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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
Hi there
I've been lurking on here for a while and I wonder if anyone here can help me. I've been getting into cycling a bit more this year - context is that I'm 17st-something and I've been out doing a few rides around Manchester, normally 8-15 miles long. In other words, nothing /too/ impressive, but I'm really pleased with my progress - I couldn't cope with even a slight incline not too long ago. You can read more if you like (I wouldn't bother really) at http://www.scandrett.net/bike/ if you're interested. Because I'm not a 'serious' cyclist, I'm still scared of heavy traffic (and indeed traffic on narrow roads); reading the thread about accidents and scary moments in this ng was a little worrying! As a consequence I actively try to avoid main roads and routes and stick to cycle paths or quieter roads - I like converted railway lines, for example, or canal towpaths, as they're flattish, normally well surfaced and there's a lower risk of accidents. Long hills kill me, shortish inclines are now almost manageable but I'm no mountain-biker. Up 'til now I've mainly been following routes in books - I've found the Haynes "Manchester Cycle Rides" to be excellent. I now have a week/ten days off (have to use up holiday before the end of the year) and I'm struggling to find anyone else able to join me for anything - so I thought I might just head over to North Wales and cycle round/stay in a B&B. And this is where I'm getting a bit stuck. I know there's a new cycle track recently opened on the north coast of Wales but I'm really finding it difficult to find any information, let alone maps, about that route, either online or in my local library. Similarly I can't find any decent books - well, any books - which have rides for the north Wales area of a similar standard that I might be able to cope with; people always seem to assume that you can do 100 miles in a day, which is way over my capabilities (at the moment!). My point is that I like to cycle and enjoy the ride and stop and spend time in places and stuff as much as being on my bike and would like to have something to guide me. Can anyone please recommend any way of finding out about cycle routes in Wales? I've emailed Sustrans and asked for some leaflets/routes in the area, but am I missing any particularly good resources for this sort of thing? I'm only really after a couple of route descriptions - I can't afford to go for a week! - but I'm struggling to find any at all. One idea that has been suggested to me is to take my bike up the Ffestiniog railway to the 'top' and then cycle back down to Porthmadog - sounds like a nice idea, but I don't know any recommended routes/cycle paths. The other thing that occurred to me was to cycle along the Llangollen canal (I've been along this on a boat a few times so know the area a little, which is a bonus). As I've mentioned above, I don't mind going on roads, just as long as I'm not likely to be run over...! Does anyone else have any suggestions/ideas or can point me to any resources please? I'm sort of enthusiastic and although I'm likely to take an OS map with me (if I go) I'm not experienced or necessarily confident enough to plan my own route using just that - unless I get horribly lost, of course! Many thanks Peter |
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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
On 19/08/2006 16:31, Peter Scandrett said,
One idea that has been suggested to me is to take my bike up the Ffestiniog railway to the 'top' and then cycle back down to Porthmadog - sounds like a nice idea I can't really help with cycling around North Wales (although I'm heading Coed-y-Brenin way in a couple of weeks!), but I do know the Festiniog Railway and it's environs pretty well. I'm not sure the ride down to Porth from Blaenau really has much appeal - it is mostly main road. From your description of your current riding experiences, I don't think you would particularly enjoy it. Heading out the other way from Porthmadog could be good - I think there might be some cycling routes around Snowdonia that are worth looking out for. Does anyone else have any suggestions/ideas or can point me to any resources please? I'm sort of enthusiastic and although I'm likely to take an OS map with me (if I go) I'm not experienced or necessarily confident enough to plan my own route using just that - unless I get horribly lost, of course! I think you should just go for it. Pick your start point, and use the map to decide where to go within your limits. Don't fret about what might be, just go out and do it! -- Paul Boyd http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/ |
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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
"Peter Scandrett" wrote in message ... Hi there I've been lurking on here for a while and I wonder if anyone here can help me. http://www.cycling.visitwales.com/ http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/p...des_routes.htm Do these links help? Are you planning a multiday A to B trip, or staying in one place. The latter can be easier as you don't need to take so much luggage... The Lon Las goes through Bangor and Caernarfon and it mostly on tracks (If I remember correctly...) Peter |
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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
Peter Scandrett of www.scandrett.net wrote:
Up 'til now I've mainly been following routes in books - I've found the Haynes "Manchester Cycle Rides" to be excellent. I now have a week/ten days off (have to use up holiday before the end of the year) and I'm struggling to find anyone else able to join me for anything - so I thought I might just head over to North Wales and cycle round/stay in a B&B. And this is where I'm getting a bit stuck. I did this along the North Wales coast in September 2004. I posted a series of reports to this newsgroup, with the title 'Welsh Wanderings' - you can look them up on google groups for more info. Note that one bit re-appeared in the scariest moment on a bike thread! Also see my sig for rides from Manchester that might well be your sort of level. -- Steph Peters Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm |
#5
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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
