In Conwy: Snowdonia National Park

August 4, 2022

So let’s just pretend for the moment that everything is well with Team Anderson and celebrate what a wonderful hike Rachael had around the Llandudno Peninsula today while Scott enjoyed a spectacular ride through the national park. Dealing with the situation in the real world can wait for another day. OK?

And because we’re feeling sorry for ourselves this evening and hope it might help us feel better in some small way we’re going to include all the photos we want instead of pruning them down as much as we usually do.

But first, as somehow keeps happening we once again have a few photos from the day before that insist on being included. These are all from our return to town after the day’s ride.

A gate through the walls encircling Conwy.

A small house in Conwy. Not the smallest, but colorful and appealing.

The shot you’ve all no doubt been waiting for: the smallest house in Britain, according to Guinness Book of World Records.

Rachael left about 10 for a hike around Llandudno Peninsula. It’s about a four mile walk there, so she researched the bus schedule, downloaded the app and ticketed herself for a ride from the Conwy train station (a three minute walk from here) to the peninsula. Her description of her day, and a slideshow:

I took the bus to the far side of the Llandudno Peninsula and hiked back to Conwy along the Peninsula. It was an amazing hike with lots of diversity! The best part was the Marine Drive toll road. Cars had to pay to use it but there were very few and it had a separate paved path on the side facing the Irish Sea. While walking on this section I had a wonderful conversation with a local about the area. The hardest part was a 2 mile walk through deep sand.

Sound track: Lalene, by Keith Jarrett

I’m out the door just after Rachael, on a loop south into Snowdonia National Park. The famously scenic park is huge and I’ll just be scratching the surface but hope to see something memorable enough to make the place more than just a name on a map to me.

The ride begins by biking south and passing through the walls on Upper Gate Street. The gate is very narrow so the road narrows to a single lane even though it carries bidirectional traffic. Drivers just wait their turn and then proceed carefully and slowly. Foot traffic and bikes take a smaller gate to the side, which is surely a good thing.

Looking down into Conwy through the Upper Gate.

It’s a very narrow gate and a very tight squeeze for some. This van’s driver just inched his way through until he was sure he was clear. I wonder how often folks get stuck?

The first seven miles are a beautiful ride as I follow the River Conwy south on a gently rolling, almost completely empty road. A seductive and seductively easy way to start a ride that promises much worse in the miles ahead.

I love this country! Just two miles past the town walls I’m riding on roads like this.

Enjoying views like this, here looking east across Conwy Valley.

Largest lilly blossoms I can remember seeing. Must be six or seven inches across.

An info panel invites me to visit 14th century Eglwys Sant Pedr (Saint Peter’s Church), and I accept.

There’s a choir rehearsal underway as I walk in, an organist coaching two singers through a hymn. She interrupts her playing briefly to welcome me in.

The humble cemetery at Saint Peter’s Church.

Seven miles into the ride I drop to the minor highway that parallels the west bank of the river and follow it for a few more miles. The river’s just to my left along here but there’s never more than a glimpse of it through the unbroken wall of trees. The traffic is light and it’s an easy ride still though, but all that ends when I arrive at a minor lane that enters the national park.

Another trophy to hang on the wall. Oh, wait - we don’t have any walls.

The fun is over now and the day’s real work begins here with an 800’ climb in the next two miles. The first lift is the worst, and I surprise myself by leaving two other bikers that entered the park at the same time behind - the only bikers I’ll see for the next five or ten miles, coincidentally. I surprise myself further when I watch the numbers on the Garmin mount and I’m still upright and moving forward when it hits 24%, just before the slope bends down to 8 or 10 and I can recover a bit.

I’m feeling proud of myself, but the damage has been done and the will broken. When the next one hits 18% I get off and push for a ways; and again when the next one hits 14. Finally it tops out though and the country opens up. There are views, there’s heather blooming, sheep are grazing, and there are remains scattered around from the area’s lead mining history.

