7 August – Liverpool
Not in North Wales yet, but Liverpool is an ideal place for a stop-over on the way. The hostel is a comfortable place to stay where the staff are friendly and helpful. Directly opposite the restored Albert Docks, once an important port for shipping around the world it is now home to museums, entertainment, shops and residential buildings. The hostel is also only a short walk from the centre of the city and makes a perfect base for exploring the city.
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Liverpool Youth Hostel, an ideal location opposite Albert Docks
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A Liver bird sits on top of the Liver building.  |
| The river Mersey at Albert Dock. Three weeks from now I will be cycling alongside the Mediterranean sea, I hope it is a better colour than this! |
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| Liverpool city hall. |
8 August - Conwy
I took a train from Liverpool that would take me under the river Mersey to Birkenhead this morning.
From Birkenhead the wind was behind me but after turning into Wales at Connah's Quay I received it's full blast blowing straight in off the Irish sea, and so it was all day.
Most of the route was along the main road into north Wales. It is not a particularly wide road and traffic is very heavy. Coupled with a traffic hold-up in Flint I have not had a particularly good day.
Having said that, I am staying in the hostel at Conwy which is really well fitted out, very comfortable and the view over the mountains are worth the hard climb up the hill to get here.
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A bridge carries the cycle route and railway line over the
river Dee at Hawarden
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Motorist's get to travel over the river Dee
at Connah's Quay
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Traffic jam on the approach to the town of Flint
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My first real view of the sea, at Colwyn Bay
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The original toll bridge entry to Conwy
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Two views of Conwy Castle
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| The smallest house in Great Britain |
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| Conwy Youth Hostel |
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Two views to enjoy whilst you eat a meal at
Conwy Youth Hostel
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After the strain into a headwind yesterday it is good to know I only have around three hours riding to-day.
Moving inland and following the Conwy valley I am pleased that the wind is no longer present. After a hilly few miles I am heading for an attractive looking patch of blue sky. Unfortunately it seems that the black clouds over my shoulder are doing the same thing, at a faster pace than me. The rain forecast for tomorrow has appeared to-day, but not a lot of it. It does however make the temperature drop and I am riding in a long sleeved jacket and leg warmers, it is that cold.
With such a short distance to ride I make a diversion into Betws-y-Coed for lunch. As always this small town is busy with tourists, making the most of the August holiday but not with any warm weather.
After climbing the hilly road out of Betws-y-Coed my ride takes me alongside Llyn (Lake) Ogwen to Idwal Cottage hostel situated on the shore. If you are looking for an ideal location with extremely helpful and friendly staff, this is the hostel for you.
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A fine sight in Betws-y-Coed
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I'm not sure if I want to stop here for tea
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I hope the road to Llyn Ogden goes round the
mountain, not over it!
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Llyn Ogwen
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Idwal Cottage Youth Hostel
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Although the sun came out for a while early this morning I do not like the look of the low cloud on the hills above the lake.
Again I have a ‘steady’ day to-day with about an hour and a half riding to Llanberis.
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| The downhill run to Bethesda |
I start with an easy ride downhill to Bethesda, the town taking it's name from the local chapel, before a climb out before the final run down to Llanberis.
With such a short ride I find myself kicking my heels for the rest of the day so a drink of hot chocolate with marshmallows together with Welsh cakes and honey are called for.
I visited Padarn Country Park. Once the location of a major slate mine it is now a slate museum and heritage centre.
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The effects of extracting slate can be clearly
seen on the mountainside
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The inclined plane used to bring slate down from
the mountain
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Spoil left over from slate mining
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An original narrow-gauge steam locomotive,
now used on the tourist railway
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Once again, a first class hostel situated high above the town with amazing mountain views, it's just a pity about the rain.
11 August - Snowdon Pen-y-Pass
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| Not the best view of the mountains this morning |
I woke this morning to torrential rain and faced two choices, either head straight to the hostel at Pen-y-Pass about a 30-minute ride away or ride to the coast at Caernarfon then loop round to Pen-y-Pass. Either way I am going to get cold and wet but if I go to Caernarfon I can then keep riding for most of the day and try to stay warmer.
Caernarfon is about a 45-minute ride away, by the time I arrive the rain has almost stopped, giving me a half-decent chance to have a look around. By the time I leave I am getting even more wet than when I arrived.
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Caernarfon Castle
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Turn right or go straight ahead - looks complicated either way.
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| The beach balls and rubber boats look sorry for themselves in the rain |
With 16 fairly flat miles to ride, apart from the rain I am quite enjoying myself, along the valley by Llyn Cwellyn and into Beddgelert, by which time a break is called for. There are not many places to eat in Beddgelert, perhaps that is why the place was crowded and the staff did not try very hard.
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| A fellow cyclist in Beddgelert |
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Snowdon Pen y Pass Youth Hostel
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12 August – Llyn Cwellyn
In contrast to the weather last night, to-day dawned bright and clear, although by 10.30 the cloud had started to descend again.
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View of Snowdon last night
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| View of Snowdon this morning |
Again with only a short distance to travel to-day I was able to spend time in the village of Beddgelert.
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| River Colwyn, Beddgelert |
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| Built in Manchester, England in 1958 for export to South Africa. This locomotive was return to England at the end of steam in that country and restored for use on this tourist railway |
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| Remarkable the people you meet on a cycle tour |
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| Due to the dangerous nature of the landscape and changing weather conditions a mountain rescue helicopter is always on stand-by at Rhyd Ddu |
It is then a short ride to Llwn Cwellyn and Snowdon Ranger hostel. Prior to becoming a youth hostel the building was lived in by John Morton, said to be the earliest mountain guide to Snowdon and who called himself ‘The Snowdon Ranger’.
