N.Wales Tour Sunday 29th September from Shrewsbury

[Richair]

I thought I'd mention this on here in case anyone fancies getting in a decent pre-winter dash!

We're meeting at 07:00 on Sunday 29th September from (eh-hem) McDonalds in Meole Brace. I've organised this for a local car club but anyone is welcome to attend.

We'll be driving on some of the regions (and the UK's!) finest roads and will be stopping at the Llyn Bennig visitor centre for lunch, which for those in the know is on the triangle

Post in here if interested!
Cheers

[keithsmith777]

What's your route? May try and catch you up en route wether permitting

[Richair]

Here you go there will be some more driving after lunch for those that want more.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=206654006859...

[nta16]

seems a shame not to included at least one unclassified mountain road among the lovely A and B roads and I'd rate them over the over popular Evo triangle and you're not likely to see modern sports car owners wearing sunglasses on dark overcast drizzly days on the mountain roads but you will on the triangle

[Richair]

Any suggestions? Most of the unclassified roads I've explored tend to be a bit too narrow. But it sounds like I'm probably missing out!

[Chops45]

The A5104 from the A5 up to the roundabout both ways.
Stunning scenery on the way down to the A5 if you have time to look.

[nta16]

Richair said:

Any suggestions? Most of the unclassified roads I've explored tend to be a bit too narrow. But it sounds like I'm probably missing out!

yes you are missing out, the roads I go on I have a Supra follow me and that's quite wide, plus I suggested one of my favourite mountain roads to a group that went recently including IIRC a Noble, Lexus and Merc and they didn't say anything about the road being too narrow (unless they didn't go on it and were being polite) and some (not all) of the road surfaces are (much) better than on the bigger roads

two suggestions:

a) from top (north) tip of Lake Vyrmwy turn off the B4393 to follow the unclassified road north to Rhos y gwaliau (near Bala)

b) take the B4407 north-east to join the A5 - (you'd turn off the B4391 about 3m before Ffestiniog) - it's a great road and the time saved means you can do the Evo triangle the other way round, a good road is completely different when driven in the other direction

have a look on Streetview and see what you think (obviously it wont give you the full fun and drama of the roads nor the climbs and drops)

Edited by nta16 on Sunday 22 September 23:17

[Richair]

nta16 said:

yes you are missing out, the roads I go on I have a Supra follow me and that's quite wide, plus I suggested one of my favourite mountain roads to a group that went recently including IIRC a Noble, Lexus and Merc and they didn't say anything about the road being too narrow (unless they didn't go on it and were being polite) and some (not all) of the road surfaces are (much) better than on the bigger roads

two suggestions:

a) from top (north) tip of Lake Vyrmwy turn off the B4393 to follow the unclassified road north to Rhos y gwaliau (near Bala)

b) take the B4407 north-east to join the A5 - (you'd turn off the B4391 about 3m before Ffestiniog) - it's a great road and the time saved means you can do the Evo triangle the other way round, a good road is completely different when driven in the other direction

have a look on Streetview and see what you think (obviously it wont give you the full fun and drama of the roads nor the climbs and drops)

Edited by nta16 on Sunday 22 September 23:17

Cheers for this; the first one looks like a bit of an epic! Although looks a bit narrow to make safe 'progress', although I found some great well-sighted sections on Streetview- rallytastic!

I may well give the second one a look, particularly if we're pushed for time. However, the roads north of the triangle are very good and are of a completely different character to the more southern roads.

Oh, and I'm an anti-clockwise fan personally But I have been known to head round the other way if the mood dictates! (I'm still taking about roads btw)

[nta16]

Richair said:

Cheers for this; the first one looks like a bit of an epic! Although looks a bit narrow to make safe 'progress'

blimey what are you taking a fleet of vintage coaches

it is a public road, me in my car and my mate in his overly wide Supra have been on it a few times always without incident but with good fun, but each to there own

Richair said:

I may well give the second one a look, particularly if we're pushed for time.

it'd be more fun than the A470 and A5 unless you prefer your speedo needle on high numbers all the time

Richair said:

Oh, and I'm an anti-clockwise fan personally

yes that was the way that was suggested to me so that's what we tried, luckily Mr Sunglasses was just turning off the A5 as we were turning back on it and we didn't meet any of his like on the Triangle, we're more used to many times having the whole roads practically to ourselves so we went back to those

whichever roads you take and preference for driving type of roads you'll have a great time with great scenery, enjoy it and keep safe and points free

[Richair]

Thought I'd bump this up as a reminder, the weather is looking cracking for Sunday

[Angry Sheep]

Tempted to come along, might be my last chance before winter arrives. What car will you be in, OP?

[Richair]

Good stuff, I'll be in my red s1 106 Rallye

Rich

[nta16]

Richair said:

I'll be in my red s1 106 Rallye

gawd, you've got a S1 106 Rallye and you're commenting on the narrowness of the roads (!)

with that you should mainly be on the mountain roads, it still has it's brakes, gears and steering wheel - and you'll be seated higher and nearer the front of the car than I was - forget about where the needles point and hero figures go out and enjoy the roads your car was built for

regardless on what roads you go on enjoy yourself and keep safe

[Richair]

I can assure you I'm not in to "hero figures" as you put it; my car is screaming at legal speeds in 5th!

But I do like a very twisty well sighted road with plenty of space for the car to move around me relatively safely; the A-roads on the route are simply there to connect up the epic B roads.

I'm not saying I don't enjoy a good schlep down single track roads, but in a group I'd sooner keep things as safe as possible on wider roads

But we may venture on to some of the roads you suggest as they do look fun!

[nta16]

good to know you're not into figures for the sake of it, some are - mph, bhp, power/weight - they think you can't have fun unless you have big figures

another group with some bigger cars took a narrow road I suggested and didn't report any problems (unless they were being polite)

one of my favourites is the old Austin test road - Bwlch y Groes (Pass of the Cross) between Dinas Mawddwy and Llanuwchllyn - we stopped at the Red Lion (Y Llew Coch), Dinas Mawddwy for a couple of nights just so we'd get a few goes on the road at various time, they had a night rally that finished at the pub, 70s & 80s club rally cars, but we were too tired to get up and see

if you want suggestions for interesting narrow roads I've still got my road atlas marked up