You could on a related note try the train/cycle combo of the Welsh Highland
Railway (Caernarfon). They have special trucks adapted to take cycles. The line runs from Caernarfon - Rhyd Ddu (the back of Snowdon), and I gather it's a fairly easy run back to Caernarfon by bike, being downwards most of the way... I haven't tried this myself though, so the only thing I can strongly recommend is the scenary. Andy Cox |
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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
Hi
Paul Boyd wrote on 19/08/2006 16:52: On 19/08/2006 16:31, Peter Scandrett said, I can't really help with cycling around North Wales (although I'm heading Coed-y-Brenin way in a couple of weeks!), but I do know the Festiniog Railway and it's environs pretty well. I'm not sure the ride down to Porth from Blaenau really has much appeal - it is mostly main road. From your description of your current riding experiences, I don't think you would particularly enjoy it. Heading out the other way from Porthmadog could be good - I think there might be some cycling routes around Snowdonia that are worth looking out for. Thanks for this (and to others who have replied, too). I'm planning to catch a train over to Bangor tomorrow, cycle to Caernarfon (which doesn't have a station!) and use that as a base for exploring a couple of routes for a couple of days; one thing I'm hoping to do is to go on the WHR as far as it goes (Rhyd Ddu) then come back to Caernarfon. Does anyone else have any suggestions/ideas or can point me to any resources please? I'm sort of enthusiastic and although I'm likely to take an OS map with me (if I go) I'm not experienced or necessarily confident enough to plan my own route using just that - unless I get horribly lost, of course! I think you should just go for it. Pick your start point, and use the map to decide where to go within your limits. Don't fret about what might be, just go out and do it! Thanks; that's what I'm afraid of really, I like to have things planned. It's coming together though, which is good. I just hope the weather holds out! Incidentally, if I might whinge here for a bit...? The short version: I went to Oxford Road to book my ticket and make a reservation for my bike because I know that I can't order it on the phone/internet and receive it for tomorrow. They tell me they can't reserve the space for the bike, and give me a few numbers to ring to reserve it (inside the cover of the timetable). I get home, and I then get bounced around the 'cycling' line, the 'booking' line, national rail enquiries and then finally customer services, all but the last of whom are fairly unhelpful and tell me that I have to reserve it at the time of booking with the station. The last number said the same thing but was more apologetic about it. Of course, now, I have two opposing teams of people telling me two contradictory things. Practical upshot - I can't reserve my bike. It's just for peace of mind really but I'm desperately hoping it's not busy when I try to get there/back so it's not an issue. Rant over... Thanks for your help, everyone! I hope I'm OK... Regards Peter |
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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
Andy Cox wrote on 21/08/2006 12:15:
You could on a related note try the train/cycle combo of the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon). They have special trucks adapted to take cycles. The line runs from Caernarfon - Rhyd Ddu (the back of Snowdon), and I gather it's a fairly easy run back to Caernarfon by bike, being downwards most of the way... Thanks for this, I'm hoping to try it out - we'll see how I go! Regards Peter |
#9
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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
Hi
Stewart Devereux wrote on 22/08/2006 23:09: http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/ Thanks for this, and to others for their input. I decided to take the advice of someone on here and just go for it, so I took a few days last week. My plan was to head out to Caernarfon; Wednesday did Bangor (station)-Caernarfon, Thursday did a record (for me in one day) 31m ride starting at Rhyd Ddu (hurrah for the WHR) and back to the town via Foryd Bay and around NCN8; on Friday I went from Caernarfon to Llanfair PG and took the train back. In summary, I think I enjoyed it - particularly the Thursday - although I also enjoyed crossing the Menai bridge and some of the other downhill sections! I must admit that a couple of miles on the hills out of Bangor I was regretting even starting it and wondering if I'd bitten off more than I could chew; once I got over that bit though it got better and I had quite a nice time (and was pleasantly surprised by my achievements). If anyone's interested, you can read a bit more (and see the routes I took) at http://www.scandrett.net/bike/ (links at the bottom). Now I know a little more about the area and I'm a bit more confident I might venture back sometime to the area and see how I go... perhaps pootling along the coast near Llandudno or out on the Llyn peninsula. Thanks for the encouragement! Peter PS Is it normally such a nightmare to reserve bike places on trains? I was given a stressful run around by different phone numbers/the station when I bought my ticket and gave up in the end; fortunately it wasn't too busy but it didn't help my peace of mind before I'd even started! |
#10
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Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner
On 28/08/2006 10:10, Peter Scandrett said,
Thanks for this, and to others for their input. I decided to take the advice of someone on here and just go for it, so I took a few days last week. Excellent! ride starting at Rhyd Ddu (hurrah for the WHR) They are a model of what the "proper" train companies should be doing. (Special bike wagons for those not in the know, and no need to faff about in circles trying to book it on.) PS Is it normally such a nightmare to reserve bike places on trains? Yes, unless it's the WHR :-) Trains now are not designed for bikes, and even if there is a bike space, it is usually full of these wardrobes that pass for luggage these days. In the good 'ol days you could just sling the bike in the guards van without pre-booking, but they don't have guards vans any more :-( -- Paul Boyd http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/ |
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