two or three times per day just give the jar a gentle shake to mix. Then place in the fridge for a month.

After a month the lemons can be used.  Discard the flesh and cut the rind into strips or dice and add as instructed to any dish. It definitely adds to the flavour and colour of the Moroccan Chicken dish I eventually got to cook. (Recipe to follow soon)

Corwen, Hint of Independence and Getting Lost

Week 6 - One long, one short and two medium bike rides

During the week I followed my usual couple of early morning rides around LLanbedr and Llandyrnog and once again I have been very lucky with the weather. I won't describe these routes at any length in this section of the article, as I have described these before, but I have added just a few more pictures out of interest, but further down is my trip to Corwen and back (37 miles)

Early morning sight of Moel Famau

Bench outside Llanbedr.

There is nothing wrong with this bench, in fact it is a very nice bench except for it's location.  It is located about 3/4 mile outside the village of Llanbedr.  There is no clear footpath to it and the views from the bench is not that particularly striking, but someone has taken care to cut the grass around it. Strange but true.

View from above Llanbedr towards Rhuthun.

Llangwyfan Shelter

At first glance you would wonder why someone would build a shelter, which is not even on a bus route, in the middle of no where.  But just up the road is the old Llangwyfan hospital which use to be a sanatorium for those suffering from TB years ago.  This shelter was built as a stopping place for those out for a walk form the hospital. 

Flowers for sale beside the road just outside Llandyrnog

Rhyl

View from Prestatyn towards Rhyl

Last Friday evening my daughter was singing in the choir in Rhyl Pavillion.  I had to take her there for about 6pm and then I had about an hour and a bit before the concert started.  So I took my bike with me and had a quick ride from Rhyl to Prestatyn (8 miles return).  It was a beautiful evening and sometimes I forget how scenic the beaches along this stretch can be.

Looking from Prestatyn out to sea.

Corwen and back

This was my main bike ride of the week and the weather was fair, ideal to top up my bikers tan!! My route took me through Llanynys to Rhewl and past the Drovers Arms. Have not eaten here for quite a while but the pub has a very good reputation for its Ales.

Drovers Arms

Instead of taking the back road today I wanted to get some miles in so I headed straight to Rhuthun from Rhewl.  The road then took me past an old haunt of mine, Rhuthun Rugby Club where I spent most of my Saturday afternoons in years gone by on and off the field.

Rhuthun Rugby Club

From Rhuthun the road climbs very slowly up towards Corwen through the village of Pwllglas to the small hamlet of Bryn Saith Marchog.  I think the name for this hamlet in fantastic, translated it means the Hill of the Seven Horsemen (or knights)

Leaving the hamlet, on the far hill large windmills start to appear like sentinels in the sky.  I use to be in favour of these wind turbines but now we have so many in Wales they are becoming a blight on our beautiful landscape.

Wind turbines just above Gwyddelwern 

After leaving Bryn Saith Marchog I dropped down into the small village of Gwyddelwern where reputable the oldest pub in Wales has just reopened and now serves food.  Part of the Ty Mawr Inn dates back to 1386 but there has been a building on the site dating back probably a further couple of hundred years.  For more information go to http://www.tymawrinn.co.uk/history

Capel Rhug - Rhug Chapel and interior

Not far after leaving Gwyddelwern I came upon Rhug chapel, another ancient Chapel with history going back to William Salisbury and even to Gruffudd ap Cynan.  The chapel itself is quite plain from the outside but the inside is very ornate and is worth a visit.  It is now under the care of Cadw and is only open during week days.  For further information about the chapel go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhug  

River Dee West of Corwen

From Rhug I carry on into Corwen but not before I cross the river Dee (Dyfrdwy).  With it's source in the mountains above Llanuwchlyn and passing through Bala Lake by the time it reaches Corwen it is very much a mature river.

Statue of Owain Glyndwr

I cycled on into Corwen and by this time I was glad to get a small rest and a snack under the eye of Owain Glyndwr.  This statue dominates the square in Corwen and was proudly erected after fundraising effort by the local populace.  His links to this area are quite strong with his home located only a few miles up the road in Sycharth, unfortunately nothing remains today except for a mound where the house would have been.

Owain Glyndwr, many believe, was he last true Prince of Wales and fought for an independent Wales between 1400 and 1415 established a Welsh Parliament, Colleges and a separate Church, but finally after being defeated by the English Crown he mysteriously vanished around 1415 with no accurate record of what happened to him or where he was buried.

Dee River East of Corwen

On leaving the square I pass the old cinema and cross back over the river Dee.  I climb up to the sport centre, turn left and head off towards home.  When I reached the next cross roads I remember seeing on the map before I left the house that if I turned right and then left it would take me up onto the hills above Gwyddelern.  I could then follow a back road back home.

Looking back over the river Dee towards Corwen

Well after a steep climb I found my way up above Gwyddelwern but then obviously took a wrong turning because I was then heading down a steep road which seriously tested my brakes.

Up above Gwyddelwern

At the bottom of the hill I found myself facing the Ty Mawr Inn again.  Well as I was here I decided all I could do was put my head down and cycle towards home along the main road.  

Less than an hour later I found myself back home after a most enjoyable exhilarating ride.  Next week hills and more hills, can't wait !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thai Street Food -Thai Fish Cakes

Thai Fish Cakes

These I serve as a side dish with a Thai curry.  We first had them when visiting a street market in Bangkok and they have been a firm favourite in our household ever since.   They are very easy to make and only take a few minutes to cook in oil.

Thai Fish Cakes

Makes 8 fish cakes

300g of firm white fish

1 tbs of red curry paste (I used a good quality Thai Curry paste such as May Ploy)

100g green beans chopped

A small bunch of coriander chopped 

Juice of 1/3 lemon

1 tsp of fish sauce 

1 free range egg

300g of firm white fish

Place the fish in a food processor and blend until the fish is a fine mixture, be careful not to allow the mixture to become pureed. 

Chopped green beans

Chop up the green beans finely and then add all the contents into a mixing bowl.  Mix all ingredients together making sure that the curry paste especially has combined well with everything else.

Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl

When all the ingredients are combined make the cakes, there should be enough for about 8 evenly sized cakes.

Make some cakes from the mixture

You can then either shallow fry or deep fry the fish cakes using sunflower oil.  On this occasion I shallow fried the cakes.  Using a frying or saucepan placed enough oil in the pan so that it would just cover the cakes when placed in the pan.  Heat the oil until you can see it starting to bubble slightly.  Carefully place the fish cakes in the oil, as I was using a frying pan I was able to put four in at a time, if you are using a smaller pan you might have to do them two at a time.  Cook until browned and then place in a preheated oven about 120C to keep warm and then cook the remaining cakes. When ready either serve as a side dish with a Thai Curry or as a snack with some salad and Thai chilli Sauce.

Thai fish cakes ready to eat