OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
So I had!
Swansea Bay to Kinmel Bay
- Thread starter TheDoctor
- Start date
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OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
In Kimnel Bay tonight, and I'll try to start finishing the 'daily' updates tomorrow while I'm on the train. Riding Wales should be on everyone's bucket list
I have feckin' loved it.
I have feckin' loved it.
OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
No usable WiFi in the train...
I'm back, anyway.
I'm back, anyway.
OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
For the bitterest pill is hard to swallow
The love I gave hangs in sad coloured, mocking shadows...
And back on the 'daily' reports.
Having got cold, wet and generally tired riding the Machynlleth mountain road, I decided to have an easy day by getting the train to Barmouth, and maybe doing some luggage-free riding once I got there.
The view from the hotel in Barmouth looked like this
And I abandoned my pannier and headed off.
I took the rail trail up the river to Dolgellau
and got some lunch.
Pork pie, and an individual pineapple upside down cake.
I almost ordered a slice of The Mother of all Battenburgs
I then rode back to Barmouth the same way, and went to the seaside.
I then stared out to sea for a while. Introspecting.
The Jam song 'The Bitterest Pill' is about lost love.
I was feeling the same - that's what grief is.
Love for someone who's suddenly and forever gone.
F**k cancer.
I finally ended up back at the hotel for some rehydration.
My rest day somehow ended up being about 35km, but they were all flat.
The love I gave hangs in sad coloured, mocking shadows...
And back on the 'daily' reports.
Having got cold, wet and generally tired riding the Machynlleth mountain road, I decided to have an easy day by getting the train to Barmouth, and maybe doing some luggage-free riding once I got there.
The view from the hotel in Barmouth looked like this
And I abandoned my pannier and headed off.
I took the rail trail up the river to Dolgellau
and got some lunch.
Pork pie, and an individual pineapple upside down cake.
I almost ordered a slice of The Mother of all Battenburgs
I then rode back to Barmouth the same way, and went to the seaside.
I then stared out to sea for a while. Introspecting.
The Jam song 'The Bitterest Pill' is about lost love.
I was feeling the same - that's what grief is.
Love for someone who's suddenly and forever gone.
F**k cancer.
I finally ended up back at the hotel for some rehydration.
My rest day somehow ended up being about 35km, but they were all flat.
OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Power of emotions is too great to be controlled, Bala's trees will heal the torment in my soul!
A very damp and grey morning greeted me today.
I headed off towards Bala, passing a cafe in town.
I'm fairly sure that's not spelt correctly.
Then crossed over the Harbour T(r)oll Bridge
and again followed the rail trail to Dolgellau.
After a swift cafe stop, I headed inland towards Bala.
The rain started getting serious.
I was very pleased to get to Llanuwchllyn and hit the station cafe.
I left an embarrassingly large puddle behind me...
I've rarely been so glad to see a train either.
The Bala Lake Railway got me to Bala, and I was soon showered, dry and vaguely presentable.
I went to the Bull. Drink, chat, good times.
Had some dinner, then decided to try the mainly Welsh-speaking Goat. Same thing.
I'm from the South. This just doesn't happen, but I rather like it.
I went back to the White Lion feeling drunk, but happy.
Roughly 40km cycled today - the photo is rain-smeared...
A very damp and grey morning greeted me today.
I headed off towards Bala, passing a cafe in town.
I'm fairly sure that's not spelt correctly.
Then crossed over the Harbour T(r)oll Bridge
and again followed the rail trail to Dolgellau.
After a swift cafe stop, I headed inland towards Bala.
The rain started getting serious.
I was very pleased to get to Llanuwchllyn and hit the station cafe.
I left an embarrassingly large puddle behind me...
I've rarely been so glad to see a train either.
The Bala Lake Railway got me to Bala, and I was soon showered, dry and vaguely presentable.
I went to the Bull. Drink, chat, good times.
Had some dinner, then decided to try the mainly Welsh-speaking Goat. Same thing.
I'm from the South. This just doesn't happen, but I rather like it.
I went back to the White Lion feeling drunk, but happy.
Roughly 40km cycled today - the photo is rain-smeared...
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OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Ride! With great supersonic velocity. Hear! Our battle cry ring 'cross the galaxy!
I woke up to a gloriously sunny day, and something of a hangover.
But I didn't mind.
In Swansea, I had set out on an Epic Quest.
This was to be my first long bike tour in a decade.
I was woefully unfit, unprepared, and in a terrible emotional state.
By any possible standards, this had all been a stupid idea.
But.
Today was the final hardish day, and all I had to do was get to Mochdre, where my aunt lives.
Up and over a ridge, get to Betws y Coed, then either do the A road, the B road, or the train.
I climbed out of Bala, not sparing the electric horses.
and carried on up to the top of the ridge.
I then crossed over a cattle grid, to be confronted with A Lot of Poo.
My poor, poor bike...
From here, I took a straight downhill path to the A5. It's a road I've driven many times, but never cycled.
I picked up the Conwy Valley, and had a fast run down to Betws y Coed.
I've ridden there and back from Conwy before, so I didn't feel the need to do it again.
I waited for my train.
This wasn't my train.
I got off the train at Glan Conwy - and had a short ride to Mochdre.
My aunt has been hugely supportive to me, and I really appreciate her.
37.8 km ridden today, 402km in total.
I woke up to a gloriously sunny day, and something of a hangover.
But I didn't mind.
In Swansea, I had set out on an Epic Quest.
This was to be my first long bike tour in a decade.
