Wales in the sun...
Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 3:11 pm
A bit peeved with having to miss the Hawes do due to work/family commitments, I decided to have a wee ride in Wales. Thundercat Nick was kind enough to accompany me.
This was last Monday, what a difference a week makes.
Birmingham to Llangollen, where dodgy pasties were eaten at Ponderosa then the A5104 back to the A5 at Corwen. We left the A5 again at Cerrigydrudion to ride the rather nice B4501 up past the lakes before turning left onto the A543 ( laying the Ghost of a black Daytona to rest..
) and back on the A5 at Pentrefoelas.
Onto Betws-y-coed then left onto the A4086 at Capel Curig, a fantastic road up to Llanberis pass, sweeping bends etc, onto Caernarfon. From there back out to the south of Snowdon on the A4085 eventually picking up the A470 at Gellilydan before turning left over the hills to Bala on the A4212.
We stopped in the White Lion Royal hotel in Bala, a cracking hotel with lots of history, served good food and more importantly a good pint, and a bargin at £25 a night B&B....
Tuesday saw us head south...ish on the A494 and A470 to Newtown to pick up the lovelly A483 to Crossgates for fuel, cake and coffee the onward south past Builth Wells to Beulah where we left the main road for single track to Abergwesyn.
Abergwesyn saw us take more single track over the hills to Tregaron, spectacular views, suicidal Pheasants...
At Tregaron we headed north up the 4343 to Devils Bridge for more coffee and carrot cake then took the A4120 to Aberystwyth ( a nice supprise of a road, all up and down and lovely `twisties` crackin...
We got chatting to some local lads about the roads, they suggested the the A44 east was possibly the most dangerous road in Wales.. ...so, no brainer, A44 it was, superb, at times like the A483 and other bits like the mountain at the TT!. really enjoyed this as my hangover had finally subsided!
At Llangurig we headed back to Bala up the 470 but took a detour at Dinas-Mawddwy taking more single track over the hills back to Bala, another cracking little road with some great hairpins.
Wednesday, and time to go home back to Brum, so, we headed to Porthmadog the took the coast road south to Barnmouth via Harlech, onto Dolgellau and north to Caernarfon.
You can virtually visit the Castle without getting off your bike, a quick tour `through` the grounds and back to Llanberris and up the pass to the Youth hostel for tea.
Apologies to those out for a pleasant cycle/hill walk who were treated to a Triumph triple at 12K revs in 2nd up the pass, the throttle was in one of two positions, either fully open with the sound bouncing off the walls or fully shut hard on the breaks with me shouting.."mama"...please stop..
Then, A5 home.
A cracking three days, superb roads in beautiful sceanery, cracking hotel at a good price ( our rather lovely hostess assured me that if she ever finds herself with a desire for middle aged bald ugly blokes...I`am top of her list....
...sometimes I need to drink and talk less!! all made an absolute treat with cloudless skies for most of the time.
Bike was great, enough power for fun, suprisingly good at touring, about 700 miles door to door...
cheers Steve
This was last Monday, what a difference a week makes.
Birmingham to Llangollen, where dodgy pasties were eaten at Ponderosa then the A5104 back to the A5 at Corwen. We left the A5 again at Cerrigydrudion to ride the rather nice B4501 up past the lakes before turning left onto the A543 ( laying the Ghost of a black Daytona to rest..
) and back on the A5 at Pentrefoelas.
Onto Betws-y-coed then left onto the A4086 at Capel Curig, a fantastic road up to Llanberis pass, sweeping bends etc, onto Caernarfon. From there back out to the south of Snowdon on the A4085 eventually picking up the A470 at Gellilydan before turning left over the hills to Bala on the A4212.
We stopped in the White Lion Royal hotel in Bala, a cracking hotel with lots of history, served good food and more importantly a good pint, and a bargin at £25 a night B&B....
Tuesday saw us head south...ish on the A494 and A470 to Newtown to pick up the lovelly A483 to Crossgates for fuel, cake and coffee the onward south past Builth Wells to Beulah where we left the main road for single track to Abergwesyn.
Abergwesyn saw us take more single track over the hills to Tregaron, spectacular views, suicidal Pheasants...
At Tregaron we headed north up the 4343 to Devils Bridge for more coffee and carrot cake then took the A4120 to Aberystwyth ( a nice supprise of a road, all up and down and lovely `twisties` crackin...
We got chatting to some local lads about the roads, they suggested the the A44 east was possibly the most dangerous road in Wales..
...so, no brainer, A44 it was, superb, at times like the A483 and other bits like the mountain at the TT!. really enjoyed this as my hangover had finally subsided!
At Llangurig we headed back to Bala up the 470 but took a detour at Dinas-Mawddwy taking more single track over the hills back to Bala, another cracking little road with some great hairpins.
Wednesday, and time to go home back to Brum, so, we headed to Porthmadog the took the coast road south to Barnmouth via Harlech, onto Dolgellau and north to Caernarfon.
You can virtually visit the Castle without getting off your bike, a quick tour `through` the grounds and back to Llanberris and up the pass to the Youth hostel for tea.
Apologies to those out for a pleasant cycle/hill walk who were treated to a Triumph triple at 12K revs in 2nd up the pass, the throttle was in one of two positions, either fully open with the sound bouncing off the walls or fully shut hard on the breaks with me shouting.."mama"...please stop..
Then, A5 home.
A cracking three days, superb roads in beautiful sceanery, cracking hotel at a good price ( our rather lovely hostess assured me that if she ever finds herself with a desire for middle aged bald ugly blokes...I`am top of her list....
...sometimes I need to drink and talk less!! all made an absolute treat with cloudless skies for most of the time.
Bike was great, enough power for fun, suprisingly good at touring, about 700 miles door to door...
cheers Steve
with envy.
