Prestatyn to Llandudno along the coast questions.
- Thread starter Dave7
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biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
Go on------I will bite
Naughty Ned is one of Havens Characters along with Polly , Anxious , Rory , Bradley and Greedy if they still exsist
I'm planning to take the family from Holyhead to Birkenhead in July. I've got my ferries (we're coming from Belfast-Dublin and back to Belfast) and overnight stops booked. There's some good information here and on other threads. I'm putting a bit more thought into this trip as opposed to winging it if I was going solo. I'll be pulling the Croozer for 2 trailer (see avatar) behind me at all times and I know that there will be various points where I'll need to stop, unclip the kids, and lift it over barriers and gates etc. Is there one particular body that oversees the North Wales cycle way or is it maintained by various councils? I wouldn't mind getting an idea of where these 'anti-trailer' gates are so I could maybe plan around them to some degree or as I have done previously, arranged to have them opened on certain days.
Also, if anyone has any pointers for good cafes, very good chippys and excellent ice cream along the way then do let me know!
Also, if anyone has any pointers for good cafes, very good chippys and excellent ice cream along the way then do let me know!
tommaguzzi
Über Member
- Location
- County Durham
You might encounter a very strong headwind going west, we did last on last year's Manchester Llandudno cc ride. It got very tiresome towards the end. Apparently it was great going back next day but i wanted to go up and around the Orm, see Conwy castle and then planned to ride on to Caernafon. There are a couple of interesting headlands to get round and then the cycle route becomes poorly signposted and goes inland, there is no alternative because you don't want to be on the A55. I got lost a few times and wasted so much time that i had to abandon Caernafon and divert to Bangor for the train.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
The weather/wind is definitely something I'll be keeping an eye on before we actually set off. I've paid a little extra on every booking to make sure I can cancel if it's just not going to be enjoyable weather wise.
I have my routes and elevations worked out on RidewithGPS but we've plenty of time to stop, deviate or enjoy the views before we reach our accommodation each night.
I have my routes and elevations worked out on RidewithGPS but we've plenty of time to stop, deviate or enjoy the views before we reach our accommodation each night.
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nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
I run the Manchester - Llandudno ride. I also did Llandudno - Holyhead the day after the ride in 2015. I'll dig something out and you can have a look at the route I took (obviously in reverse). My recollection is of quiet roads on Anglesey (all the traffic is on the main road from the port). Once your onto the mainland there is a very good cyclepath route NCN5 until you get onto the Wirral. After that to Birkehead I'm not sure...maybe @Crackle has some thought?
I think I'm going to skip Llandudno as I reckon it's too much of a climb with the trailer from Conwy plus I read yesterday that the council contentiously do not allow cycling along the promenade. I'm planning to take a pretty direct route from Conwy to Colwyn Bay, staying in the latter on the first night. From there to Talacre is all cycleway. Talacre to Connahs Quay seems to the main issue for us as there is next to no cycle provision for most of the way but we'll take our time and use any deserted paths along the way if it becomes too busy. We're staying close to Chester Zoo and plan to visit a day. After closing I plan to head to Birkenhead via the Ellesmere Port/New Chester Road route. There seems to be a lot of cycle provision around Chester and Birkenhead which is good.
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Yes Talacre to Connah's Quay is tricky. There are some diverts off the main road through villages and there are some stretches of cyclepath. But I doubt there is a way to avoid the main road A548 totally, other than taking a hillier inland route from Talacre which would be tough
The good news is that the stretch from Colwyn Bay to Talacre is great
The route I would take from Chester Zoo is in the link below. Much of it is off road, utilizing the Wirral Way and the coastal path. From Chester Zoo you go down the A41 which has good to middling sections of cycle path with only a couple of bits missing. It's a busy road but you're not on it long. The alternative is to cut off it at Station road and use Demage Lane and a cycle path that brings you out on the A5117 opposite Dunkirk Lane. The disadvantage of that route is there are lots of gates next to the railway track and it's a real pain, so much so I've only used it once.
