Day 4 - Cader Idris to CaernarfonI got up early and was packed over an hour earlier than normal trying to catch up from yesterday. My plan was to ride to Dolgellau, get some breakfast, then head up the coast to Harlech, catch the train over a bridge where the road was closed, and then cycle to a campsite 9 miles south of Caernarfon for the night. The view from the campsite was quite spectacular.
The climb to the top of the pass was slow, in very low gears, but on reaching the top I flew down the other side, completely missed where the cycle route crossed the main road (despite cyclist warning signs and my GPS), so rode down the A470 from the Cross Foxes Inn to Dolgellau, including down an 8% hill at over 60km/h at one point
In Dolgellau I was served an amazing breakfast in the Popty'R Dref Tea Rooms and Bakery (amazing in that it was well stocked, and the breakfast, coffee and an orange juice came to a princely £6)
While I was eating, the rain caught me up, and I set off down Lôn Mawddach to Barford, following the edge of the estuary. Then over the bridge to Barmouth itself (oh, and I got the bike up the ramp at the end
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There was a train waiting to go South in Barmouth, and it was tempting to jump on the next one north there, but after a not very quick stop at Barmouth Coop, I decided to race the train to Harlech. This was a good choice. Although I needed to keep moving, and the skies were still grey and wet, there are some great views off the coast road out into the Irish sea. I will have to go back some time when the weather's better.
Didn't quite make it to Harlech, and, worrying about the 2 hour wait if I missed the train, I diverted to Llanbedr station 3 miles south. As I reached the station I realised it was on the road to Shell Island, a tidal island with a campsite I stayed on with my old Scout group 15 years ago. I also met a couple other people waiting for the train who asked what I was doing, whether it was for charity etc., and informed me that the afternoon was due to be wet. I didn't realise quite how wet that would be though.
When I left the train at Porthmadog it was torrential. I looked into catching the Welsh Highland Railway, but that doesn't run until April, so I had no choice but to get on and ride. It was that wet that I chickened out of camping, and decided to push on to Caernarfon where there was a hostel. Unfortunately the hostel had no beds available when I phoned them, so in the end I booked into the Travelodge.
So it was time to climb out of Porthmadog. I followed NCN8, but it got very steep and gravelly, and I lost my GPS at a gate (thankfully it was still there when I got back). Then I decided against that route, and after checking the map under the entrance to the local hospital, I set off up the A487, in a downpour with water flowing back down the road at me (did I mention it was wet?)
Rejoining the route, with an episode of the 'Number One Ladies Detective Agency' confusing me on the radio headphone in my ear, I followed the roads round until they met an old railway line down to Caernarfon. From there on in I was on a mission. I wasn't stopping until the hotel. 5cm deep floods on the roads weren't going to stop me, the rain wasn't, but my feet were getting very wet and squelchy.
About 6 miles out, I decided to stop under a road bridge and check my shoes. Out of each a significant volume of mucky water poured when I turned them over. While I was doing this I was passed by a local commuter who gave me a stare - well I suppose pouring out the contents of your shoes over a fence is not entirely normal behaviour.
After that I rode on (more comfortably) down. along side the Highland railway route at the end and up, round the Castle to the town square. Finding another dry canopy I warmed my fingers up enough to work my phone's touch screen, then looked up the hotel, and headed in, dripping all over the floor.
I have to say the receptionist was great, even offering me extra towels to park my bike on. I decided this wouldn't be fair (I guessed the drips would kill the nice white towels), but I parked the bike on two Jay Cloths I'd been carrying, and arranged my wet kit out all round the room. I have to say the smell in there in the morning wasn't the best