A crossing of the incredible Pontsyttle Aquaduct followed by a crossing of the Berwyn Mountains using the bridleway to the legendary Wayfarer Memorial. Intended for riders with offroad riding experience and a suitable machine*
Days don't get more epic than this. A hilly 100 miles in May with a couple off-road sections makes for a serious undertaking. The route is mainly road based but the Berwyn Mountains crossing is definitely "hike a bike" in places.
First up, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a truly amazing structure, if you've never heard of it then a quick google image search will give you an idea of what is in store, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (don't be too alarmed there is a dedicated towpath with handrail and if you don't have a head for heights then there are roads around it), we follow the canal towpath all the way to the Chirks where there are shops and cafes to control at. From here we make our way (uphill) to the outskirts of Oswestry before heading uphill all the way to get us to Llanarmon DC, ready to go "over the top".
The Wayfarer Memorial is dedicated to the spiritual father of the Roughstuff Fellowship (https://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/wayfarer.htm) and is situated high up the Berwyn Mountains on Nant Rhyd Wilym pass, a designated bridleway, well defined but with some really muddy sections. There will be a manned control at Llanarmon DC and a manned control at Corwen that all riders must check into. Having said all that, it is an everyday route for many mountain bikers and hill walkers.
After Corwen there is still plenty of climbing to do but most of the route is paved except for a decent canal section though Chester and finally the medieval packhorse bridges at Hockenhull Platts before a warm welcome back at the arrivee. There are free refreshments provided before and after the event. The route even has free AAA points for all finishers :)
IMPORTANT ROUTE NOTES:
The mountain crossing is a serious undertaking, this is a very remote section, the Berwyn Mountains are sparsely populated and see less visitors than the Snowdonia mountain ranges. In May there is still a slight chance of snow (not as much as Wayfarer's legendary "Over the Top" journey hopefully) but it is likely to be cold and if you are immobilised for any time, either through physical injury or mechanical mishap, then there is a real risk of getting cold. Evacuation for physical injury will involve mountain rescue (use 999), therefore you will be expected to carry a space blanket with you for the event (provided).
The Pontcysyllte and Chirk Aquaducts are both exposed and require a bit of a head for heights. If i's not for you or if it is windy on the day of the event then they can be missed out by following the B5605 at Ruabon roundabout to the A5, then the A5 gets to the B5070 which gets you back on track at Chirk.
There is a ford on the route at approx 34km which has a bridge that should be used for safe passage, there is another ford at 116km that should be treated with extreme caution as it can be slippery so it would be better to walk through and get wet feet rather than risk coming off.
*It is assumed that you are comfortable riding on off road / poor surfaces (rocky, muddy, slippery, wet etc.). The vast majority of the route is road based, there is about 25km that isn't with varying conditions ranging from hard packed gravel through to deep mud with sections on the Wayfarer's bridleway that are unrideable, even on a full mtb setup. Whilst it is certainly possible to get around on a traditional audax style bike with 28mm tyres and mudguards etc a gravel bike, a tourer or bike with larger tyres will make the off-road elements more manageable, I would suggest a minimum of 35mm with some form of knobbles. You can, off course (and should), always get off and walk the sections that you are not comfortable riding.

The provisional route can be seen here - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48848576