Cadair Idris is great, also that wee castle, loved running down there , though Amir is maybe over the estuary? castel y Bere?
Also Mary Jones walking 26 miles from Cader Idris age 15 to buy a Welsh Bible at Bala.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
The "I had a lovely ride today, thankyou" thread
(2685 posts)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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I hope to visit the Valley with castell y Bere next week when the traffic levels will be lower
Posted 2 years ago # -
There's a Mary Jones museum on the shore of Llyn Tegid
Posted 2 years ago # -
For those of a more energetic outlook, I can heartily recommend the Cambrian Coast Sportive.
It managed to coincide with a family holiday many moons ago and was an excellent day on the bike if a little challenging with Bwlch y Groes included for fun.
I've never since managed to combine a family holiday with a Sportive - Mrs Chief got wise to that one..
Posted 2 years ago # -
Looks kind of fun. I've done much of it on different occasions. But never Bwlch y Groes from Dina Mawddwy, only from llyn tegid or llyn efyrnwy.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Big Dog looks tough
Posted 2 years ago # -
It was. Definitely type 2 fun. But the glorious scenery made it worth while.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Turns out I did know two groups doing five ferries yesterday after all. The late start Fietsclub met the Jackson five on the 1030 ferry
Still think getting the crap bit between ardrosan and weymss bay over early morning might be better.
Hope Hankchief has a good day, bit cloudy out.
Yesterday we did A70 to Tarbrax turn, down to level crossing beyond auchengray then backside of braehead to Yieldshields road then on to Kilncadzow (bakery there still closed, shame) then down down deeper and down the mousewater valley, ignoring the road closed sign, then up and over into the Clyde valley and down and down again to Kirkfieldbank and up to Sandilands and over to Carmichael where we discussed square hay bales and silage pits with the farmer then round the glorious Tinto road. And back via apple pie. Was 70 miles or just under but felt more as a lot of climbing. Kilncadzow is pronounced Kilcaddie.
Posted 2 years ago # -
On 1st ferry from Ardrossan having done the cycle down from Largs. The sun is breaking through.
Boat is heaving (lots of golfers), so not sure if we'll get 2nd breakfast.
From our plans of a leisurely ride and taking time to enjoy Arran, we now have changed that and are going to race for the next ferry. 15miles in an hour with a massive hill at the end...
Posted 2 years ago # -
@hankchief. Yes, smart not to have the bad road at night. Weymss Bay to Largs just a short schlep.
Brodick to Lochranza in an hour is doable but yes hill is in the way a little.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Will require flapjacks, hope not left on The Bunker?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Currently eating one on the 2nd ferry.
Made with a bit of time to spare but not helped by me dropping back to pace one of our group to the climb as they'd dropped off the chain gang.
Got to the bottom of climb and realised he wasn't from our group...
Onwards to Tarbet for lunch.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Kind of you to help though
Posted 2 years ago # -
Indeed. They made the ferry too.
Arran looks charming* in the rear view of the ferry with dolphins passing by. Happy Days.
*must spend some time on it sometime
Posted 2 years ago # -
Basing yourself in Arran and cycling around is probably better than the five ferries adventure.
Lagg down at the south end even has a Bike Hotel. And a second distillery. There is a superb climb back from Lamlash to Blackwaterfoot. The Lodge at Blackwaterfoot made us a great dinner.
If it is sunny it is heaven. The view from south of Arran down the Clyde to Ailsa Craig was special. Only seen it side on before.
Posted 2 years ago # -
In Rothesay after an attempt to ride the 8 miles on Bute in 25mins (so people could catch the earlier ferry), but to no avail - ferry operator said no.
Had time to meander up the serpentine. That is some climb. Now eating bag of chips on the front while we await the next ferry. A grand day out.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Chips from Zavaroni’s?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Of course.
Oh & the plodder* who I paced on Arran made all the same ferries as we did despite us beasting some sections. Definitely something about slow & steady (& no faff) wins the race.