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| Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel |
13 August – Betws-y-Coed
A fine and almost warm day as I make my way once again into Beddgelert – I have now been here three times in three days. The route then takes me along the valley before I turn at Garreg and start the climb towards Blaenau Ffestiniog. After a three mile climb I appreciate this message on the road!
Once the centre of the huge slate mining industry, there now seems to be only one ‘micro-mine’ operating, with more evidence of the spoil left from a previous era.
More climbing out of the town then it is downhill (almost) all the way to the tourist trap of Betws-y-Coed. It is mid-day as I arrive and am surprised to find the town not as busy as when I was here earlier in the week. The hostel is at the Swallow Falls hotel. The falls themselves being a tourist attraction make for a busy road at this point.
14 August – Borth
After enjoying the final 10-miles of my ride almost all downhill yesterday I really cannot face the prospect of climbing all the way back up this morning. After some –‘navigation on the fly’ I managed to work my way round following the valley floor. As an added ‘bonus’ the route took me once again into Beddgelert – the fourth time in four days!
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| The road out of Betws-y-Coed, not a car in sight. |
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| The mountains of Snowdonia reflected in the waters of Llyn Llynaubyr at Capel Curig |
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| Trying to keep up with the pace-car at Tremadog |
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| The off-road route into Dolgellau |
Once back on the original route and after a break in Dolgellau I am able to ‘enjoyed’ a hard climb out of the town but was rewarded with a beautiful view over the valley, not one motorists on the main road get to see.
The final turn into Borth, overlooking the Irish sea was hampered by a headwind, but for the last few miles I can manage that.
The hostel here is on the sea-front and from my room I have a view out to sea. Facilities here are first class and the staff are friendly, it is a perfect place to spend a night.
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| Borth Youth Hostel |
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| The Sea Front |
The population seem to like their houses multi-coloured.
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| Sunset over Borth |
15 August – Clun
A journey of three parts to-day, the first two of which were very easy. Firstly a five minute ride to Borth railway station, my final ride in Wales, followed by a one and a half hour train journey to Shrewsbury.
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River Severn at Shrewsbury
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I had forgotten how hilly Shropshire is. It is a continued case of climbing, climbing, climbing and as the weather for once had turned warm the afternoon was hard work.
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| Hard climbing but first class views |
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| The village of Bishop's Castle |
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| An interesting choice of house decoration in Bishop's Castle |
Clun Mill hostel is, as the name suggests, a converted flour mill and the setting amidst rolling countryside is idea. After competition from large mills it closed during the 1890's but opened again as a youth hostel in 1932.
It is a place to spend a few days, not as I am, moving on tomorrow.
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Clun Mill Youth Hostel
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The original mill machinery
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16 August - Coalport.
A pleasant day is prospect to-day as I eat breakfast looking over the Shropshire hills.
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| The view from the breakfast table |
The air temperature is ideal for riding and for once the road is in my favour, following the lower parts of the valley I am really enjoying the ride - until the town of Craven Arms. From here the road goes up and down a lot, but not to cause many problems. I decide to take a break at Much Wenlock.
I am soon at Ironbridge looking at the bridge that gave the town it's name. Opened in 1781 it was the worlds first single span cast iron bridge and crosses the river Severn.
I am soon at Ironbridge looking at the bridge that gave the town it's name. Opened in 1781 it was the worlds first single span cast iron bridge and crosses the river Severn.
My bed for tonight is at Coalport youth hostel, one of the remaining buildings that were originally part of the Coalport China Works, which closed in the 1926.
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Coalport China works, showing a kiln and the canal for
bringing fuel and raw materials in and
taking away the finished goods
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| One of the kilns for firing the china |
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| Coalport Youth Hostel |
17 August - Coalport to Leicester
Coalport sits in a valley on the banks of the river Severn, the valley sides are very steep meaning almost from the off this morning I had a lot of climbing. Once out of the valley the hills got further and further apart the closer I got to the industrial area of Birmingham.
Remembering the steel making industry in Dudley.
To avoid the main roads I followed the canal path through the city and out the other side. Birmingham has more miles of canals than Venice. At the centre of the city is the modernised Brindley Place, an area to relax, eat, drink and also to live. Many years ago in it's original condition it was known as Gas Street Basin and was a place to keep away from, especially at night. As the city has e been modernised the canals often run beneath the buildings.
Once I left the canals and Birmingham's suburbs I was able to cycle through a country park which took me well on the way to Nuneaton from where road-side cycle paths took me almost home to Leicester, with 403.3 miles covered.
Coalport sits in a valley on the banks of the river Severn, the valley sides are very steep meaning almost from the off this morning I had a lot of climbing. Once out of the valley the hills got further and further apart the closer I got to the industrial area of Birmingham.
Remembering the steel making industry in Dudley.
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Canal meets motorway at Oldbury
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Not quite the countryside scenery I saw last week
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To avoid the main roads I followed the canal path through the city and out the other side. Birmingham has more miles of canals than Venice. At the centre of the city is the modernised Brindley Place, an area to relax, eat, drink and also to live. Many years ago in it's original condition it was known as Gas Street Basin and was a place to keep away from, especially at night. As the city has e been modernised the canals often run beneath the buildings.
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| Galton Bridge |
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| Galton Tunnel |
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A heron waits for an unsuspecting fish to provide
it with a snack
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The entrance to Brindley Place
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Once I left the canals and Birmingham's suburbs I was able to cycle through a country park which took me well on the way to Nuneaton from where road-side cycle paths took me almost home to Leicester, with 403.3 miles covered.
