Crew: Dr Simon, El Pres, Slim, Troll, Dunc, Lee, Stunt, Eric, Butty, Adrian
Dr S aided by El Pres and Eric plan a trip to complete the Traws Eryri (Trans Snowdonia) from Machynlleth to Conwy over four days as a 60th birthday adventure.
Route is not super technical, but with 35 miles and >3,000 ft of climb each day, it’s a decent multi day challenge with hardtails being the consensus bike option.
Adrian once again is our white van man, with logistical support (and an ebike to do a bit of riding too!)
Start point is the Wynnstay hotel near the clocktower in the centre of Machynlleth, with Simon and Adrian bringing the bikes and bags in the van, and the rest of us arriving by train.
It’s a damp and dreary Wednesday night, bikes are reassembled and locked in the laundry shed, rooms allocated (albeit Lee and Chris seen to have a non functioning toilet) and dinner options explored…we opt for the Red Lion (Y Llew Coch Mach) which has gastro pub exterior, but curry house interior (and the gents are wall to wall kerrang magazine which speaks of a previous iteration as a rock themed establishment!) nevertheless it’s decent food and beer, and a welcome chance to catch up with Eric, pore over weather apps, and discuss route/kit choices.
We head back over the road to our coaching inn hotel, for a final pint – to find the bar deserted apart from the ladies running club post their WNR. Troll’s attempt to get us to open the whisky is defeated and we retire at sensible o’clock.
Day 1 Machynlleth to Dolgellau
A DNS, a lot of moisture, a big mechanical and the smallest bunkhouse in christendom!
35 Miles, 3,220 ft of climb
In theory the easiest day!
Early opportunities for coffee and cake, limited later
First 17 miles is on tarmac with a big off road climb in the second half.
After Abergynolwyn there is an option for some singletrack instead of the tarmac road.
The second half is nearly all off road, moorland track and cycleway.
Full welsh breakfasts to fortify for the day ahead – it’s going to be wet , just a question of how much. Lee is in eternally optimistic mood – hanging onto the 5% chance it won’t! It’s not actually raining yet – but by the time we have assembled and faffed it starts.
The worse news is that Eric has to return to base to look after Mrs D who has come down with a bad case of the Covid. We will be relying on his detailed research on the route, Dunc is promoted to co-navigator.
The route is mainly minor roads and the weather decided to do a proper heavy rain for half an hour quite early on – so we are in full wet’s (and hence overheating) from quite early on. It is brightening as we drop into Abergynolwyn and find a cafe to get some much needed coffee and cake. Of course it stops raining while we are there! On the climb out Lee has a loose crank – and cunning Dunc finds a way to improvise the tool required – you know it’s working when grease oozes out!
For a while it is brightening up, and the whispy grey cloud stays lurking around the tops of the hills, we have dropped close to sea level in a wide flat valley, before the inevitable big climb of the day begins – 1000ft in just over 2 miles – it’s brutal! Soon enough we are back in cloud, and into the red zone. Arriving at the top to no view at all, liquorice allsorts are voted trail snack of the year.
A lot of water on the double track trail that contours along then takes us down to the tarmac, and a brake busting 25% descent on a greasy wet lane to finish! A very pleasant ride along the estuary cycleway all the way into Dolgellau in search of more coffee and cake, some brake caliper recentering is needed to stop some brake rub (and annoying squeaking) from Stunt’s front wheel. As we begin the circuit of the town – a huge “snap, twang, crunch” is heard – and Lee’s bike decides to shed it’s rear mech into the back wheel! How lucky that we are within yards of the van. Investigation determines a snapped mech hanger, and possible rear mech damage. With the rain coming again we pop it into the van, and head for a glamorous starbucks on the main road outside town that is just shy of our campsite destination.
Bedraggled we warm up, caffeine up, and partake of toasties, and wait for the rain to stop before continuing. Now TNR are not too precious about accomodation as long as there are functioning toilets and showers, but the “bunkhouse” is a converted wooden stable block with 6 bunks crammed into each stable – we have two. Everything is extra – including bike storage (so we put them in the van!), we get washed and dry – attempt to air/dry coats and shorts by hanging them from the outside table parasol, then get a taxi into town for food and beer. The Torrent turns out to be a busy pub/restaurant, and we get the last couple of tables in the nick of time. We are finally in our element with beer, food and warmth.