*said with appreciation of his efforts
Posted 2 years ago # -
@Hankchief, but would have missed all those ferries if you hadn’t brought him back to the peloton that wasn’t his peloton
Posted 2 years ago # -
Here's a video of the Barmouth bridge
Posted 2 years ago # -
Lovely bridge, we did it one Easter and the scousers on motorbikes were cheeky chaps who used the bridge instead of taking the long way round
Posted 2 years ago # -
We cycled to the Dysynni Valley, @gembo, again. The coastal road is spectacular, a slice of Italy. Only spotted one pair of cormorants at Bird Rock. Car park full at Castell y Bere, one hiker by Mary Jones' House. Then we did a bit of Happy Valley, where oH's chain got jammed by the chain ring. Back via Tywyn over the bridge near the mouth of the Dysynni
Posted 2 years ago # -
@amir, a grand day out, except chain getting stuck.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Tour de Pentlands this morning: Moor Road, West Linton, Blyth Bridge, Red Barn, Elsrickle, Newbigging, Carwath, Lang Wang.
Left early, mindful of the wind forecast. Very pleasant tootle down, with lovely clear views. The wind picked up as I headed south, and by the time I was heading west it was grabbing my front wheel every now and then.
Turning for home at Carnwath, it genuinely died away for a bit, but by the Tarbrax turn I had the hoped-for stiff south westerly.
From the top of Auchinoon Brae to past the airfield, I didn't touch the pedals once. The only reason I started pedalling is that I couldn't hold an aero tuck any longer (due to lack of the necessary dorsal muscles).
Grand morning out, although I felt my lack of fitness.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Hah, talking about lack of fitness - had a nice ride out to South Queensferry today, then decided to come back along the waterfront rather than on the path. After the hill back up at the rail bridge I made it a bit further along before I had to collapse on a bench in Dalmeny for about half an hour, felt like I was going to puke. And that was on an ebike in the granny gear.
Think I have a while to go before I'll be riding without the assistance turned on :P
Posted 2 years ago # -
Not today, but last Sunday (sorry couldn't find this thread) I headed off on my end of summer big day out - an attempt to see how far I could go without expiring. Inspired by talk in other threads of 200km rides I ended up doing... Lasswade, Heriot, Clovenfords, Selkirk, Yarrow valley, Talla, Broughton, Biggar, Carnwath, Lang Whang.
Rain stayed away apart from a heavy shower between Megget and Talla, and another near Broughton. Being a Sunday open shops and bakeries were rather sparse on the ground - even the apple pie was ferme by the time I went past.
Was very much a full day out, and the longest ride I have ever done in a day.Posted 2 years ago # -
@ vladimpala, good effort. we did similar run yesterday. The store in Broughton is great for cake and coffee though cakes probably sold out by lunch. We went counter clockwise. Was wet on the Whang due to low mist. Eleven miles to Tarbrax turn with only good driving.
Sun came out. Tuff into wind to Tweedsmuir, I emptied myself a bit and talla wall was hard on summer bike. I usually grind up in my granny gear. Descent was fab. Megget water very low. Turning east at st Mary’s loch nice tailwind to the Gordon Arms. They opened early for us as we were without mishap unlike the paisley velo lads who overtook us. They were doing TOB.
Apart from one bug group probably Peebles based route was quiet. Though post lunch Mount benger climb was easy and descent to innerleithen swift. Many bikes there. Granites were a doddle with the southwesterly but was tough back to Gladhouse which sadly has become too popular. Made it home in good time. This was our last hurrah of the summer. Just over 160km
Posted 2 years ago # -
Lovely ride out this morning, with the promise of the Apple Pie bakery and a tailwind home, we just had to get there.
Off we went via Avonbirdge, Harthill and Col de Climpy. Hard work into the wind but all worth it for the much anticipated Egg & Bacon roll at the Apple Pie (followed be a rhubarb turnover).
The tail wind was everything we imagined. Glorious.
Posted 2 years ago # -
@hankchief, I see you fell for the Apple Pie clever marketing. I’m New Try Me?
We had them today after battling the wind but we had them because Nat Nat the baker begged us to try them as she was worried Audrey would kill her as too many left.
We were 12.5 mph average out and 18mph average back. Wind was strong this afternoon
Posted 2 years ago # -
I would have it again. It was lovely. 2 out of 5 us had them.
This afternoon's cake selection at Craigies was disappointing in comparison.
We'd headed there to pick up our pressed Apple Juice. 19 bottles! Not a bad return from the 20kg of apples we had lugged up the hill to them last weekend*.
Downhill was definitely easier if a bit clinky...
*we also had 10kg of pears but sadly they wouldn't press them for us :-(
Posted 2 years ago #
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