Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")

[Wowbagger]

Ah.

http://blog.cat.org.uk/2013/01/18/statement-about-closure-of-quarry-shop-and-cafe/

Also:

http://blog.cat.org.uk/2013/06/27/statement-from-the-centre-for-alternative-technology-on-the-recent-announcement-regarding-the-cat-plc/

However, that's the PLC, not the CAT charity. The Centre of Alternative Technology remains open, or so it appears.

So, Kim, there appears to be no danger of meeting any hostile bowls of muesli searching for bowels to purge at unearthly hours of the morning.

Edit: the campsite is completely independent of CAT itself. I spoke to the owner who was almost pleading with me to turn up.

[Wowbagger]

It seems that that Nikki has nabbed the last remaining bike reservation on the 3 trains from Pwllheli to Mordor Central for the whole of Sunday 18th!   

The question is, do I try for the same train as she's on, without a reservation (my experience, which is limited, of Arriva Trains Wales is that they try to get all the bikes on, reservations or not) or should I cycle to Bangor where there is a much better service. 15 miles ride to Pwllheli, 35ish to Bangor, from our camp site.

This site http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/taking-bikes-on-arriva-wales-train gives the impression that there will be no problem.

Advice, please, panel!

[Kim]

Lack of bike reservations suggests other cyclists may be an issue, though ATW staff do tend to be reasonable in my experience.  Main issue is the limited amount of actual space on the trains.

Personally, I'd go for Bangor, on the basis that the net travel time is going to be about the same.

[Wowbagger]

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?lnk=http://peter.chesspod.com/routes/chepstow/bangor1.gpx

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?lnk=http://peter.chesspod.com/routes/chepstow/bangor2-1.gpx

Those are the two potential routes back to Bangor, Nikki. There's a third, shorter, option which just bashed the A499 all the way along and saves a couple of miles. Where it hasn't been upgraded it would tend to be unpleasant, I think. That's why I diverted at Clynnog Fawr and headed to Penygroes.

[Tewdric]

IME Arriva Trains in English are very accomodating and you should be fine, but the reality is you're likely at the mercy of the staff on duty that day..

Sadly I haven't been able to reschedule the big meeting I have on the Monday but I'll see what time I can get away for a scream up to Llanthony for a pint.

You've chosen an interesting route to Abergavenny from Chep - those lanes north of the A40 are lovely but will add at least half an hour compared to going along the old A40.  The most knee- friendly option is the 4235 to Usk then go up to the old A40 via the Chainbridge - the start of the Bryan Chapman route.  A alternative is go up through de aiden and turn left at Cobblers Plain and track across to Llangwm- e views from this lane are fantastic. 

[Basil]

I agree with Kim that ATW staff don't usually bother about how many bikes are on their trains (although this is based on my observations in the south of the Country), but the important point is this

Main issue is the limited amount of actual space on the trains.

The train is likely to be crowded with serious amounts of luggage during the holiday period.  Actually getting the bike on board may be problematic.  If there are more passengers than seats, the staff attitude may become more rule based.

[andrewc]

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?lnk=http://peter.chesspod.com/routes/chepstow/bangor1.gpx

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?lnk=http://peter.chesspod.com/routes/chepstow/bangor2-1.gpx

Those are the two potential routes back to Bangor, Nikki. There's a third, shorter, option which just bashed the A499 all the way along and saves a couple of miles. Where it hasn't been upgraded it would tend to be unpleasant, I think. That's why I diverted at Clynnog Fawr and headed to Penygroes.

The first route follows the old railway line to Caernavon.  It's a nice easy ride. You may even see steam trains!  Just before Llanllyfni if you look down you will see our old holiday cottage, Coed Cae Du.  The Welsh office bought it off us when they built the A487 and we thought it was going to be demolished, but someone is living there now.

[Wowbagger]

I've bought a ticket from Bangor now - £24 through to Shrewsbury on the 1508, changing at Chester & Crewe.

It was possible to get cheaper tickets, but not with bike reservations. Quite a few were sold out. Nikki, dear heart that she is, has offered to get a refund on her Pwllheli ticket and keep me company but I've said "Don't". It would cost her more from Bangor and there is still no guarantee of a bike reservation.

Although I'd planned two nights at Porth Colmon we could easly find another camp site a bit closer to the station(s) to reduce bike riding when there are trains to catch, which is never a bad idea.

[Kim]

Nikki, dear heart that she is, has offered to get a refund on her Pwllheli ticket and keep me company but I've said "Don't".

Too right.  Friends Don't Let Friends Change At Crewe.

