- This topic has 14 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 12 years ago by
notfastenough.
-
CreatorTopic
-
May 19, 2014 at 2:30 pm #21475
Hey folks,
So we’re having a week away in Beaumaris in June. Brilliantly, my wife has invited her parents in order to give us a break from nonstop baby feeding/changing/rinse-and-repeat, so in turn I get to take the bike.So, what’s the score? Is Beaumaris just flat? I’ll probably get away for 2 rides, maybe 3 if I’m lucky. Should I just head straight for the mainland and have a play around Snowdonia? Anyone got any routes they can suggest? Since the babies stole my fitness, I’m only really up for about 35-40 miles each day. (Feel like such a wimp admitting that!)
-
CreatorTopic
-
AuthorReplies
-
Hmm, 35%, time to make a
Hmm, 35%, time to make a decision on that fitness then!Wig_Billy
notfastenough wrote:
Cool –notfastenough wrote:Cool – I’m assuming that the climb starts at either end of that straight road alongside the beach that’s sort of North-North-West from Llandonna itself. I see the two roads meet halfway up anyway. I could approach the beach from Lon Goch after coming from Penmon. Talking of which, I hadn’t included a trip to the lighthouse – be rude not to visit, I guess.
The westernmost road is the easiest – still steep though. The other road (Allt Bron Philip) has a 35% section :evil:. Lon Goch is steep as well, so make sure your brakes are in good nick.
felixcat wrote:Many of my
felixcat wrote:Many of my favourites have been mentioned here. I can add a few I hope.
Has Penmon been mentioned? The toll road to the lighthouse is free for bikes. The caff is sometimes open on summer weekends. The large letters on the lighthouse “NO PASSAGE TO LANDWARD” amuse, especially when the tide is out.
All the corners of Mon are worth a trip.
Newborough and Llanddwyn Island with its two toy lights and coastguard cottages.
South Stack, with hundreds of steps down to the bridge to the lighthouse island.
Carmel Head where a rough track takes you past two sea marks like giant white skittles.
Llynas Head, tarmac all the way to a light on a peninsular which does not flash, it occults.
Remembering all these rides makes me a bit sad, since I no longer live there, but mainly happy with memories of great days in the saddle.
Is the Queen’s Head in Ty Croes still unchanged since before WWII? With no beer pumps, just taps on the barrels and faded flowery wall paper in the parlour?Crikey, where to even start with this lot? :)) Sounds like you have some great memories of there. I have no idea what an occult lighthouse looks like… I’ll have a look at some maps and work out where all these places are first!
Wig_Billy wrote:Have you
Wig_Billy wrote:Have you included a trip down to Llanddona beach in that route? Getting back up from there is quite a challenge. 😉If you fancy doing one big climb then Marchlyn Mawr (the high level reservoir for Dinorwig Power Station/Electric Mountain) is within your range from Beaumaris. There’s an access road above Deiniolen (near Llanberis) which takes you right up to the reservoir (>2,000ft). You can see Beaumaris from up there, as well as most of Anglesey – it’s a great view.
There’s also another ‘summit’ which you get to via a junction half way up the access road. From here you get an impressive view of Llanberis and the mountains (depending of the weather of course).notfastenough wrote:@Neil – is that tiny south-westerly road through pentraeth forest passable on 23c tyres, or do I need to box round it on the B5109?I know that ‘road’. It’s passable, but it’s a challenge. It’s a loose gravel road/track with a few rocky patches along the way. It’s also quite hilly, which doesn’t make the surface any easier. Good fun though.
Cool – I’m assuming that the climb starts at either end of that straight road alongside the beach that’s sort of North-North-West from Llandonna itself. I see the two roads meet halfway up anyway. I could approach the beach from Lon Goch after coming from Penmon. Talking of which, I hadn’t included a trip to the lighthouse – be rude not to visit, I guess.
Marchlyn Mawr might be good for the second day. Is it bad that I thought Dinorwig was in Scotland?!
God bless GPS – I’d get round a course like this without it, but the cue sheet on my top tube and the stopping/faffing about would be endless!
Sniffer
Been interested following the
Been interested following the posts. I am going to be in Pwllheli for a fortnight in August while my son is competing in sailing events and was thinking about routes. Doing something like the etape eryi route looks good.felixcat
Many of my favourites have
Many of my favourites have been mentioned here. I can add a few I hope.
Has Penmon been mentioned? The toll road to the lighthouse is free for bikes. The caff is sometimes open on summer weekends. The large letters on the lighthouse “NO PASSAGE TO LANDWARD” amuse, especially when the tide is out.
All the corners of Mon are worth a trip.
Newborough and Llanddwyn Island with its two toy lights and coastguard cottages.
South Stack, with hundreds of steps down to the bridge to the lighthouse island.
Carmel Head where a rough track takes you past two sea marks like giant white skittles.
Llynas Head, tarmac all the way to a light on a peninsular which does not flash, it occults.
Remembering all these rides makes me a bit sad, since I no longer live there, but mainly happy with memories of great days in the saddle.