Butty arrives (with Lee’s spare mech hanger) to join us for the rest of the trip, and its another taxi back to “Stalagluft 11 & 12” for some whisky before bed.
Day 2 Dolgellau to Tanygrisiau
Coed y Brenin memories, Power Station tourism, and bubbly in the Hot tub!
36 miles, 4,250 ft of climb
We have to head back 4 miles to Penmaenpool to pick up the TE route which will be a warm up for a nasty climb out of the Mawddach valley. The tarmac ends and it’s onto a long climb on forest trails before descending to Coed Y Brenin, but riding the trail centre might be ambitious as there is a long way still to go! Our accomodation is 6.5 miles beyond the end of the official TE route, with some A road sections.
We rise fairly early – Lee had a go at bringing back the clockwork to life, but the rear mech is beyond repair, and in the interests of time set up Eric’s clockwork that is sat in the van! Breakfast is at Y Saucion in town (excellent cooked breakfasts and flat whites), the sky is blue with white puffy clouds, and all is good with the world.
We retrace the cycle path back to the wooden toll bridge, where we are charged the sum of 30p each to cross, then hit the hill on the other side. More knee murdering steepness for a mile or so before it levels out and we meander through woods all the way to Coed y Brenin. Meeting Butty and Adrian on their ebikes as we close in. It’s an early lunch stop as we watch families prepping for their holiday bike rides on the trails. Then we are off to do the beast climb before leaving the trail centre behind as we contour high up with great views of the Roman Gap and the Rhinog’s to the west.
Today our wet feet come from huge puddles spanning the whole width of the trail, which after a couple of bottom bracket drenchings we opt for the side detours that have emerged.
The afternoon is a very pleasant three sides of LLyn Trawsfynydd reservoir on traffic free roads, getting ever closer to the decommissioned Magnox power station – two huge brutalist buildings at the north end.
Dr S has been having some bike creaks of his own, which require some trailside adjustment – but it’s not often that the multitool itself then requires rebuilding!
There is even some nice swoopy stuff before the Dam on the NW tip before we get there. Dr S works out some nice minor road options to get us more directly to our destination, including a very overgrown but fun bridleway! But there is no avoiding the A496 as the valleys narrow, with leg sapping hills, but thankfully light traffic.
Before the overnight accomodation, there is the Lake Cafe by the hydro station at Tanygrisiau, which is actually open (despite appearances), and staffed by two young but very consciensious girls. It’s been warm enough for ice creams for some!
Our next challenge is to find the house where we are staying, in the end we resort to asking the locals and find we are within 100m of it – the Ty Ni sign being tiny and next to the parking space and fence. You enter via the bottom of the garden. We have prosecco, bread, crisps and chocolate left for us, along with the largest amount of “Don’t” style instructions ever seen – do not dismantle the router being our favourite. TNR team dynamics put to the test as the sleeps 10-12 (we are 9) seems to include some double beds, sofa beds and another little building round the side. After much double counting, checking of preferences etc we end up somehow taking turns to choose based on the order of finishing the ride on the last hill! Lee and Butty head into Blaneau to get fish and chips & beers, then we enjoy the garden and for the brave the hot tub! Beer and Whisky whilst watching the olympics, as another dodgy weather morning is in prospect tomorrow. The washing machine and tumble drier have been put to good use in the meantime!
Day 3 Tanygriseau to Betws y Coed
Late start, picnic lunch, a search for drinkable water…
31 Miles, 4,000 ft of climb
The benefit of the gruelling finish to day 2 is that it takes a bit of distance off day 3!
After a tarmac warm up most of the day is on moorland and forest tracks, the route into Betws y Coed goes through Penmachno Forest.
We wake to rain steadily falling, compare apps, and opt to leave as late as possible and only then to ride down into Blaenau for brunch! There are just enough teabags to eke out first refreshments, and toast for breakfast, ahead of loading up and helping the van reverse out on the tight lane. It’s light fine rain on the way down, and the cafe is full of glum looking holiday makers having the same plan as us. The “light green breakfast” – ie veggie but with only 1 glamorgan sausage and 1 quorn, is voted best breakfast so far! Even Pete has one (although mainly by accident!). Most amusing text of the week goes to Adrian who asks why 8 of us are in the wrong cafe ;-). Do check out the scalextric and mini golf next door next time you are in town.
