Since buying the G650 I’ve been keen to take it on a few of my favourite roads, and yesterday the opportunity presented itself...
A couple of weeks ago I agreed to do something in Porthmadog on the evening of 30th October 19. Initially the plan was to take the train from Shrewsbury because I didn’t expect the weather to be dry and for me the train is free, but looking at the weather Wednesday morning I decided to go by bike. Which bike? The GS of course. As much as I like my ZZR the roads were going to be grim and not much fun on the metallic green two-wheel ballistic missile. I needed to take quite a bit of kit too which also ruled in favour of the GS.
So, early Wednesday morning. Dry but cold. I load up the bike, and set off at 0930 for a quick trip around my favourite bit of Wales. I didn’t need to be in Porthmadog until 1530 so plenty of time to enjoy the ride. Initially I follow the A5 out of Shrewsbury towards Oswestry, nice rolling fields but really that part of the A5 is just a quick way to get somewhere interesting. I turn left at Wolfs Head Roundabout near Nesscliffe, aiming for the Tanat Valley. Sadly the village shop in Knockin is closed these days, and the big ‘Knockin Shop’ sign has disappeared. Somewhere in my wardrobe I still have an ‘I visited the Knockin Shop’ t-shirt....
Out of Knockin I end up following a Lloyd’s animal feed wagon, heading for their plant at Llynclys. Whilst the road doesn’t look wet I end up covered in fine spray being thrown up despite dropping right back. Overtaking opportunities between Knockin & Llynclys are fairly limited, and as per usual I find whenever there is a chance a car is coming the other way. Still, the wagon turns off soon enough and I’m free to continue.
Straight over the crossroads at Llynclys, it always pays to be careful here because of the poor sighting. Around the Llansantffraid turning the road has a thick layer of mud, thanks of course to the masses herds of migrating tractors roaming from field to field. I’ve definitely chosen the right bike for today. Heading towards the Tanat Valley the hills get bigger, the road twistier. I know this road well, I used to commute along it every day when I worked for a company in Llanrhaeadr. Left turn just before the main village, cutting over to the B4391 just before Penybontfawr. More twisties, before dropping into Llangynog. This really is the gateway to Snowdonia, the hills are becoming mountains. Up out of the village, over the cattle grid and onto the ledge that takes the road up the side of the valley. Over the top and we are in some of the most sparsely populated lands in Wales. The road here passes across the bottom corner of Denbighshire, which must cause some gnashing of teeth in their Highways office - the B4391 doesn’t lead to anywhere in Denbighshire, there are no turnings off it until well into Gwynedd. However the bit they are responsible for is built on a bog and needs almost constant maintenance. Anyway, into Gwynedd and over the next cattlegrid. Down the two hairpins, past the left hander that I once crashed a Mk3 Cavalier into (the Armco still to this day is painted black-white-black-white-GREY-black-white where they replaced the damaged bit and never matched the pattern), then down past Llyn Tegid into Bala. Right then immediately left onto the A4212. My favourite road...
I’ve driven many different machines along this road and not once have I not enjoyed it. Buses, cars, vans and bikes. Out of Bala, always careful to keep an eye out for the speed camera van sometimes on the hill out of the town, through Frongoch and up towards Llyn Celyn. The A4212 skirts the edge of Llyn Celyn in two sides, making for stunning views. I debate a stop for a photo but decide not to - i’ll stop a bit further on - I’ve already got some nice pictures from previous stops. Llyn Celyn is beautiful but has a dark past - the lake was created by Liverpool Corporation to ensure a good supply of water to the city, which involved flooding the village of Tryweryn. The villagers fought against the plans but ultimately failed - even today there is resentment in the area, with occasional ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’ (remember Tryweryn) signs on vehicles and buildings. Onwards to the west, and the first photo stop. It’s here I realise how much mud the bike and my boots collected earlier!
I’ll add photos later today.
Looking out from Cwm Prysor the road snakes down the valley, perfect riding territory. I zip down the road with no traffic to hinder me, admiring the scenery as I go. On the ZZR I’d probably be concentrating a lot more on the road ahead, but on the GS more time can be taken to register the sheer natural beauty of the landscape. All too soon the road ends at Trawsfynydd, so it’s a right turn and down to Minffordd, my overnight stop to unload. This isn’t the end of today’s riding though, I need to visit Tesco for some supplies and I’ve a route in mind that really isn’t direct...