AndrewC’s Autumn Amble

[andrewc]

Its nearly a year since I did any cycle camping, and apart from a weekend in the Yorkshire Dales about the same since I did more than a brief commute.


Due to reading the news & general faffage I didn’t get the bike downstairs until after 1. Then had to run upstairs to get the forgotten bar bag. 


£30 single from Liverpool to Bangor!  It was delayed & only 2 coaches as well.
Got out of Bangor station in time for rush hour.  Busy roads for 15 mins then it calmed down & I eventually got onto the cycle route on the old railway line (I think) to Caernarfon. Some drama just before the town. 2 police having words with a couple of yoof,  another one on the track & a security guard type looking very angry & muttering into her radio in the car park at the end of the route.


Past the very politically incorrect Black Boy pub (see pics on my Twitter Feed), Past the Castle & onto the next part of the bike route which initially follows the Welsh Mountain Railway line. 


I come off this at Llanlyfni & follow a tiny single track road in the twilight to the coast road.  It’s 9:30 when I arrive at Aberafon camping just before Trefor.  £8.75 for a pitch overlooking the sea.


Tent up in the dark & a tin of lentil & chickpea Dahl.   A cup of tea & a nip of malt from the flask. 


This was today’s planned destination, but I wasn’t intending to be so late.   Trying to sleep over the sounds of wind & waves.


Up this morning. Black pudding & fried eggs. Overcast, cool with light drizzle.  Time to pack up & move on.

[andrewc]

A monster hill first thing in the morning. 17% gradient & I hit 50Mph coming down it about 20 years ago. Going up was not fun. There was walking. 


Through Pistyll & Nefyn to Tudweiliog where I had a pint at the Lion for old times sake.  This is all very familiar country. My family came to this part of North Wales several times a year for most of my childhood.


I don’t think the swings & slide in the pub garden are the same ones my sister & I used to play on though.


On to touristy Aberdaron where I stop for tea & cake.  One of the campsites outside the village has signs saying “families only”. No one to argue with so I push on a bit to a farm site where I’m the only person. The empty caravans make good windbreakers.

[Basil]

I've rocked up to campsites with similar signs and not had a problem.  It actually means " No groups of yoofs".

[Kim]

I've rocked up to campsites with similar signs and not had a problem.  It actually means " No groups of yoofs".

Outside of areas where lightweight camping is very much a thing due to a high density of hikers, campsites have little concept of anything beyond the usual stereotypes of (usually elderly) caravanists, families in tents, revelling oikery in tents and DofE groups.  They're often a lot more accommodating of a solo cycle-camper than you might expect, though they can get a bit confused over the phone.

The Equality Act means they're not allowed to discriminate on the basis of age or against single-sex groups, but AFAIK not travelling as a family isn't a protected characteristic.  (The other one I've seen is "No sign-written vehicles" as a way of rejecting labourers, Travellers and revelling oikery who've borrowed work's van.  Hire car users beware!)

[andrewc]

A wet & windy night, but the morning is bright & sunny, though still windy.  Breakfast is fried eggs & a couple of bananas. 


Quiet lanes with good views of Hells Mouth & the inland mountains, then the busy main coastal road. There is a wide dual use pavement alongside for most of it, so I use that.  Into Pwllheli where I have fish & chips and visit the fairground we used to go to. The dodgems I used to crash into my sister are still there     Don’t think I’d fit in one these days. 


On to Criccieth where I have a beer & then Porthmadog.  I’m conscious of big black clouds over the hills.


Inland through Penryndeudrath & find a campsite just short of Blaenau Ffestiniog.  Tent up before the worst of the rain.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Sounds like you're having a great time.

Past the very politically incorrect Black Boy pub (see pics on my Twitter Feed),

Well that's one for Bristol to point at!

The umbrella lane is really nice.