You get onto the Wirral Way at Heath Lane and apart from a few short road sections you are on it all the way to West Kirby. Parkgate and Nichols ice cream is a pleasant detour off it, plus Parkgate has cafes and pubs, likewise West Kirby. Once at West Kirby you have to dink about a bit on roads and paths to Hoylake prom. You can ride on the prom at Hoylake despite it not being a shared path, it's wide and everyone uses it. At the end of it you go onto the coastal path along the maintenance road for the sea defences. This takes you all the way to new Brighton, again, cafes and restaurants, crazy golf and amusements. I recommend the excellent crazy golf course there.
At New Brighton you follow the coastal path around towards the Seacombe Ferry, past the Black Pearl, a boat made out of flotsam and Jetsam on the sands overlooking the Mersey. At Seacombe you can go across to Liverpool on a round trip or go to the Spaceport. This is the place where you then have to leave the bike paths and use some roads for the last bit into Birkenhead but you do go over the four bridges, which are quite cool. I've plotted things as far as Hamilton Square but you are in Birkenhead at that point.
I've ridden nearly all of that on a bike and it's all good and relatively easy to navigate. Let me know if you want any more advice on route or attractions.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19904772
Edit: I nearly forgot. I think there's one gate on the Wirral Way near Neston which will require manhandling the trailer but no others. There's also a section at Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton which I normally avoid on the road adjacent which you'll probably have to walk but it's very short.
Also, if you're not leaving from Chester Zoo but from somewhere in Chester, you may be better using the Greenway. Let me know and I can adjust the route.
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mythste
Guru
- Location
- Manchester
And don't, under any circumstances, think hitting the sand at speed to "sail" over it is a good idea.
It's not.
You will drift uncontrollably and if you don't end up upside-down and in the sea you'll certainly be needing a change of kecks.
Cheers for the information. I'll look more into your suggestions. This was the plan I drew out as mileage and elevation will be a major factor after walking around the zoo all day: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19732787
We need to make the ferry for after 9:00pm that day. I think the zoo shuts at 5pm so I'd thought of riding a few miles and getting something to eat at Cheshire Oaks or thereabouts and then taking our time heading north. I understand this way might not be as scenic but I reckon after a day on our feet, we'll long for the shortest route. The kids though, they'll have a doze in the trailer and be right as rain after dinner!
Ahh, I understand. I thought you might be doing it on a separate day. I can't see your route, it's not public but if it's heading down the A41 with a kiddi-trailer, I wouldn't. I'll have a quick think and re-jig it but the other option is to use the mereseyrail trains. You will have no problem getting bikes and trailer on it and there are lifts at Hamilton Square for coming out for the ferry.
Sorry, not sure how to revert to public once it's saved. Here's a screenshot of it.
Pretty bland mid section but it'll be a matter of just getting the job done by then. We'll have been on tour for 6 days at this point. I'll take a note of the train though. It could be a good option if we're running late, tired or whatever.
It looks like you're following the Wirral circular trail, which is a mixture of shared use pavement next to the road, some nice bits through Eastham and some quiet roads and industrial roads. I've never done it but as you say, it should get the job done.
All the trains have cycle spaces at either end of the train, marked by a bicycle on the door. So the three train carriages have spaces front and back, so it is definitely an option. Bache will probably be the closest one from the zoo.
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Actually @Crackle has made me think a bit about the A548 stretch from Talacre to Connah's Quay
It really is a bit rubbish...it's busy and not at all scenic
I think the smart thing to do may be to hop on a train in Prestatyn and get off at somewhere like Shotton. I'm guessing it wouldn't be expensive and if it was me with kids and a trailer I would do this. This way you get all the nice NCN5 bits to Talacre (and they are really nice) then the nice stuff on the Wirral afterwards and you can avoid what is almost certainly the only unpleasant bit of your route
It really is a bit rubbish...it's busy and not at all scenic
I think the smart thing to do may be to hop on a train in Prestatyn and get off at somewhere like Shotton. I'm guessing it wouldn't be expensive and if it was me with kids and a trailer I would do this. This way you get all the nice NCN5 bits to Talacre (and they are really nice) then the nice stuff on the Wirral afterwards and you can avoid what is almost certainly the only unpleasant bit of your route