Is the Queen’s Head in Ty Croes still unchanged since before WWII? With no beer pumps, just taps on the barrels and faded flowery wall paper in the parlour?notfastenough wrote:Well when
notfastenough wrote:Well when I say I’m not fit, it’s relative. I don’t have the fitness (or the time, actually) I had last year for a couple of 60+ mile rides with 6000ft each of ascent. 40-ish miles with up to 4000ft would be fine though. I had plotted a route on ridewithgps that includes Penmon, LLandonna, Pentraeth, Mynnyd Bodafon, LLangefni then back to Beaumaris. That’s about 2800ft and could include a bit more ascending, but I’m not sure where I’d find it.Have you included a trip down to Llanddona beach in that route? Getting back up from there is quite a challenge. 😉
If you fancy doing one big climb then Marchlyn Mawr (the high level reservoir for Dinorwig Power Station/Electric Mountain) is within your range from Beaumaris. There’s an access road above Deiniolen (near Llanberis) which takes you right up to the reservoir (>2,000ft). You can see Beaumaris from up there, as well as most of Anglesey – it’s a great view.
There’s also another ‘summit’ which you get to via a junction half way up the access road. From here you get an impressive view of Llanberis and the mountains (depending of the weather of course).notfastenough wrote:@Neil – is that tiny south-westerly road through pentraeth forest passable on 23c tyres, or do I need to box round it on the B5109?I know that ‘road’. It’s passable, but it’s a challenge. It’s a loose gravel road/track with a few rocky patches along the way. It’s also quite hilly, which doesn’t make the surface any easier. Good fun though.
Well when I say I’m not fit,
Well when I say I’m not fit, it’s relative. I don’t have the fitness (or the time, actually) I had last year for a couple of 60+ mile rides with 6000ft each of ascent. 40-ish miles with up to 4000ft would be fine though. I had plotted a route on ridewithgps that includes Penmon, LLandonna, Pentraeth, Mynnyd Bodafon, LLangefni then back to Beaumaris. That’s about 2800ft and could include a bit more ascending, but I’m not sure where I’d find it.That said, while the etape looks ace, once I’ve faffed about with the trip there and back, it will take too much time out of the rest of the (family) day.
Simon E
OP said he wasn’t too fit so
OP said he wasn’t too fit so might find Snowdonia a bit much.Anglesey is fab and Neil’s comment that it’s crinkly is spot on. You don’t have to go any further, there are loads of lovely roads to ride so save the mainland for next time.
The little lanes around Llanddona are hard work, I’d avoid going up there, though the relatively short ride to Penmon is flat and it’s a gorgeous place to be on a sunny evening: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruralwales/3739058510/
It’s down a private road so there’s a toll for cars.I’d take the B-road to Pentraeth, head N along the A5025 to Brynrefail, over Bodafon Mountain (not as big as it sounds, but great views) and back via Llanerchymedd, Llangefni and either Pentraeth (B5109) or Penmynydd (B5420).
Another: head for Menai Bridge, join the A5. As you enter Llanfairpwll turn left onto the A4080 to go through Brynsiencyn to Rhosneigr, then return on the A5 (much quieter now the A55 dual is alongside). That’s a favourite of mine, a flattish loop, though it’s hard work if the wind is SW. For a shortened version turn R by the school after Malltraeth, go through Bethel and join the A5 at Rhostrehwfa (or go NE into Llangefni and one of the B-roads).
A couple more routes on Ynys Môn courtesy of Audax Bangor:
http://audaxbangor.weebly.com/jethro kiernan
try and get in on the etape
try and get in on the etape eryri bach, otherwise a loop starting from llanberis and around snowdon through weanfawr and bedgelert@Neil – is that tiny
@Neil – is that tiny south-westerly road through pentraeth forest passable on 23c tyres, or do I need to box round it on the B5109?prinzi
I agree with neilb – head
I agree with neilb – head into Snowdonia and ride the same roads as tob stage last year , also etape eryri starts and finishes in Caernarfon 15th june 2014 – excellent day outWhat a brilliant answer!
What a brilliant answer! Cheers, I’ll start poring over the maps and will come back to you if I’m unsure.Thanks again.
neil b
Beaumaris is a top place to
Beaumaris is a top place to start from for a ride on Anglesey. First up – Anglesey is like a crinkle cut crisp – flat if you parallel the Menai Strait, surprisingly hilly if you head in a north west / south east direction. Riding to Penmon point, then up and over to Llanddona, drop to Pentraeth, then on some of the backroads towards Llangefni is a good start, or head to Mynnyd Bodafon (look for it on a map) which is hard to find, but like a miniature alpine climb on that side of the island. Anglesey has some beautiful quiet backroads.If you only have two rides, I would recommend going to snowdonia for the second day, doing a loop of snowdon, going up Llanberis pass, down Nant Gwynant to Beddgelert, then up to Waunfawr, over Caenant to Llanrug, and back to Llanberis.
This way you get both sides – the island, and it’s backroads and hidden climbs, and a classic welsh mountains ride.
Feel free to get in touch if you want more information, I live between Anglesey and the mountains, so have a pretty reasonable knowledge of the area.
-
AuthorReplies
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.