Morning to the Welsh party of our riders. I am heading up to NW in Sept with a few friends, and we are riding from Telford to Dolgellau, Mach Loop to hopefully catch the Jets. Then onto betws-y-coed (Digs) and at some point Zip World Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda. What I wanted to pick your brains about was a good/decent riding route......???? Jay
If you're going you need to do this! Ruthin, Denbigh, A543, Right on to A5, B4407, left, B4391, Lake Bala, A4212, B4392. A483 Newtown to Crossgates
Mach loop - jets only tend to fly there on weekdays and not on bank holidays car park on the A470, half way between cross foxes and finals mawddy is meant to be good to watch from. Not many bad roads round there tbh! I liked riding N-S on the A4085 from Waunfawr to Prenteg - it’s a mix of moors/mountains/swift country roads and if you get a clear sunny day it feels like a scene from Lord of the Rings (welcome to Mordor, sorry, Wales). If you want to go further south from Mach, then the A487 coast road to Aberystwyth and then back inland on the A44 are classics with plenty of twisties on them - and brings you back to Newtown/the Mach loop if you want to break it up. That’ll take about 80-90mins to do Did the Mach loop on the weekend, but dropped a few hp on the pushbike!
Here's a handy map for you.. and watch out for the police on the A48 as it's manned from border to border.
Ooops, I meant the A470 as that goes from North - South.. Just had Easter in Cardiff and the A48 is still fresh in my head
A48 now if there’s one bad road in Wales for bikes... Right about the cops though - A470/A40 are both well known for being expensive to sit in their cars - if you’re there midweek, then I’d make the most of the quieter roads before the weekend riders arrive and beware of the cops during peak weekend hours when most of the midlands bikers are expected to contribute to mid wales police’s Christmas Party fund
Seems like a lot of this plod funds are raised in the SW region..... So we should be safe in the Northern hemisphere hopefully. And all riding will be Thu/Fri to and from Mach Loop to the Zip World so not too much blasting....
Looking at A458 from Shrewsbury as most of the leg to Mallwyd, then pick up the A470 short distance to Cross Foxes then bank a left down the A487..... Any advice on this route...?
That’s certainly the direct 1.5hr route from Shrewsbury and not a bad road if you want to get as much time on the loop as possible - but the route in from Shrewsbury via Llangollen, Betws-y-coed chapel Curig and over the top to beddgelert and then down the A487 would be my bet for a good 8-12 ride and then sit and watch the jets in the afternoon sunshine at the loop. If you stick to the shorter route and want somewhere nice to sit out for lunch/dinner with sea views then you can always do worse than Aberdovey - coast road is great from Mach or the valley pass from cader idris. Mach isn’t much to shout about Aberdovey last Sunday
Thats a great shout FF, yeah I agree the ride to Mach is a little direct for my liking as well but the other 4 I'm riding with ride like me So its a learning curve. but your suggested route sounds pukka