[Wowbagger]

I agree with Kim that ATW staff don't usually bother about how many bikes are on their trains (although this is based on my observations in the south of the Country), but the important point is this

Main issue is the limited amount of actual space on the trains.

The train is likely to be crowded with serious amounts of luggage during the holiday period.  Actually getting the bike on board may be problematic.  If there are more passengers than seats, the staff attitude may become more rule based.

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/Bicycles/

Carriage of bicycles is always at the discretion of train staff, even if you have a reservation.

So even a reservation might not get you on.

[Wowbagger]

Nikki, dear heart that she is, has offered to get a refund on her Pwllheli ticket and keep me company but I've said "Don't".

Too right.  Friends Don't Let Friends Change At Crewe.

I'm not sure that I have ever had the pleasure of changing trains at Crewe... I probably have but just cannot remember.

What is so abominable about the place - apart, of course, from the rotting prototype tilting train whose name escapes me at the moment?

[Kim]

I'm not sure that I have ever had the pleasure of changing trains at Crewe... I probably have but just cannot remember.

What is so abominable about the place - apart, of course, from the rotting prototype tilting train whose name escapes me at the moment?

It's a heady mixture of the dingy architecture of Northampton, the facilities of Bristol Partway, the freezing wind of Doncaster, the lighting and lift reliability of Mordor Central and the delays and cancellations of Reading.  With added miserable looking northerners trying to get to places like Wigan.

[Wowbagger]

I'm not sure that I have ever had the pleasure of changing trains at Crewe... I probably have but just cannot remember.

What is so abominable about the place - apart, of course, from the rotting prototype tilting train whose name escapes me at the moment?

It's a heady mixture of the dingy architecture of Northampton, the facilities of Bristol Partway, the freezing wind of Doncaster, the lighting and lift reliability of Mordor Central and the delays and cancellations of Reading.  With added miserable looking northerners trying to get to places like Wigan.

Can't wait... 

[Kim]

Oh, and it's very often raining, but that shouldn't be an issue when returning from Wales.

[Wowbagger]

Because of Things Happening this weekend, I have already started to gather stuff for next week. The dog won't leave me alone but keeps getting in the way.

He hates it when I bugger off on a tour.

[Basil]

Bristol Partway,

 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Bristol Partway,

 

I first heard that one from Clarion, who regularly misheard it so on journeys from Sheffield to Exeter (or thereabouts). It's a great name for it, except that Bristol has grown lopsidedly to the north since it was built, and Partway is now in danger of being in a useful place. Its car park also makes a great route to the lanes running north. But if you're waiting for a train there, you need to take a windproof, even on a balmy summer's day. A perverse liking for corrugated metal walls painted various shades of grey would also be an advantage. Crewe, from what little I remember of one childhood train-change there, is far pleasanter.

[Kim]

There is of course a Halfway on the tram route in Sheffield.  That's always entertaining for visitors.

Here in Brummingham we have Five Ways, all different.

[Cudzoziemiec]

In Bristol (Keynesham, actually) we used to have Five Boys, all the same but in different ways.

[Basil]

Here in Brummingham we have Five Ways,

Which of course has six roads radiating from it. 

[Kim]

In Bristol (Keynesham, actually) we used to have Five Boys, all the same but in different ways.

I think they're still in the charts...

[Kim]

Here in Brummingham we have Five Ways,

Which of course has six roads radiating from it. 

Well, they say the two hardest problems in computer science are cache invalidation, naming things and off-by-one errors.  I assume the same sort of principles apply to town planning.

[Cudzoziemiec]

In Bristol (Keynesham, actually) we used to have Five Boys, all the same but in different ways.

I think they're still in the charts...

Why did I have to look that up? Well, you don't deserve to be spared now:
http://youtu.be/J6y1ZRE82kU

[Wowbagger]

That actually makes sense though. Wherever you are in Birmingham you wouldn't want to go back where you came from, so there are 5 other ways.

[Kim]

It's worse than that: So far, I've encountered five Five Wayses in the local area:

The canonical one: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=405637&Y=286105&A=Y&Z=120
On the Stourbridge Road: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=387066&Y=280377&A=Y&Z=120&ax=387066&ay=280377
Near the amusingly named Haseley Knob: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=422822&Y=270230&A=Y&Z=120
Somewhere the Black Country (not labelled as such on the OS map, but the Church is named after it, and Google prefers it to the Birmingham one): http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=391722&Y=291465&A=Y&Z=120
Cradley Heath (Again, not marked as such on the map, but reflected in names of businesses): http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=394316&Y=285890&A=Y&Z=120&ax=394316&ay=285890

I'm fairly sure I discovered a Six Ways at one point, but I can't find that on the map.