It’s been a while, my times in Llanberis immersed in all things mountain and folklore of heroes long gone. God, I’ve missed this place. You can taste the euphoria and the disaster. Sip on that thought a while at the ‘Melyn cafe’ opposite the famous ‘Pete’s Eats’ - soon to re-open, surrounded by the young & fearless. I was one once - I keep reminding myself.
Take your time.
What awaits you is a tragically short but humbling ride in what I think is the best stretch of road in Wales. I don’t say that lightly. But the light and time has to be right - late afternoon is your two scoops & raspberry sauce.
Wait...
....wait for the hour, the time when the mountains claw at the sun and cast their easterly flanks into shadows. Now is the time to ride from Llanberis up to Pen y Pass. The road twists and turns but no need to rush. Instead feel the mass of these giants left and right with names that are barely pronounceable - Crib y Ddysgl, to name but one. But now look left where the sun is burning the rock and you’ll see the lizards - glimpses of gnarly, tanned and fit-as-fuck rock hoppers. They’re nudging up graded routes with numbers and codes of 6c this or 7b that which mean nothing but for tall tales in the pub later. But for you and I, we need only to know this... two of those routes are called ‘Cemetery Gates’ and ‘Cenotaph Corner’. Just let that sink in for a moment.
Keep riding and climbing pass the timeless granite gate keepers and all too soon the sun will bathe you as you emerge onto the pass. Here you’ll see laden hikers and the weary who’ve trodden the tourist paths up to Snowdon’s summit. Park in front of the stone wall on the right, ‘free’, and watch the rays dance around the peaks for the last life of day. The rest is all yours...
Take your time.
What awaits you is a tragically short but humbling ride in what I think is the best stretch of road in Wales. I don’t say that lightly. But the light and time has to be right - late afternoon is your two scoops & raspberry sauce.
Wait...
....wait for the hour, the time when the mountains claw at the sun and cast their easterly flanks into shadows. Now is the time to ride from Llanberis up to Pen y Pass. The road twists and turns but no need to rush. Instead feel the mass of these giants left and right with names that are barely pronounceable - Crib y Ddysgl, to name but one. But now look left where the sun is burning the rock and you’ll see the lizards - glimpses of gnarly, tanned and fit-as-fuck rock hoppers. They’re nudging up graded routes with numbers and codes of 6c this or 7b that which mean nothing but for tall tales in the pub later. But for you and I, we need only to know this... two of those routes are called ‘Cemetery Gates’ and ‘Cenotaph Corner’. Just let that sink in for a moment.
Keep riding and climbing pass the timeless granite gate keepers and all too soon the sun will bathe you as you emerge onto the pass. Here you’ll see laden hikers and the weary who’ve trodden the tourist paths up to Snowdon’s summit. Park in front of the stone wall on the right, ‘free’, and watch the rays dance around the peaks for the last life of day. The rest is all yours...
I take it that includes the bus trip into the mountain to see the turbines etc? Since when and why?