[andrewc]

A long climb up towards Llan Ffestiniog, I walked a lot of it. Excellent cafe towards the end. Rolling road through the Migneint moorlands and then the fast drop to Llyn Celyn.  I stopped at the side of the reservoir in the same place my family used to stop for picnics on the way to our regular holidays in North Wales. 2 large African chaps in a delivery van pull up & ask for directions. I get the postcode they are going to & google a route for them.  Through Bala, it’s now a lovely autumn afternoon. A494 to the busy A5.  I shop in Corwen then push on in the evening light to Llangollen & the excellent campsite at Wern Isaf farm.

[andrewc]

A gentle trundle along the towpath of the Llangollen canal, then road to Ruabon where I catch the first of the days trains. Changing platform at Smethwick Galton Bridge I get stuck in the lift & need to be rescued. Just catch my train to Stratford Upon Avon & then ride to the YACF camping weekend at Wellesbourne.

[andrewc]

Said goodbye to Cudzo, then got my lazy arse on the road a bit later. The forecast rain held off.
Back through Stratford, then down through Mickleton to Broadway , where I sit on a bench looking scruffy & eating lunch while coaches disgorge American tourists. It begins to drizzle & then rain as I ride through Childswickham & Bricklehampton. By the time I reach Pershore it’s quite heavy. I stop for tea & cake, then shop before riding onto Hyde Farm, a C&CC site at Pinvin.  Very close to the A44 & the railway line. I’ll need the earplugs tonight.

[andrewc]

A comfortable nights sleep but I’m away late. Partly to avoid the rush hour traffic on the A44.  Minor roads through through Upton Snodsbury & Oddingley.  I then skirt Droitwich but get onto the A4133, one of the most unpleasant roads I’ve ridden. Far too much traffic in both directions, you end up with a trail of cars who want to overtake but can’t. In the end I resorted to the foot wide ribbon of tarmac at the side of the road, hoping the overgrown vegetation didn’t get me in the face. Off the nightmare at Holt Fleet & a quieter road to Bewdley where I shop. I’d hoped I was going to get to Much Wenlock tonight, but not going to happen. B4194 through Wyre Forest then drop down a steep road to the Unicorn Inn on the banks of the Severn at Hampton Loade.  They have a site for tents & touring vans together with a lot of static vans. A bit noisy.
One of my eggs was squashed in the pannier & it’s spotting with rain.

[Kim]

Whatever you do don't follow the NCN45 cycle route round to the east of the Chelmarsh reservoir.  There be nettles.  And Brambles.  And Horseflies.  And ludicrous gradients.  And, IIRC, a horsey ford.

[Cudzoziemiec]

One of my eggs was squashed in the pannier & it’s spotting with rain.

You didn't armour-plate your egg box like mine! Though by Tuesday its armour had come unstuck.

[andrewc]

Heeding the Wise Words of the Sibyl of Sellyoak I slowly pedalled back to the main road & on to Bridgnorth where I had a little wander around, I’ve been through here before & it’s an interesting looking place.


Weather started warm & overcast, but now brightens up & becomes sunny.  The B4373 to Ironbridge takes longer than it should have done have done. Chilli & beer at a pub overlooking the new bridge, then down the gorge to the old one & follow the Severn for a bit before turning inland at Eaton Constantine, skirting the Wrekin via Aston & Marsh Green to the B5063 heading through Shawbury & Wem to Whitchurch. It’s now starting to get dark. I’d planned to finish at Chester & get the train home, but decide to have a last night camping at Mile Bank Farm.  About 2 hours riding tomorrow then.

[andrewc]

Slug in the toilet bowl.  Run away!

[Cudzoziemiec]

It can't run, it's a slug!

[Kim]

Maybe it had the runs?

[andrewc]

I'm glad I didn't press on last night.  The B5395 to Malpas was closed, forcing me to do more miles than I cared for on the A41 until I could turn off at No Mans Heath & follow quiet lanes to Cuddington & Shocklach. Then the usual B5130 back to Chester.   A coffee & then put the bike on the train back to Liverpool.  The lift at Liverpool Central was o/s so I had to take the loaded tourer up the escalator, making sure no one was behind be in case I dropped it. 


Now cleaning kit.   There is a regular "bump" with each wheel rotation , so I need to check that out as well.

[adenough]

Enjoyed reading that.Well done.  No pics?