BowlandBeyondBiketouring

Day2: Day tour of the northern interior of  Anglesey (38 miles) The view across Red Wharf Bay from Nant Bychan. T he sun was out next morning so I took a stroll down on the beach to take in the views across Red Wharf Bay and to admire some of the rock balancing art that was on display there. It gave me some thinking time and I decided to stay another night at Nant Bychan and to do a day ride inland and head towards Llyn Allaw and the northern part of the island. Nant Bychan's rocky shore line. There is a sandy bay a bit further down the coast along the footpath that runs through the farm. Mid-morning I set off, free of most of the camping gear. It was  a great feeling to be riding the bike unloaded, even though it was early in the tour. Later I realized that I had left the fuel bottle on the bike, which irked me a bit.  After continuing on the main road for a short stretch I quickly peeled off onto the narrow, windy, rollercoaster  lanes heading west in the general direction of Pen

  Day1: Bangor to Nant Bychan (15 miles) Almost exactly a year to the day I arrived back in the same spot at The Menai Bridge in North Wales. Previously, in 2021, I had decided not to cross the bridge on to Anglesey, heading round to explore the coastal lanes of the Lleyn Peninsular then on to Porthmadog instead. On this trip I was intending to tour the coast and inland routes over on the island to see what Mona had to offer the keen bicycle tourist. The plan was to tour right around the circumference of the island and spend one or two days exploring inland around Lyn Alaw and Llyn Cefni. I had got the train to Bangor and was taking an anti-clockwise route, trying to get to a camp site in the Benllech area before nightfall. After crossing the Menai Straight I turned right towards Beaumaris before turning left onto Cichle Hill following route five of the National Cycle Network which traverses much of the North Wales coastline.    I was already spinning my lowest gear and this turned out

All packed up and ready to go Epilogue Part one: Equipment I know some folk like an organized kit list and/or photo. Can't say it was always this neat and ship-shape on the trip. I think that's why we prefer a before or after shot! The tarp was being used in anger for the first time. The sleeping pad for the last time, as it had already been repaired twice before. I like to carry a separate radio on my bike-packing and backpacking trips; one that can receiver LW (i.e.  BBC Radio 4), as you can usually get LW reception anywhere in the UK, including in the hills...it's to do with long waves matching the gaps in the hills. There were a few other sundry items: spare batteries, tent repair material. The food in the blue bag: Mixed nuts/salted peanuts, raisins, bulgur wheat, brown rice(quick cook), red lentils, stock cubes, green mint tea, instant coffee, brown sugar, cereal bars. Main kit used:            Claud Butler MTB (£90 2nd hand)   Head torch and bike lights             

NCN61:The only significant stretch of off-road track on the trip Day six: Betws Garmon to Bangor The picnic table beside the river was the perfect place to have my last breakfast of the trip. The low-mileage blackberry tea-infusion was special too, but my staple cereal bars had me dreaming of freshly caught wild brown trout roasting over an open fire. There were even a few sunbeams peeking over the hills. Breakfast in Snowdonia Out on the road, mid-morning, I quickly came across numerous camp-grounds that probably would have suited me and my wallet more nicely, but I was enjoying the lovely sun-kissed valley ride towards Caernarfon, so I didn't fret over it too much!  Shortly after that, grey clouds filled in all around and I felt some gentle specs of rain for the first time on the tour. The ride still had another of those surprises in store in the form of NCN61, which turned out to be a gem of an off-road cycle route, the only significant one of the tour. The track dropped me down

Round the back of Mount Snowden (left) Day five: Aberdaron to Betws Garmon The first rays of morning light crept through the east-facing gap in my tarp pitch, signalling an early start to the day. I was packed and off by mid-morning, although I had one false start after I realized I was leaving without the key to my (brothers!) bike lock. It was still in the shower from the night before (phew!). Before leaving I had tried calling my lost phone and this time it rang, but there was no answer...it had been found. I was out on the hilly road to Pwhelli; quite steep in places, mostly gently rolling but bustling with traffic that Saturday morning. I made good progress before stopping at a roadside cafe near Sarn Mellteyrn. After tucking into a delicious ham salad bap I tried ringing my lost phone again.  Someone answered it. A woman's voice said "Hello". She and my phone were in Llandudno. It had been found by her daughter in Eirias Park in Colwyn Bay, presumably in the nature

The coastline of Wales in all its summer glory Day four: Pen Is'Arlon to Aberdaron It was a glorious morning and I was up soon after first light, taking  a stroll on the Wales Coast Path along the cliffs. I could make out  a rickety track that I was sure would lead down to the beach but it was steep and rugged and I thought it would take up too much  time getting down and back up again. I took my time packing up and around 10.30am  headed off to explore the Lleyn Peninsular coastline by bicycle. I was looking forward to this day. For me this day was what the trip was all about.  In Morfa Nefyn there was quite a crowd building at the cafe and down towards the beach. Retracing my wheels brought me out into free spirited country lanes and connected me up to NCN43 which was one of those surprises that the ride kept springing on me, the pay-off for not doing too much research! I passed a young mum pushing her little one in a pram. As I passed I could hear the Welsh language being spoken