Author Topic: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")  (Read 22052 times)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #125 on: 11 August, 2013, 10:39:22 pm »
Only 12 miles? We must have gone a very roundabout way when I went there (it was a CTC ride so this goes without saying really!)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #126 on: 11 August, 2013, 10:46:39 pm »
Correction. More like 15 miles. Say 4pm.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.


Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #128 on: 11 August, 2013, 11:12:36 pm »
The re-route via Barmouth has got my mum from 'worried' to 'a bit jealous'!

Enjoy the first half of the tour and I'll see you for breakfast on Thursday.

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #129 on: 12 August, 2013, 07:14:34 am »
The dog has spent the entire night lying half under my desk. He was there when I went to bed and he's there again now. I have never known him to do this before. He Just Knows. :-\

Everything is packed. My ticket is for the 11.15 out of Paddington, change at Newport. I'll be catching the 9.12 from Prittlewell.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

jane

  • Mad pie-hating female
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #130 on: 12 August, 2013, 08:16:17 am »
Have a great trip!

Chris N

Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #131 on: 12 August, 2013, 08:24:17 am »
Looks great - your route for Wednesday and Thursday is lovely.

Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #132 on: 12 August, 2013, 08:52:11 am »
Have a lovely week everyone  :thumbsup:
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #133 on: 12 August, 2013, 11:34:40 am »
First red kite seen at Taplow.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #134 on: 12 August, 2013, 12:30:13 pm »
Still on schedule for 1.50 in Chepstow, Cudz.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #135 on: 12 August, 2013, 04:02:12 pm »
On your last day (Porth Colmon to Bangor), your track shows avoiding main roads until Penygroes, where it picks up the A487 into Bangor.  Given that you've deliberately avoided the A499, taking the A487 isn't a good idea.  The traffic is much much heavier on the A487 than the A499 and there is a traffic free cycle path alternative.  When you get to Penygroes, follow signs for NCN route 8, which is the old railway line into Caernarfon.  You can pick it up from the Inigo Jones slateworks if you wish (by the roundabout North of Penygroes*).

In Caernarfon, to join the off orad routes together, you need to go around the castle, then into a car park next to the Victoria Dock (by the Morrisons) to rejoin the path.  This will take you all the way to Y Felinheli; I would really really advise against the A487 from Caernarfon to Bangor.  I'm a fan of main roads, but that one isn't worth the time saving, unless you intend to ride over 20mph, or you fell your right arm is surplus to requirements.

I wouldn't go up the hill toward the hospital in Bangor either - there's roadworks by the hospital this week and next week.  There's a traffic free path from Y Felinheli to Bangor Tesco alongside the A487 which totally avoids the hill anyway. From the shopping park, the road into Bangor is quite tame.



* As a total alternative, I'd actually suggest continuing on the A499 past Clynnog Fawr, and turning left toward Llandwrog about 3 miles further on.  From there, take a right in Llandwrog and follow the road through Saron and over a bridge before turning left towards Y Foryd nature reserve.  It's a lovely ride alongside the coast to Caernarfon castle.

Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #136 on: 13 August, 2013, 09:23:59 am »
Thanks for the bon voyages everyone, and for the local knowledge Jasmine.

I've had a go at re-doing the Porth Colmon - Bangor route accordingly:
http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?lnk=http://gpx.npugh.co.uk/routes/Machynlleth-Colmon-Bangor/Colmon-Bangor.gpx
Does that look about right?

I think Wow mentioned fancying the railway path in his emails, but I'll add the total alternative to the possibilities. I suspect there'll be a certain amount of deciding as we go along!

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #137 on: 13 August, 2013, 10:35:40 am »
Met Wow at Chepstow station yesterday. He was in merry mood, fine fettle and happy hat. Chepstow is a hilly place, from the banks of the Wye upwards, but Wow had planned a route that found bigger, steeper hills than I knew about! We then rode down into Mounton, round the world's most oddly placed roundabout, up out of Mounton, and carried on upping and downing along delightfully little lanes, beside streams and through woods. At one point we had magnificent views over the Bristol Channel, including two islands which we decided must be Steepholm and Flatholm. Eventually our ways parted a few miles before Usk, where Mr Bagger was heading down what looked like some even steeper hills, and I returned the way we'd come, cunningly avoiding having to climb those same hills.

The weather deserves a mention: fairly sunny this side of the Severn, dark clouds in Wales. The temperature was 16.7 when I said goodbye to Wow, 20.2 directly over the Wye and a balmy 20.6 over the middle of the Severn. I wonder if Kim and Nikki might be advised to pack for autumn.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #138 on: 13 August, 2013, 11:19:06 am »
I wonder if Kim and Nikki might be advised to pack for autumn.

*sigh* And I'd optimistically put some sun block on the packing pile this morning.

There's only one thing that can save us now...

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #139 on: 13 August, 2013, 11:26:48 am »
Well it's weather, which means anything can happen, and it's Welsh Weather, which means everything probably will. Wow was comfortable in sandals and short-sleeved shirt yesterday.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #140 on: 13 August, 2013, 03:36:14 pm »
Wet and windy over Gospel Pass this am. Lens fell out of my glasses on the descent. Luckily an optician fixed it in Hay. Now at Erwood.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #141 on: 13 August, 2013, 04:20:52 pm »
Lens fell out of my glasses on the descent.
Sorry Wow, this is such an amusing image.  ;D Rather crucial that you managed to get it sorted!

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #142 on: 13 August, 2013, 10:40:18 pm »
I thought about using the A470 from Builth but was put off by some heavy lorries. Mistake! I became embroiled in some COR which rivalled some of the stuff around Skipton. No joke with a fully laden tourer. Met a  couple of trice riders in Builth who were heading for the Devil's Staircase. :o
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #143 on: 13 August, 2013, 10:42:21 pm »
Oh, and you can't eat rump steak with a plastic spork.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #144 on: 13 August, 2013, 11:18:44 pm »
Titanium is the only true spork material! Did you get a lock in Usk?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #145 on: 13 August, 2013, 11:47:38 pm »
Yes. It cost me £1.99 and is good enough to stop someone just wheeling the bike away. Solo cycle camping depends on not worrying that stuff might be at risk.

Oh, and a message to Charlotte if she's reading this. I climbed Gospel Pass in the company of an Aussie penny farthing enthusiast who natters to Hoff Summerfield via faceache. Hi name is Hamish and his job is as an apiculture specialist in the Aus Min of Ag.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #146 on: 14 August, 2013, 01:00:48 pm »
My bar bag has become a bungeed rack bag after the cables snapped. It is actually much nicer without the damned thing bouncing around in front of me.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #147 on: 14 August, 2013, 01:24:30 pm »
I'll be setting off for Mordor Central shortly.  I'm feeling a bit under the weather, but there should be plenty of weather in Wales, so I might as well be under that.

Wowbagger

  • Stout dipper
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #148 on: 14 August, 2013, 10:24:23 pm »
Kim here now. It wad wonderful to see her riding to meet me.

Warm damp day. Chucking it down now.

My deity that is one hell of a descent to Forge! I'Ve never experienced anything like it.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Welsh Coast-to-Coast (was "I may have some time on my hands...")
« Reply #149 on: 14 August, 2013, 10:31:00 pm »
It's no less rainy in the adjacent tent. Only got a little bit rained on doing some last minute peg adjustment. Expect the 3am loo trip will be unpleasant.  I expect we'll be seeking a campsite with a nearby pub tomorrow if it carries on like this.