North Wales - Epic 1 Dayer (in heavy rain?!)
Discussion
Another north wales thread, sorry. Going with a few friends this weekend, just to sleep Friday locally and then drive all of Saturday.
Sadly the weather looks ... terrible, but we're already booked for accom so going to go anyway. The route is below, anyone any suggestions?
Bare in mind the route is basically me compiling every PH 'what route' thread i can find in to one mega-route that's clearly too long for one day - but we'll hop in and out of bits we feel like depending on the weather (thus perhaps more tunnels and wider bits, less twisties/views), but it can serve as guidance as to what good roads are, and what to avoid. Markers are just some food suggestions i've found.
Open to any comments/suggestions - and if anyone can arrange a reduction in rainfall that'd be great.
Route:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QDLztl6KzkptoD-z...
Sadly the weather looks ... terrible, but we're already booked for accom so going to go anyway. The route is below, anyone any suggestions?
Bare in mind the route is basically me compiling every PH 'what route' thread i can find in to one mega-route that's clearly too long for one day - but we'll hop in and out of bits we feel like depending on the weather (thus perhaps more tunnels and wider bits, less twisties/views), but it can serve as guidance as to what good roads are, and what to avoid. Markers are just some food suggestions i've found.
Open to any comments/suggestions - and if anyone can arrange a reduction in rainfall that'd be great.
Route:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QDLztl6KzkptoD-z...
ARHarh said:
Be quite when you drive past my house 
you missed one of the best b4391 from llangynog to Bala
hah - will do... though some of the cars do sound particularly nice. i do tend to let off the loud pedal when near people's houses, particularly before 9am.you missed one of the best b4391 from llangynog to Bala
have added that b4391 section in, though not sure if it now results in a chunk of 'out of the way' driving just to fit it in. i'll keep playing with it.
SydneyBridge said:
The road from Betws y Coed to Conwy is pretty boring and the road to Bangor is very scenic (right next to the sea etc) but not a hugely exciting driving road.
Stop at Porthmerion if you have time (excuse spelling..)
yeah - i chose to include conwy->bangor section just for tunnels really, wasn't sure of another route to replace them worthy of not hearing v8/v10/v12 in some tunnels Stop at Porthmerion if you have time (excuse spelling..)
Two suggestions from looking at your map.
1) When you come up over the horseshoe pass, then out the back to the roundabout, instead of going left on the A5104, go straight ahead, then left and follow the A525 towards Ruthin. The road on that stretch is called "Nant Y Garth", and from that direction you've got a nice long straight for overtaking dawdlers followed by some extremely twisty, tight bits which will be very pleasurable.
You could then either carry on into Ruthin, or just make a U-turn once the road straightens out - there's a college on the right as soon as the road straightens up with a generous car park. Would also make a good stopping point for a minute.
Here's the route, starting from the Ponderosa cafe: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Ponderosa+Cafe,+...
2) On your section where you get off the A5 at Cerrigydrudion, instead of getting off and heading up for the A543 back to the A5 I'd recommend something different:
B5105 all the way to Ruithin (BP here)
A525 to Denbigh (fuel stop if needed, both a Morrissons and Shell)
A543 towards Bylchau
Then jump onto the A544 to Llansannan
Then the A548 to Llanwrst
That drops you out on the A470 towards Betws-y-Coed.
Again, a little map to show you what I mean: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/53.0260142,-3.55...
Not sure how I'd work that into your map, but that's my current favourite loop around there on my bike. Some of them are a bit tighter than the open, free-flowing stuff, but they're predominantly smooth and well-surfaced, with some good stretches for overtaking to boot.
Perhaps not super-wide V12 Lambo territory on the A548 part of the 2nd route, though anything less silly than that will be fine.
ETA: Actually, what I'd do is cut out the section from the back of the horseshoe down to the A5 and along it, that bit's very boring. From the Pentrefoelas junction down to Betws-y-Coed is the fun bit, but it'll probably be full of traffic so I'd actually skip that as well.
1) When you come up over the horseshoe pass, then out the back to the roundabout, instead of going left on the A5104, go straight ahead, then left and follow the A525 towards Ruthin. The road on that stretch is called "Nant Y Garth", and from that direction you've got a nice long straight for overtaking dawdlers followed by some extremely twisty, tight bits which will be very pleasurable.
You could then either carry on into Ruthin, or just make a U-turn once the road straightens out - there's a college on the right as soon as the road straightens up with a generous car park. Would also make a good stopping point for a minute.
Here's the route, starting from the Ponderosa cafe: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Ponderosa+Cafe,+...
2) On your section where you get off the A5 at Cerrigydrudion, instead of getting off and heading up for the A543 back to the A5 I'd recommend something different:
B5105 all the way to Ruithin (BP here)
A525 to Denbigh (fuel stop if needed, both a Morrissons and Shell)
A543 towards Bylchau
Then jump onto the A544 to Llansannan
Then the A548 to Llanwrst
That drops you out on the A470 towards Betws-y-Coed.
