The plan was simple. Load up and head for the mountains. A certain northbound call. I hoped on the bike and set my sights for Machynlleth…
After several coffee stops and a ride through the quaint town of Llanidloes, I found myself at MotoCamp Wales. MotoCamp is the ideal campsite for a trip through North Wales. Along with being close to local amenities, it also has excellent facilities. I spent the night here, star gazing and recharging ahead of further northward travel.
My next destination was Bala and then onto the A5 towards Betws Y Coed. On this trip, I wanted to attempt a cheeky Roman road excursion. Upon embarking on this lane, I had visions of grand mountain views mixed in with a canopy of pine tree coverage above. This had potential to be one of my favourite lanes.
The lane started on tarmac which quickly turned into a loose gravel track over rolling hills. Whilst the views were stunning, the track quickly turned gnarly. A steep washed out rock strata sat in front of me. I took a deep breath, chose my line and gave it a good chunk of throttle before plodding up the steep incline. The line was perfect, and the bike chugged up the steep face with ease. Up at the top, a wash of adrenaline and relief poured over me. What an achievement which the bike just shrugged off.
Having accomplished this, it was through another gate and onto the next section of the lane. Stood in front of me were several deep water splashes. I trembled at the thought of them being too deep and rocky. A quick walk of the track revealed that they were fairly shallow. With a good line, they were ridable. It was at this point that I was having way too much fun and I thought I had best continue my route. I whipped the bike around, fully loaded and on rocky terrain, then ventured back towards the main roads.
A twisty, slightly damp cold journey ensued. With the rain falling hard, I decided to grab a quick coffee and a bite to eat in Bala. Re-fueld and re-energized, I set my sights on a hotel near Dolwyddelan.
Next day I was up and on the bike early. This was my favourite day of the trip. From Dolwyddelan, I rode on towards Llanberis via Pen Y Pass. Coupled with the rugged terrain, blue sky and morning glow, I felt as though I was high up in the alps. Jagged rocky outcrops towered above me. I sat for a while, taking in the beauty of my surroundings. From Llanberis I looped westwards toward Beddgelert.
I decided to round off the trip with a night camping on Garth Farm. I gathered some firewood and sat watching the sun go down next to a roaring fire.
