Post card of Lake Vernwy from Bert Bailey"

July 1927

see 12.44 for a note on where he possibly lodged.

Bert Bailey died in January 1994, aged 84; over 200 people attended his funeral at Saint John's. He lived in Linthorpe Road.

Before WWII, he used to cycle to his job at Broughton Workhouse. He was in the RAF in the war and afterwards worked for Hawarden Rural Council. At his retirement in 1969 at the age of 59, he was assistant treasurer.

He never owned a car and was an enthusiastic cyclist all his life; he took up climbing in 1973 and climbed a total of 1,400 peaks. Details of his journeys' mileages were meticulously logged in his diaries for the last twenty years of his life. Most of his spare time he spent travelling and each of his walks was planned to the last detail. He always carried a survival bag with emergency food supplies, first aid kit and a compass and never got into trouble. He climbed all the 407 peaks over 2,000 feet in seven years. His favourites were the South Wales peaks but considered the Pennines the most demanding.

He was secretary of the Chester and North Wales Cyclists' Touring Club. During his retirement, he cycled 295,000 miles. In 1969, he launched the annual veterans 100 mile ride. He left his two bikes and collection of spares to the Club.

He was a well-respected, popular and indefatigable walker and cyclist who said he did it all because he needed something to do.

He was a member of the Buckley Society.

Author: Anon

Post card of Lake Vernwy from Bert Bailey"

Tags