Snowdonia

[MickeyBlueEyes]

So I've just spent the best part of 2 weeks in North Wales with Mrs MBE and Mini-Me (no cycling though). I could vaguely remember the area from when I was a kid but wow, what a stunning place! As we drove around I was eyeing up places to come and cycle, the B4410 was a fav, the A5, A470 & 487 also struck a chord but Llanberis Pass must surely be one of the greats around here. Does anyone have this area as their back yard to play in? I'd be interested in your thoughts of routes as I'm looking to come back with the bike and don't want to miss any more gems! We stayed in Gellilydan and I'd probably stay there again as it was a pretty good base. As an aside, we spent one of the days climbing Snowdon, well proud of my 4 yr old Mini-Me for doing it, ok it took us 6hrs 46 mins but he made it!

 

[Hacienda71]

If you are into a bit of rough stuff as well you are spoilt for choice. The MarinTrail and Penmachno near Betws-Y-Coed and a bit further South you have Coed-Y-Brenin.

 

[thecube]

I was there a couple of weeks ago, at a campsite close by, I did a ride up through Maentwrog and passed through Gellilydan, I remember the name. Lovely part of the world. On my way there the sat nav took me an odd way, there was a section or so about 17 miles on a small road that was like being in the middle of nowhere, it came out near ffestiniog, I'll look at a map. Not many cars, loads of sheep, but not much over 30mph possible - I think this would have been a great cycle route.

 

[summerdays]

I was up that way last week too, and several of the other houses in the group of holiday let's had bikes, which I kept eyeing up and wondering how they would respond to someone asking to borrow their bike! (I didn't do it, but just kept looking jealously at them). I saw quite a few cyclists though I also saw quite a few hills that would terrify me whether I was trying to go up or down them. The day that we had considered tackling Snowdonia the hills looked wet so we headed to Anglesey and ended up at Newborough forest which also looked a nice place to cycle with kids (spotted a fair number of Islabikes there), and a lovely beach walk out to the island instead (for my lazy teenagers).

 

[djb1971]

I kept eyeing up and wondering how they would respond to someone asking to borrow their bike!

You'd have more luck asking to borrow my wife for the day than my bikes

 

[summerdays]

You'd have more luck asking to borrow my wife for the day than my bikes

Would she fetch a bike for me?

 

[djb1971]

Would she fetch a bike for me?

She may for you but I daren't ask her to!

Thinking about it, she may actually fetch one for me if she could hit me with it

 

[Crackle]

Start at Llanberis go over the pass, down to Beddgelert and through towards Caernarfon and back around to Llanberis. The bit at the end by Caernarfon gets a bit more busy but it's fabulous for 3/4 of it. Or go to Anglesey if the weather is bad in the pass. It's all good.

 

[swansonj]

Start at Llanberis go over the pass, down to Beddgelert and through towards Caernarfon and back around to Llanberis. The bit at the end by Caernarfon gets a bit more busy but it's fabulous for 3/4 of it. Or go to Anglesey if the weather is bad in the pass. It's all good.

Taken 9 years ago on precisely the circuit you suggest:

 

[fossyant]

We used to go down as a club and stay in a walkers hut at the bottom of the pass. One year we took the MTBs and had a blast doing Snowdon. Some seriously fast descents round there. Set my 60 mph plus record.

 

[Cyclist33]

Clambering around the Snowdon Horseshoe in 2006, with a broken toe and several Nurofens!

 

[djb1971]

I always head to the east side of Bala and around Vyrnwy. There's lots of places to camp and it's a good ride over to Llanberis and over to the coast. I love dropping down to into Harlech and Barmouth, then slogging back through the mountains with a belly full of chips and ice cream. The roads can be a nightmare depending in the time of year though, off road can be as busy too!

Much prefer Vyrnwy area, it's always fairly quiet because everyone wants to go to Snowdon. Don't take a bike if you don't like steep climbs, my favourite loop includes the Bwlch y Groes up and down twice in a day as well as the other climbs around there. Off road, the Berwyns are desolate, lovely!

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Nice pics peeps. @Cyclist33 look at the colour of that sky! Far from what I saw at the summit! We had about 5 mins where the clouds had shifted and oh wow, what a view, but then we were just engulfed until we dropped back below about 860metres.

 

[welsh dragon]

I always head to the east side of Bala and around Vyrnwy. There's lots of places to camp and it's a good ride over to Llanberis and over to the coast. I love dropping down to into Harlech and Barmouth, then slogging back through the mountains with a belly full of chips and ice cream. The roads can be a nightmare depending in the time of year though, off road can be as busy too!

Much prefer Vyrnwy area, it's always fairly quiet because everyone wants to go to Snowdon. Don't take a bike if you don't like steep climbs, my favourite loop includes the Bwlch y Groes up and down twice in a day as well as the other climbs around there. Off road, the Berwyns are desolate, lovely!

But you have to be wary of the pesky midges.

 

[djb1971]

But you have to be wary of the pesky midges.

LOTS of deet or avon skinsosoft. Watch out for the ticks too in the long grass on the hills!

Put enough on so they drown in it

In reality, as you know, the rain and wind usually keeps them away