New Pad New Life

[Abarbarian]

Rode out on the Royal yesterday. Was supposed to be a short ride but I ended up on a 200 mile marathon as the sky was blue and it was luverly and warm.

First stop should have been Llandelio where I fancied a cup of coffee at a bikers cafe. However the cafe had around fifty Hells Angels sitting outside on the tables and low walls. At least I recon there was around fifty of them, I did ride by very slowly and had a good old gawk at all the bikes lining the roadside. I decided that it was too crowded and carried on y journey.

http://www.enchantedtowy.co.uk/llandeilo.htm

Next up was Llandovery which should have been the end of the journey. There is a bikers cafe opposite the castle car park. Once again there were tons of bikes and slightly cleaner leather clad folk thronging the tables and street. As I need a drink and facilities I decide to stop. Cafe prices were partly a decider in this decision, £3.50 for a large mug of milky coffee and a slice of home made Victoria sponge. I recon my good ol Royal was the smallest bike parked up amongst all the large modern high powered speedsters. It did attract a fair amount of attention and comment but thankfully no one twigged I was the owner so I did not have to do the "yes its new, yes its made in India etc etc etc" speech.

http://www.enchantedtowy.co.uk/llandovery.htm

I have not come up with a way to carry me camera comfortably and safely yet so hence the stock pics. They are probably better than mine would be anyway.

So suitably refreshed I set of home. Hey up though what did that sign say ? Llyne Brianne Dam and only eleven miles away. Sounds interesting , lets have a look.
The road to the dam is narrow and follows the most delightful valley with glimpses of super scenery and ends up here,

http://www.enchantedtowy.co.uk/llyn_brianne_and_the_upper_towy.htm

As the water level is pretty low at the moment water does not run down the slipway but comes out of pipes from the generator. An it were a grand sight too.

Overnight motorhome stops are allowed so I might very well spend a odd night or two up there at some point.
I had long leisurely cruise home and arrived rather late on at around eight thirty. Best of all as on the journey out there was hardly any traffic going my way. As on the way out though the other side of the road was chock a block. I pity the poor sods on the Red Roses by pass, almost five miles long. Mind you it was all down hill so anyone with any sense would have cut the engine and coasted slowly down the hill.

 

[Becky]

Looks like a lovely part of the world And now you've got me craving Victoria sponge...

 

[Abarbarian]

Looks like a lovely part of the world And now you've got me craving Victoria sponge...

Like this one ,

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/532634/grannys-victoria-sponge

 

[Abarbarian]

Had a 4 day holiday in May in Snowdonia. It was one of those save up the coupons for a caravan holiday that the Sun does every year. We managed to book a three bedroom unit, with site passes and towels and bedding with the beds made up for a super expensive £50 each. The site was fifty yards from Black Rock Sands although we did not spend much time on the beach. We did paddle up to our knees one evening though.

http://beachguide.wales/midwales/blackrock.php

This is the valley leading up to the Llanberis Pass. The A408 looking west down the valley at Llyn Gwynant.

Down the pass we find Llyn Padarn

This is the Menai Bridge photo stop on our trip to

the station with that name

Being only a couple of miles away from here we just had to visit to try and find 6. Probably the most expensive part of the trip as we had a ice cream, and a coffee and a slice of cake.

They have certainly made the place look tons better than the last time I visited.

An even though it had not rained for some time we had to stop at Swallow Falls

Was a great trip and not one single rain drop.



Pics were all from me mates phones as I did not have space to take me camera. I'll post a couple of pics of the bikes when me mate gets around to sending me them.

Mileage was 750 for the whole trip and me Royal did 82 to the gallon.

 

[V_R]

Great pics mate. Wales has some stunning countryside, and some cracking roads too.

We're planning on doing a few trips in that neck of the woods soon.

 

[Taffycat]

Super pics @Abarbarian, thanks for sharing. That scenery looks beautiful. Glad you all enjoyed your break - and that the weather was kind.

 

[Abarbarian]

Great pics mate. Wales has some stunning countryside, and some cracking roads too.

We're planning on doing a few trips in that neck of the woods soon.

If you like beaches then these might be a good read,

http://beachguide.wales/index.php

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats...eshire-beaches-definitive-guide-every-9873678

I am still working my way down the list of Pembrokeshire ones.

 

[nivrip]

It was obviously a great ride.

 

[Ian]

Wow, great pics @Abarbarian - looks like you all had a great time! Such a beautiful place . I'm also thinking of heading that way in a few months to get some walking in with my dad.

 

[Abarbarian]

Yup was a super trip. The boys thought it was that good that we ought to do it again so we have a three day over the weekend Sun break booked for early October of this year down in Somerset on the coast. An have just collected the coupons and booked a four day Sun holiday ooop norf in Morecambe Bay for May 2020. Have wheels will travel

 

[Abarbarian]

Been a tad busy this summer what with the weather being so grand an all. So been out biking a lot amongst other things.

Still have to post the pics from the Snowdonia trip.

