Whoo hoo 🤩 Holibobs time 🤩🤩🤩
So, 13 of us, sure, 13, descended on Llanberis in North Wales for six days. We had a mixture of ages starting from 19 to 72 years and an amazing number of bikes to go together with it.
The Plan
We had determined to keep away from motorways on our journey to Wales and as there was an enormous group of us, we had two stops alongside the best way to permit for us to re-group if we received separated.
One of many guys was coming from Cumbria so he would meet us at Llanberis.
The entire estimated mileage was 223 miles; 6 hours.
Our first cease could be the Lengthy Itch Diner at Southam for breakfast, approx 1.5 hours.
Second cease was the Ponderosa Cafe on the Horseshoe Cross in Llangollen for a late lunch, approx 3 hours.
Then onto our lodging in Llanberis, approx 1.5 hours.
Day 1
Eight of us met at our native gas station at 7.45 within the morning, fuelled up, and set off at 8 o’clock.
The younger lads had a little bit of bother getting up in time and would meet us on the Lengthy Itch cafe apart from one among them who had been engaged on his bike all evening and wanted to get some sleep earlier than driving, he would meet us on the Ponderosa cafe.
We had an excellent journey to the Lengthy Itch, I had by no means been right here earlier than, nice meals and fairly just a few bikes to have a look at and bikers to talk too. Simply good for me.
We then headed on to our subsequent cease, the Ponderosa cafe. This was a couple of 3 hour journey so a gas cease would undoubtedly be wanted.
A number of of the fellows received separated in site visitors and so forth, however lastly all of us gathered on the Ponderosa the place we refuelled ourselves and chatted about our journey right here.
The final jaunt of the day to our lodging began by driving down the Horseshoe Cross into Llangollen and onto Llanberis.
Amazingly (I say this as I used to be main) we received to Llanberis and we discovered our lodging (effectively I didn’t discover it however fortunately Graham did).
Our lodging had seven bedrooms over 4 flooring with loads of parking for all of our bikes which was neatly hidden behind the property only a very brief stroll into the excessive avenue.
Chris, the chap who was coming from Cumbria, had already arrived and had the kettle on. Good.
After unpacking, we headed to the pub after which went to an Indian restaurant for dinner.
Day 2
After a superb residence cooked breakfast from Chris, we donned our bike gear and headed to the seaside. Barmouth was our vacation spot.
We headed down the Llanberis move (I used to be going to see if I might do that street daily in some unspecified time in the future, it was soooo good 😎) We discovered an amazing path to Barmouth there with the site visitors getting heavy the nearer we received to the city.
We realised by this time that it was a financial institution vacation which might account for the mass of individuals and site visitors. So glad we have been on bikes and will filter!
Ultimately we managed to park and located a pub for a espresso. Someway a cake appeared with the espresso and so it will have been impolite to not have eaten it 😬
After a wander we headed again to the bikes and have been heading to Llandecwyn to fulfill up with a number of the different guys to regroup after which discover lunch.
Properly the sat nav took us up a really steep and questionable street. Fortunately a farmer had pulled over to allow us to move and requested the place we have been heading. He stated he wouldn’t advocate going additional because the street grew to become a monitor.
So after a 6 level flip (for me anyway) on a really slender steep lane, we headed again right down to the primary street and went up the following street indicated by the sat nav.
Properly, though this street was truly tarmac albeit with grass rising down the center, it turned out this was a really slender, winding lane which had us heading to a lifeless finish!
Again to the primary street (finally) we lastly ended up at a restaurant and met up with the opposite guys. The blokes we met up with had come the best way we had deliberate to move again however they handed an accident en route and so we went again one other means.
We headed to the pub for just a few drinks earlier than getting a chinese language takeaway and consuming again at our lodging.
Day 3
Aberdovey was our vacation spot right now which was an excellent two hour journey however ohhhh so price it. We headed out alongside the Llanberis move (yessssss, it’s nonetheless sooo good) in direction of Dolgellau after which did the Mach Loop.
The Mach Loop is a set of valleys between Dolgellau and Machynlleth that are recurrently used for low degree flight coaching by the navy.
We now have performed this a number of instances throughout earlier journeys and it’s a fully superior expertise if an plane is flying within the valleys while you’re driving alongside. Because it was raining right now, we actually didn’t maintain out a lot hope of this occurring,
As soon as we received to Machynlleth we then turned proper in direction of Aberdovey following the estuary.
It was raining. Properly it wasn’t raining once we left our lodging however about half an hour into the journey it began raining. I had waterproofs with me. Properly, I purchased waterproofs away with me however they have been again on the lodging good and dry while I used to be on the bike within the rain getting actually reasonably moist.