I’m only on top for a short ways before dropping as abruptly as I climbed, falling steeply enough that once again I wonder if walking downhill isn’t the smarter plan. At the bottom I come to Aron Llugwy, the River Llugwy, and follow it west and upriver toward its source in the mountains of Snowdonia.

I don’t like the looks of this road, the A5, at all. Narrow, too much traffic, some of it large and long enough that it’s clear there’s no place for bikes on it. Fortunately there’s a sidewalk for the time being at least, so I decide to ride it as far as it goes and see what happens. In the back of my mind is that I’ll just turn back and head home if the sidewalk ends and it feels unsafe.

On the A5, shown as uncharacteristically empty here. A minute ago my lane was completely filled by a huge lorry racing past. Is that Snowdon ahead? On the map it looks like there’s a spot along here where it should be visible.

The sidewalk eventually ends after about two and a half miles when it comes to a major junction. The A5 continues on for me for another four miles, but fortunately nearly all the traffic splits off the other way onto A4086. The road feels fine for cycling now and it’s comforting to see that bikes are expected here when I see a sign warning cars to give bikers their due space.

And, with most of the traffic gone I can relax and start absorbing what I came here for - the stunning views. The miles ahead are extraordinary, with one breathtaking vista after another.

Westbound on the A5. No shoulder, no sidewalk, but hardly any traffic now either. Just these inspirational views as we continue gradually climbing up the River Llugwy.

Somewhere along here the road crosses the divide, with the Llugwy bending up toward its source in the hills. Now we’re generally dropping again, following the River Ogwen.

Llyn Ogwen, a ribbon lake in a spectacular setting. Legendarily, this is the lake where Excalibur was hurled after King Arthur’s final battle, and caught by the Lady of the Lake.

Looking toward the outlet of Llyn Ogwen. I’m sure it’s amazing up here at any time but it’s fantastic to see it today with patches of sun flying across the slopes and valleys.

Incredible. This is Ogwen Valley, just below the outlet of the lake. There’s a clear view all the way to the sea at Bangor. The highway follows the right side, but I’ll be taking a much quieter road/track down the left.

On the east side of the valley rising above the lake is Pen yr Ole Wen, one of the highest peaks in Wales. I was surprised to see that this, only the seventh tallest peak in Wales, is the same height as Scafell Pike, the highest in England.

Here’s my route down the valley, this beautiful paved lane that’s part of NCN 82. Typical - almost no one’s on it but me, a few walkers and some sheep, with traffic modulated by gates and cattle guards.

Another descent that’s steeper than it looks. When I arrived here a car was slowly rounding the bend coming my way, and then stopped. I got out of the road and beckoned him up.

Conditions take a downturn when the asphalt ends and the surface turns to crushed slate as it passes through a massive slate quarry. Slow going, at times requiring me to dismount. Worrisome because I’m starting to get anxious about the time. We have a dinner reservation at 6 and it’s starting to get late in the afternoon. I was counting on this downhill stretch to make good time, but that’s not happening.

Finally that ends when I near Bethesda and return to pavement. It’s after four and I’m still fifteen miles from home, so it’s a rush to bike there and arrive just in time to shower and change for dinner. Just enough time for a few quick stops to snap the views as I follow the same road Rachael and I biked yesterday.

Slate slab fences line the road, a common sight here.

Penrhyn Castle and the outskirts of Bangor.

The northern tip of the Isle of Anglesey, and Puffin Island.

Heart

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Ride stats today: 46 miles, 3,700’; for the tour: 1,602 miles, 86,900’

Today's ride: 46 miles (74 km)
Total: 1,601 miles (2,577 km)

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Comment on this entry	Comment	5

Graham FinchYou deserve a pint -- hopefully you had one.
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2 years ago

Angela NaefAmazing photos!
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2 years ago

Patrick O'HaraVery scenic photos today, Scott.
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2 years ago

Rich FrasierShould I be worried about you two? Is everything ok?
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Rich FrasierOh! Did I suggest anything could go wrong? What could possibly go wrong on a nine month bike tour?
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2 years ago