Alex had become the “route progress auditor” and gets us going to buy lunch supplies and into the grey dampness to get us properly started by 11ish. Once out of town it’s a scenic climb along the B439 as the clouds begin to lift, a gentler gradient than previous days (thankfully) and we are all down to short sleeves by the top as the weather has finally departed. Jelly babies as we turn off onto a singletrack road with passing places, that once over the saddle decends at perilous speed into Penmacho valley – more brake fade anxiety on the way down for some!!
Sun cream is needed in the sunny valley below, and a regroup with team E at the start of the Penmacho trail head. The next couple of hours are on fire roads amongst the trees, with ever better views until we are high above soaring buzzards looking down to Penmacho village. A great picnic stop, occasional other biker groups coming past, and time to reapply suncream!
Long uppy downy net descents heading northwards, and then something unthinkable given the amount of the stuff falling out of the sky earlier in the day…some riders are out of water! There are no cafe’s or petrol stations in striking distance, spare fluids are shared around, and then we come across a national trust building with toilets..the water is signed as not drinking, but we are assured that the stream is fine – so fill up we do. A nice valley floor shady ride with a short bit of rocky singletrack take us down to the big river, and a campsite – with a tap – more filling up (although El Pres spots that the blue pipe appears to be coming from the river upstream!). Hydrated we press on for the last element of the ride – a steep lane up to the top of the hill, then proper tracks through the woods. Dunc has a high speed off catching up the group (or chasing an E bike) but escapes with only light grazes. Photo opportunity at a lake, then down down down into Betws Y Coed, and our super central base. A grand old house now schools outdoor centre – beers from butty’s van on the benches in the garden to cool us off, generous use of 3 bunk rooms to enable us all to have bottom bunks, and old school shower plumbing! Being the weekend the hostelries are heaving, Lee secures us a table at the Royal Oak Hotel which works well in the end. We are well looked after by our waitress whose welsh lilt triggers debate. She happily hails from Poland, and proves that non of us guessed right (Solvenia was close though!). Pete ensures that we finish the whisky in the common room afterwards, and a conversation is had about tomorrow – 26 degrees forecast!
Two decisions – firstly to skip the final big climb and use the coastal cycle way instead, second to rise early to get some of the route in before it gets too hot. Leaving at 8am to get to a cafe near Capel Curig is the compromise arrived at.
Day 4 Betws y Coed to Conwy
Sunshine, views of Snowdon and a swim in the sea!
35 Miles, 4,200 ft of climb
Either side of the A5 to Capel Curig before the Snowdonia slate trail climb up the Ogwen Valley.
Over the top and down Nant Ffrancon to Bethesda and onto back lanes to the coast to Conwy.
Amazingly everyone is “up and at ’em” on time, but our centre manager tells us that our target cafe is closed, so immediate plan B to the alpine cafe at the station. Best cafe of the trip, best coffee of the trip, and what a contrast it is to some of those before (tourist money talks!).
The route out of town is nicely shady, utilising minor roads, fire roads and cycle trails, and within an hour we are at Plas Y Brenin – for iced lattes and stunning view across to Snowdon.
RoutenFurher finally stirs us into action, for the 5km trail across to the top of the Ogwen valley, and what a joy it is – flattish, dry and in beautiful scenery – Dr S points out the Adam and Eve stones at the top of Tryfan (he has jumped between the two!!). Ice creams at the cafe by Llyn Ogwen, then almost traffic free descent down to the cool shady bits round the back of the Bethesda quarries.
We opt not to waste any of that height for a lunch stop, and press on to Rachub and get our first views of Lafan sands, Bangor Pier, Beaumaris and Puffin Island. Little lanes down to Abergwyngregyn, then onto Route 5 to Llanfairfechan, and a seaside cafe for an afternoon snack. We are now on nodding terms with other cycle groups doing the same ride. Dr S does yoga (not for the first time) before we mount up for the final miles to Conwy criss crossing the A55, the railway, and the seafront along the way. The sea is too inviting, so Dr S, Dunc and Alex all have a refreshing dip before the last wiggle past the holiday park, marina and the smallest house in britain! Butty and Adrian are waiting for us at the liverpool arms, cold beer celebrates the end of the ride! We pack up and change in the car park by the castle before van and train teams go their respective ways. It’s a hot end to a great trip, we are all glad we are not riding tomorrow, but at the same time sad it’s ending! Who is going to organise the next TNR adventure!?