Here are some from a three day trip we took on probably the wettest weekend of the year. We were riding in pretty heavy rain almost all the way to Doniford Bay on Friday the 5th of Oct. There was a short half hour interlude at the halfway marker. Still at the end of the 178 mile swim we were wet on the outside but dry underneath apart from one of me mates right foot.
Saturday was overcast but mainly dry and we had a decent ride out.
Sunday was almost sunny and dry all day and we had a mega run out.
Coming home on Monday it was wet,dry,wet,dry,wet with a dry ending which was nice arriving home almost dry. Took me several days to recover though, ain't old age a bitch.
All in all the trip was a great success and we saw some fab scenery and tucked into a couple of super cream teas. An to top it all I bought a pair of real sheepskin slipper boots at half price £9.99 and me feet have never been so cosseted and toasty.
I think old age has affected me reasoning though as you would have to proper barking mad to undertake a trip like that at this time of year with a hurricane just lurking not so far away.

Those were super sized scones and tasted divine.

Album link if your really bored.

 

[Taffycat]

Really enjoyed your album pix @Abarbarian. That "Junk Shop" looked interesting, I would have enjoyed having a mooch around in there.

I'm glad you and your mates had a good time; all of that beautiful scenery, and yummy cream teas, must have made up for the odd shower. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Ian]

Looks like a brilliant time @Abarbarian! Where about's is that funicular railway station btw?

I've never been to Snowdonia, but mean to go as soon as the weather is nice again. Considering you did this in Oct, the weather looks ok (all that rain aside ).

 

[Abarbarian]

Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway

The famous Lynton and Lynmouth funicular Cliff Railway opened in 1890 and is the highest and the steepest totally water powered railway in the world

Perched on the cliff top, and at 500ft above the lower station, is our grade II listed Cliff Top Cafe offering perhaps the best location for a Cream Tea in the Westcountry.

Any day it is not raining is a good day to tour Snowdonia. You get amazing colour variations on the hillsides and mountains.

We did consider travelling by car onyhe latest trip, buttttttttttttttttttttttttt.

 

[Ian]

Do you think it would still be do-able in November? Assuming we're dressed properly for it? I'll make sure we visit Lynton & Lynmouth.

We did consider travelling by car onyhe latest trip, buttttttttttttttttttttttttt

Where's the fun in that .

 

[Abarbarian]

Managed to upset several of the biking neighbors (just joking) as I went out for a pretty long ride on the good old Royal. Twice , once on Wednesday and again on Thursday. It were fab, the smell of freshly mown grass, the scent of wild garlic and bluebells, the sights the sounds the freedom. Just grand.

I'll post why later on.

 

[Abarbarian]

Looks like I never posted after my last post and I have forgotten what I was going to say. Blame it on the covid.

So I had a ride out today. Looked like we might have had to cancel as it wer overcast in the morning but the afternoon turned out to be a barnstormer, sunny with blue sky and warm. !60 mile round trip and of course stops were made for refuelling.

Took advantage of the free parking at the chapel near Cenarth Falls and walked down to the very small quaint cafe near the car park. Refuelled with a Welsh Tea as it was only £1 more than a cream tea and you got a slice of Bara Brith and a Welsh Cake along with the scone ,jam,cream and pot of tea.

Cenarth Falls

As the weather was so nice we decided to carry on to New Quay. An as it was so hot we refuelled with a cool ice cream from the ice cream shop overlooking the harbour. This was a difficult task as there were twenty flavours to choose from.

New Quay

As the town was closed to traffic we had to park up on the cliff top and walk into town. Its a bloomin steep hill let me tell you.

Chilled out we headed for home. An as it happened our route took us past the Cresselly Arms at Cresswell Quay which is only 8 miles from home and my favourite watering hole. Now it would have been rude not to stop and say hello and even ruder not to support a local business in these difficult financial times. So pints (one each) and crisps were purchased and consumed before carrying on with the last leg of the journey.

Cresswell Quay

Now you may think that we were out on a jolly. However let me tell you it was a serious undertaking to test out the camera on my new phone under differing conditions.

 

[Taffycat]

Great pics @Abarbarian! I love Cenarth Falls, although it has been many years since we were last there. At that time we stopped to have a mid-morning cuppa at a very quaint little tea room which was just opposite the Falls. The elderly lady who ran it, at that time, was quite a character. She joined us and told us about many interesting - and quite colourful - events which had happened in the past life of her tea room.

Glad you and your fellow travelers had such a fine day to enjoy the ride plus the wonderful scenery. Thank you for sharing.

 

[V_R]

Cenarth Falls looks lovely. We need to visit Wales more. Once C19 has gone away we're planning to explore it more.

 

[Ian]

Looks beautiful @Abarbarian! You've picked a good day to do that . Are you out more this week, as it looks like we're in for more cracking weather!

I love seeing these photos of you guys out on your bikes, as my granddad used to do exactly the same thing and then show me the photos a few weeks later (once they were printed!). He often went up towards Consett near Durham, from what I remember - as there were loads of good places nearby.