I was woefully unfit, unprepared, and in a terrible emotional state.
By any possible standards, this had all been a stupid idea.
But.
Today was the final hardish day, and all I had to do was get to Mochdre, where my aunt lives.
Up and over a ridge, get to Betws y Coed, then either do the A road, the B road, or the train.
I climbed out of Bala, not sparing the electric horses.
and carried on up to the top of the ridge.
I then crossed over a cattle grid, to be confronted with A Lot of Poo.
My poor, poor bike...
From here, I took a straight downhill path to the A5. It's a road I've driven many times, but never cycled.
I picked up the Conwy Valley, and had a fast run down to Betws y Coed.
I've ridden there and back from Conwy before, so I didn't feel the need to do it again.
I waited for my train.
This wasn't my train.
I got off the train at Glan Conwy - and had a short ride to Mochdre.
My aunt has been hugely supportive to me, and I really appreciate her.
37.8 km ridden today, 402km in total.
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OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Led by ancestral light, the fire burning deep in my heart...
I'm going to sum up the next two days briefly.
I left Mochdre, and picked up the coastal path at Colwyn Bay.
This goes right the way along the coast, past Abergele, Towyn, through Kinmel Bay and onto Rhyl.
I spent the night in Kinmel Bay. Tried two pubs, chatted to bar staff and an AirBnB owner, got a feel for the place.
Along the way, I saw some flowers growing in the rocks that form the sea defence.
And the rig performing cable work for the big offshore windfarm
I didn't buy any rock.
But I did get a photo of some kitesurfers.
This whole ride has been a time of change, of transition for me.
I'm still recovering from a terrible personal loss.
I'm still facing a lot of upheaval. I can't carry on living where I am now.
But I don't simply want to run away, I want to be going towards something.
I've been to the Swansea area many times. I've been going to North Wales as long as I can remember.
What I've seen on this trip was a whole part of Wales I've never seen, never experienced.
And I've really liked it.
I've got friends and relatives in North Wales. I can find work easily.
Just before I went to get my train, I looked out across the plateau.
The hills form the backdrop to Abergele, to Bodelwyddan, and to St Asaph.
I don't know exactly where home will be.
But I think it's quite close to where I took that photo.
It's this side of those hills.
I'm going to sum up the next two days briefly.
I left Mochdre, and picked up the coastal path at Colwyn Bay.
This goes right the way along the coast, past Abergele, Towyn, through Kinmel Bay and onto Rhyl.
I spent the night in Kinmel Bay. Tried two pubs, chatted to bar staff and an AirBnB owner, got a feel for the place.
Along the way, I saw some flowers growing in the rocks that form the sea defence.
And the rig performing cable work for the big offshore windfarm
I didn't buy any rock.
But I did get a photo of some kitesurfers.
This whole ride has been a time of change, of transition for me.
I'm still recovering from a terrible personal loss.
I'm still facing a lot of upheaval. I can't carry on living where I am now.
But I don't simply want to run away, I want to be going towards something.
I've been to the Swansea area many times. I've been going to North Wales as long as I can remember.
What I've seen on this trip was a whole part of Wales I've never seen, never experienced.
And I've really liked it.
I've got friends and relatives in North Wales. I can find work easily.
Just before I went to get my train, I looked out across the plateau.
The hills form the backdrop to Abergele, to Bodelwyddan, and to St Asaph.
I don't know exactly where home will be.
But I think it's quite close to where I took that photo.
It's this side of those hills.
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OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
And finally...
I got the train to Milton Keynes, then set off to ride back.
I made it as far as Arlesey before I lost the light and got the train.
Total distance ridden - 594 km.
I got the train to Milton Keynes, then set off to ride back.
I made it as far as Arlesey before I lost the light and got the train.
Total distance ridden - 594 km.
Chislenko
Veteran
Cofia, pan ti'n cyrraedd yng ngogledd Cymru, cofrestru ar gyfer gwersi Cymraeg 😊
Falch ddaru ti mwynhau dy antur di.
NB. You probably won't find "ddaru ti" in any mainstream translation sites, it is a colloquial way of putting things in the past, peculiar to North East Wales.
Google translate would probably put something like "falch eich bod wedi mwynhau eich antur chi"
Falch ddaru ti mwynhau dy antur di.
NB. You probably won't find "ddaru ti" in any mainstream translation sites, it is a colloquial way of putting things in the past, peculiar to North East Wales.
Google translate would probably put something like "falch eich bod wedi mwynhau eich antur chi"
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OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Google translate renders "Falch eich bod wedi mwynhau eich antur chi" and "Falch ddaru ti mwynhau dy antur di" as meaning the same thing.
I certainly did. Thanks!
MOD NOTE Since Teh Roolz say posts ought to be in English, this translates out as
Remember, when you arrive in north Wales, register for Welsh lessons 😊
Glad you enjoyed your adventure.
I certainly did. Thanks!
MOD NOTE Since Teh Roolz say posts ought to be in English, this translates out as
Remember, when you arrive in north Wales, register for Welsh lessons 😊
Glad you enjoyed your adventure.
Chislenko
Veteran
Right, I have just tried it and Google Translate certainly does recognise "ddaru" For some reason I presumed it wouldn't. Sounds like you have had a great trip and got a fair few miles in the legs.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
I almost ordered a slice of The Mother of all Battenburgs
She gave birth to a battenburg cake?
Nice write up. Sounds like you've had a fine time in difficult circumstances.
I hope you find the answers, whatever the questions may be.
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