August's Mid Wales run..

Friday 27th August – off the Mid Wales

 … Left the office at 12.30 and enjoyed a very casual ride up to Wales via Swindon, Gloucester, Ross-on-Wye and Hereford. Arrived just in time to meet Colin at Reception on the Camp Site.. Just to two of us then…


We set up the tents and departed for the local town in search of some food… the first pub we found proved to be excellent – the beer was cold and the food varied and well cooked… http://www.eagles-inn.co.uk/ and what a menu it was..

 Including locally grown Water Buffalo, or Crocodile / Kangaroo Steaks:  Too good to miss – so I had faggots and mash with thick Gravy and Colin settled for the Pheasant !! all supplemented with ample pints… another good evening.



Saturday 28th August – off to the Dams

… Rode out of the camp site at 9am and travelled up the Elan Valley to see the dams and the lakes http://www.elanvalley.org.uk/dams-reservoirs

We travelled over some beautiful scenery, very twisty and narrow roads – just relax and enjoy the views.

The route took us North West to Devils Bridge – where we stopped for a coffee at the Hafod Hotel. A very nice chap there made us very welcome even though they were not actually open.

 Refreshed we moved on to the Coast and Aberystwyth for Lunch – a typical Bank Holiday – wet and windy on the prom. Not a lot to recommend it !!

Onwards and south to Lampeter and then back onto the narrow roads and to more lakes…. The plan was to find a view, stop and brew up.  But having left to kettle back at base camp; we quickly gave up on that and found a nice Visitor Centre in the woods – more coffee with some wonderful carrot cake. By the time we got back to camp it was 5.30p, and we had covered about 150 miles.

So a vote was taken and we cleaned up and retreated to the Eagle Inn for some more excellent wining and dining ….  Venison for Colin and Moroccan Chicken for me..

The morning brought some more rain but not for long and following yet another good breakfast cooked by yours truly; we made a good start at 8am … The route home was planned by Colin and consisted of some fine bikers roads – north to Newtown, then South to Crossgates, Crickhowell, Abergaveny and Monmouth. We stopped for coffee at the Honey Café at Bronllys near Brecon, in the foothills of Pen y Fan. An excellent tea stop.

Then across to Tintern Abbey, and over the bridge at Chepstow, and back through Bath and Warminster before going our own ways at Wilton. Brilliant roads and I know Colin enjoyed then….

All in all a brilliant weekend, even with the occasional downpours of liquid sunshine. Thanks for the company Colin.  The campsite was good, although very busy. Now to start thinking about the next trip….. mmmm where – when -----

26 Aug 2010

........... You can tell it's about to be a Bank Holiday weekend - it raining.............   Having got totally drenched yesterday - I have now managed to get everything dry ready for tomorrow's trip to Mid Wales... trying out a new tent in the rain appears appropriate somehow...   I will be travelling up via Swindon - Gloucester - Hereford and Ross-on-Wye by way of a change and on Saturday I have planned a 125 miles route around the Lakes and Dams using mostly minor roads - I must remember to take the stove and a brew kit with me...

The return trip will take me down the valleys and then to Monmouth, then south to Tintern Abby and over the bridge... 

Pray for dry weather ......

16 Aug 2010

... Time is certainly marching on - it's now mid-August - the evenings are getting darker and before you know it it will be winter again...   Not a lot happening at this time,  - although I will be taking a weekend run up to Mid-Wales - I suspect it will rain again - usually does there ...

Still planing for trip for next year - but attempting not to plan too much - the general route is done just to give me an idea of how far (about 3200 miles) and many days (16 days).... that is the problem with just having two weeks to fit in a trip...  One day it will be open ended....    Having read about a rider in Switzerland that got fined stupid money for speeding I may well plan to bypass their little country... Now looking for particular places of interest on the way and for interesting routes - like the Stelvio Pass.   I will hopefully be calling-in on friend on mine that I haven't seen for over 25 years - now living in France and will then drop into the Camping-Moto site in the Dordogne http://www.motocamp.com/motocamp.nsf/Home.htm on the way through - nice lager there ....

Have just got version 11 of Garmin Maps and this now includes coverage of Croatia - how very handy...

Later