BORN-again bikers from across the UK have given a big thumbs-up to news that one of their favourite areas is getting its own Motorbike Show.

Each weekend the Ponderosa café and shop at the top of the Horseshoe Pass is a mecca for riders from the North West of England, the West Midlands and beyond.

On fine days, hundreds of bikers head for the beauty spot and their shiny, powerful machines sometimes fill the car parks to overflowing.

In a magazine survey, the Horseshoe Pass, just three miles from Llangollen, was named among the top five "ride-out" locations in Britain and the only one in Wales.

John Clemence, who has run the café for the past 25 years, said: "It's only in the past seven or eight years that it's really become a bikers' centre, and it just happened.

Tales abound of riders who travel huge distances to reach the café, knowing they will get a warm welcome and find other enthusiasts to swap tales and compare machines.

"Some come here up to seven times a week and they come from places such as the Potteries and Wolverhampton," said John.

On August 2-3, Llangollen's Royal International Pavilion will host its first Motorbike Show, with displays, trade stands, safety training, and many other attractions.

The man behind the Motorbike Show is David Green, whose event management company, Xuberance, already runs the hugely successful balloon show, gardening show and Llangollen Food Festival.

David says he has been inundated with messages of support from bike fans from across the UK.

"They love coming here on ride-outs anyway and they say their biker heaven is going to be even better now they can come to the Motorbike Show as well."

Like most of the other riders, plant engineer Alick Mackay, from Wrexham, also has a car, but at weekends switches to two wheels and heads up the Horseshoe Pass.

Sitting astride his pride and joy, his 1,000cc Kawasaki, he said: "I do about 600 miles a week on the bike and come up here because I like getting together with my mates and socialising.

"You never know who's going to be here, but it's like a big show here on a good day. I know a lad who comes from Swansea every other weekend."

Glyn Rogers, 69, from Gresford, is typical of the breed of "born-again bikers", having returned to riding following the death of his wife four years ago.

"I had my first bike in 1956 and kept my licence until 1974 when the family came along," he said.

He now owns an 865cc Triumph Bonneville and is one of a group of 10-12 close friends who visit the Ponderosa several times a week, sometimes before heading west to places such as Betws y Coed and Snowdonia.

Proudly wearing his "Riding High" polo-shirt, the emblem of Ponderosa bikers, he said he and his friends appreciated the atmosphere and welcome.

Molly Mae Spalding, meanwhile, is already a biking fan – at the age of nine.

Grinning broadly, she sat proudly behind her father as he showed off his magnificent Honda Goldwing GL 1800 tricycle, a rare model which, when new, could cost a breathtaking £25,000.

Her father, Stephen, a former Welsh motocross champion, has retained his love of machines, despite a horrific accident near Bala six years ago, which left him with an artificial leg and a badly damaged arm.

The 52-year-old from Llanfair Caerenion began riding at the age of nine and has owned a series of bikes, including Goldwings, Triumphs and BSAs.

He bought the 1800 just a month ago and hopes to display it at the Llangollen show.

"Now Molly Mae and my wife fight to come out with me," he joked.

As he spoke, three members of the Cheshire and Merseyside branch of the National Goldwing Club pulled into the car park and were happy to put their machines on display.

"This a bikers' place and they make us feel welcome," commented 70-year-old Tom Poole, from Liverpool.

Dave Lloyd and his partner, Deb Owen, from Weston Rhyn, near Oswestry, have been riding for about 10 years and visit the Horseshoe Pass at least four times a month.

"It's a lovely ride to get here and we always know there will be others here.

"We have a mate who comes from Walsall," said Deb, 39, a florist, who rides a 1100cc Yamaha Dragster.

They are members of the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) and National Association of Bikers with Disabilities, and attend numerous rallies.

"It's great that there's to be a show in Llangollen because there are so many enthusiasts around here," she said.


History of the Ponderosa

There has been a café, or similar establishment, at The Ponderosa site since the late 1920s or early 30s.

In those days, it was only a shack and was only open during 'high days' and holidays.

Then, following its closure during the war years, and its reopening after the war, its structure was beyond repair, and in about the mid 1950s, they built the first part of what is now the existing café.