big-bill
Guest
A tale of three GS’s
Just back from 8 days in the saddle, 980 miles and some nice scenery, good food and mostly fine weather too!
Here we all are, The Bear+Lindsay, Big-Bill+Dot and Brian+Jeannette
The route looked like this...
Saturday 31st May
One GS with The Bear and Lindsay on board leaves Truro for the first night stop near Cheddar. http://www.batts-farm.co.uk/
Two GS’s with Brian + Jeannette and Big Bill + Dot leave the North East for their first night stop at Russetts B&B near Ashbourne. http://www.russets.com/index.html
The route taking us south down the A1
And then via the bike shop at Clay Cross and Matlock Bath for an ice cream, nice.
The GPS track looked like this...
Our first night at Russett's complete with a swimming pool, see http://www.russets.com/index.html
Good food at the Ostrich pub, 15 mins walk, good spot for a first night on the road.
Sunday 1st June
Meet up day, and with not too far to go we spent a fair bit of the morning at Amerton Farm, drinking tea, nice. http://www.amertonfarm.co.uk/
Our route then took us across Cannock Chase,
Then the M6 and M5 to the meeting place at Ombersley for 15.00ish. http://www.eatingpubs.co.uk/pubs/kingsarmsombersley/
The Kings Arms took a little finding, but eventually we met up and drank more tea, nice!
Not far to out night stop at Colliers Hill http://www.colliershill.co.uk/index.html
With a very nice tree house too….
Another good spot with a very nice host who made us more tea, nice.
We ascertained that the local pub wasn’t doing food that night so we opted for the 3.2 mile walk to Cleobury Mortimer for a curry, which was very good indeed.
Even better were Lindsay’s shoes which she had borrowed from the B&B as she seemed to have forgotten to bring sensible ones with her!
We managed to arrange a taxi for the return, which was a lot quicker than the outward journey, nuff said!
Monday 2nd June
Across the boarder….
A nice off the beaten track route, via Brown Clee, Wenlock Edge, The Long Mynd, The Stiperstones, Welshpool, Lake Vyrnwy and Bala...
On the Long Mynd...
Off the beaten track....
At the dam...
And on to the B&B at Llwyn Onn http://www.llwynonnguesthouse.co.uk/index.htm
Another nice place with a swimming pool.
Quite a hilly route today, here is the profile from the GPS
We were ferried to the Folas hotel, for food, and we walked back as the early evening rain had cleared up.
Tuesday 3rd June
A super day weather wise, we headed first for the Nant Ffrancon pass, pausing for a stroll at Idwal Cottage...
Then on to Llanberris,
Super views on route....
Here we naively believed we could just book a ticket for the Snowdon mountain railway!
Anyway, we did get tickets, for the following day, and the we set off for Port Merrion instead, enjoying a pleasant couple of hours looking round, and we all managed to escape afterwards. http://www.portmeirion-village.com/
We took the mountain roads back to Llwyn Onn...
Today's track..
Wednesday 4th June
The Snowdon mountain railway at last! http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/
And we even managed to park for free. Nice trip to Clogwyn station, super views.
We then headed south, taking lunch in Bedgellert,
Onwards via Dolgellau and Tal-y-Llyn
to our next night stop in Aberdovey http://www.cartref-aberdovey.co.uk/index.asp
Here's the track for the day...
Thursday 5th June
Around the Dovey estuary in some drizzle and up to Devils Bridge for a brew at the café.
The route....
We than headed west across the mountain road to Rhayder for lunch.
We manage to miss the sunshine by spending too long in the café.
Eventually setting off in a hail storm!
It soon cleared though and we rode through sunshine to our next stop at Blaencar farm near Sennybridge. http://www.blaencar.co.uk/
Last night together for the six of us so we walked to the Lion for food, and what a good meal they provided,
not surprising really as it turned out I know the chef and owner, what a small world!
Friday 6th June
We set off for Hay on Wye, and spent a couple of hours in bookshops, before the Bear and Lindsay headed for Cornwall,
and the North contingent headed for there last night stop at http://www.mardonhouse.co.uk/index.html nice.
The route looked like this....
We got fish and chips on route in Ashbourne as we were running late after our book shopping in Hay.
Another pool at this B&B...
Saturday 7th June
We took some Peak district roads for an hour before picking up the M1 and headed for home.
On Strines moor...
Near Stocksbridge..
Then we hit the M1 for home.....
We hope you enjoyed our tale!
The gang....