Again, a little map to show you what I mean: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/53.0260142,-3.55...
Not sure how I'd work that into your map, but that's my current favourite loop around there on my bike. Some of them are a bit tighter than the open, free-flowing stuff, but they're predominantly smooth and well-surfaced, with some good stretches for overtaking to boot.
Perhaps not super-wide V12 Lambo territory on the A548 part of the 2nd route, though anything less silly than that will be fine.
ETA: Actually, what I'd do is cut out the section from the back of the horseshoe down to the A5 and along it, that bit's very boring. From the Pentrefoelas junction down to Betws-y-Coed is the fun bit, but it'll probably be full of traffic so I'd actually skip that as well.
Edited by Krikkit on Thursday 8th August 17:42
jimmybell said:
ARHarh said:
Be quite when you drive past my house
you missed one of the best b4391 from llangynog to Bala
hah - will do... though some of the cars do sound particularly nice. i do tend to let off the loud pedal when near people's houses, particularly before 9am.you missed one of the best b4391 from llangynog to Bala
have added that b4391 section in, though not sure if it now results in a chunk of 'out of the way' driving just to fit it in. i'll keep playing with it.
How do you come to that conclusion?You're simply replacing your - https://goo.gl/maps/jbizCBRWiCfDG4yn7
With this - https://goo.gl/maps/LXEqZJjpBz6PPALh6
Bwlch-y-Groes is all about the scenery.
https://goo.gl/maps/KHg8XXfZoAsAKYsm9]
https://goo.gl/maps/8qLgTAv8rtZ72uvR7
If the weather is s
t then it's somewhat wasted tbh.Lake Vyrnwy isn't that photogenic either when it's dull/raining.
Red Devil said:
How do you come to that conclusion?You're simply replacing your - https://goo.gl/maps/jbizCBRWiCfDG4yn7
With this - https://goo.gl/maps/LXEqZJjpBz6PPALh6
Bwlch-y-Groes is all about the scenery.
https://goo.gl/maps/KHg8XXfZoAsAKYsm9]
https://goo.gl/maps/8qLgTAv8rtZ72uvR7
If the weather is s
t then it's somewhat wasted tbh.Lake Vyrnwy isn't that photogenic either when it's dull/raining.
Unless you are doing it early doors, there will be traffic, slow moving traffic!
One of my favorite roads you have missed out, the B5105, especially heading north from the bottom right of the Cerrigydrudion (just skirting the edge of the EVO triangle). On my way home after a drive I always head this way and the majority of the time its a free run (circa 07.30am on my way back).
Personally I would do this over the alternate Horseshoe Pass on your route. I did used the Horseshoe Pass last week in the family car at about 10:30 in the morning, pretty busy and low cloud.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.0450457,-3.4477741...
One of my favorite roads you have missed out, the B5105, especially heading north from the bottom right of the Cerrigydrudion (just skirting the edge of the EVO triangle). On my way home after a drive I always head this way and the majority of the time its a free run (circa 07.30am on my way back).
Personally I would do this over the alternate Horseshoe Pass on your route. I did used the Horseshoe Pass last week in the family car at about 10:30 in the morning, pretty busy and low cloud.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.0450457,-3.4477741...
Great trip out, despite the weather. Hopefully didn’t make too much noise for any of you on those roads
Some heroic suggestions, so thank you. Also some bad bits - partially due to weather but partially not suitable for the kind of cars (perhaps better in hot hatches). Nice to now have some context for the suggestions, i’ll probably revise the route further and cut out some bad bits, i reckon i can cut out half the distance and most of the worst bits.
Didn’t have time to do much south west of ffestiniog/barmouth area or mach loop to dylife circuit, and we did attempt (a flooded) bwylch y groes which was hilarious, and hairy.
despite the weather there was a good amountof traffic, but it didn’t really impact the fun; nor did the evo triangle avg cameras tbh.
Some heroic suggestions, so thank you. Also some bad bits - partially due to weather but partially not suitable for the kind of cars (perhaps better in hot hatches). Nice to now have some context for the suggestions, i’ll probably revise the route further and cut out some bad bits, i reckon i can cut out half the distance and most of the worst bits.
Didn’t have time to do much south west of ffestiniog/barmouth area or mach loop to dylife circuit, and we did attempt (a flooded) bwylch y groes which was hilarious, and hairy.
despite the weather there was a good amountof traffic, but it didn’t really impact the fun; nor did the evo triangle avg cameras tbh.
jimmybell said:
Great trip out, despite the weather. Hopefully didn’t make too much noise for any of you on those roads
we did attempt (a flooded) bwylch y groes which was hilarious, and hairy.
I didn't hear you and I was in the garden most of the day.we did attempt (a flooded) bwylch y groes which was hilarious, and hairy.
Try bwylch y groes in the snow for hairy
only done this in my land rover.good to see even the welsh weather can't spoil the driving.
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