By the point we received to Aberdovey we have been very moist and headed into the closest pub to drink plenty of espresso and eat while we warmed up and dried out.
After we had eaten the solar got here out so we went for a stroll across the village to dry out a bit extra earlier than heading again to the bikes.
We headed out of Aberdovey in direction of Tywyn following the coast street which was sensible – each the roads and the surroundings.
Having stopped for petrol, we stopped for ice cream in a fantastic little village we stumbled throughout known as Beddgelert. The ice cream and the village have been beautiful and we knew that we might be again right here once more earlier than our holibobs have been over.
We went by way of the Llanberis move (whoo hoo twice in sooner or later) stopping just a few instances on the best way to take some photos.
Again on the lodging, we walked into city to the native bistro for dinner.
Day 4
A go to to Portmeirion was deliberate for right now. Portmeirion Village is located on a non-public peninsula overlooking the coast constructed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in two phases – 1926 to 1939 and 1954 to 1976. The village was designed round a Mediterranean piazza with endangered buildings and undesirable artefacts from everywhere in the world transported, rebuilt and painted in an array of brilliant colors.
Portmeirion Village might be most well-known for the placement of the 1960’s TV collection, The Prisoner starring Patrick McGoohan.
There are two lodges right here, a spa and an array of consuming locations so lots to see and do.
We discovered an amazing route via some gorgeous surroundings to Beddgelert after which carried onto Porthmadog the place we stopped at Spooners Cafe on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway for breakfast.
Portmeirion was solely a few miles away, we parked up, paid our cash and went inside. It’s an fascinating place (except after all you’re a younger lad who has completely no thought concerning the place 😆) Regardless of it being a bit of busy, it was nonetheless good and I’ll have encountered one other ice cream!!
Cuppa and cake was now wanted so we headed one other route again to Beddgelert the place we discovered the right tea store serving a effectively wanted cuppa together with a scone, jam and cream #JamFirst 😋
We headed again to our lodging by way of the Llanberis move (I might journey this daily) and headed out for dinner.
Day 5
Our final day!! How had that occurred so rapidly!! It was raining closely to start out with so just a few of us headed into city to search out breakfast after which walked over to the Nationwide Slate Museum which was simply throughout the street.
The Nationwide Slate Museum is positioned at Gilfach Ddu, the Nineteenth-century workshops of the now disused Dinorwic quarry and is devoted to the preservation and show of relics of the Welsh slate trade.
The workshops have been in-built 1870 and you’ll look inside Victoria period slate staff’ cottages that after stood at Tanygrisiau close to Blaenau Ffestiniog. These have been taken down stone by stone and re-erected on the positioning.
After an hour or so the rain had stopped and the solar was attempting to seem so we headed out on the bikes to Conwy. I’ve by no means been right here earlier than, it’s on the North coast and is a walled market city. Very good place to wander round.
We discovered some delicious espresso and walnut cake in a bit of cafe. By now the clouds have been beginning to get a bit darkish so we headed again to the bikes. By the point we received again to the bikes they have been very darkish and it began to rain.
David discovered us an amazing route going again (which might have been incredible if the roads had been dry even incorporating the Llanberis move 😎) By the point we received again, we have been completely soaked. I nonetheless had not realized my lesson from the opposite day and once more went out with out my waterproofs! Doh!!!
We hung our moist gear across the place to try to get it dried and after showering, we headed into city to search out dinner.
Day 6
Heading residence! Urgh my bike gear was nonetheless damp from yesterday’s journey. It actually was not nice placing on damp trousers! I put my heated grips on straightaway to try to dry my gloves a bit of.
We have been a bit disjointed leaving our lodging. Six of us left at 8 and headed down the Llanberis move for one final time this holibobs. I undoubtedly will miss this street!
We wished to keep away from motorways and so headed alongside the A5 stopping on the Aqueduct Diner for breakfast about an hour and half into our journey. The A5 disappears (the place to, I do not know!) round Telford so we hopped onto the A41 and picked it up once more on the different facet of Telford.
Fortunately the climate was being sort to us on our journey again. After stopping for petrol and driving for about 3 hours we stopped on the Tremendous Sausage Cafe at Potterspury for a really a lot wanted cuppa.
After leaving Tremendous Sausage, three of us went a technique residence and three one other means.
Ultimately our WhatsApp group began pinging to say once we received residence. Fortunately, all of us received again secure and sound.
A completely incredible time was had. Good lodging, nice firm, lovely surroundings, incredible roads and many laughter. What an ideal holibobs 😎
BK
