Has anyone attempted this north to south? I know the recommended direction is south to north.
I’ll be in the North Wales area for a holiday around the May half term week, I can’t get anytime off work before the holiday to ride the route in the recommended direction to meet that family in North Wales. I can’t only get time off after and as we are in the area it makes sense to get dropped off in Conwy and ride to the train station in Machynlleth.
I know it takes in some sections of trail centre so I’d have to adjust the route to avoid riding these bits in reverse.
Will it be worth it or should I plan something else and ride it another time in the correct direction?
Thanks
We rode it South to North last year and I don't see why you couldn't ride it the other way. I think you might have slightly more tarmac on downs than ups that way but some of the hills are super steep ones in both directions (we all walked bits). North to South is also more likely to be into the wind.
I don't remember any one way trail centre bits. Plenty of bridleway and tracks.
The big thing to remember is that there aren't many places to get supplies or cafés in the middle section of the route. Coed y Brenin was the only Cafe between Barmouth/Dogellau and Traws and is now shut and the one at the top of the road pass between Traws and Penmachno is not open much (I think only weekends). So much so that the Spar in Traws felt like an oasis with food and a coffee machine.
Good route though and much recommended.
PS don't forget that Transport for Wales are fairly strict about bike reservations.
Planning to ride it South to North at the end of May but there's a few YT videos with people doing it North to South so you'll be fine
We're also planning to ride it during the last week of May (joys of Teacher restricted holidays!) but haven't got as far as logistics yet. There will be three of us, we were thinking ride one direction and then pay for a minibus type taxi back at the end rather than play the train lottery (and possibly not much in it cost wise!).
How many days/where are people planning to break up the trip? We were thinking 4 days with plenty of time for pub & cafe stops allowed for, but need to plan it around where we plan/hope to sleep really and work backwards from there.
We stayed in Barmouth on night one, Traws night 2, Bettws night 3. Middle two days there aren't really any cafes or pubs so pack plenty of food. Last day there are cafes all over. 1st day there is a cafe in Corris and in Abergynolwen but few others.
We left a vehicle at the Premier Inn in Llandudno Junction (a parking website gave cheap parking) and got a train to the start so riding back to the vehicle. Worked well. I looked up minibus prices and it was a lot.
4 days gave plenty of time for faffing, not trying to race up the long hills, patching up one guy after an off (Traws has a well stocked pharmacy), stopping to see the Welsh Bible (you go past where it was translated), ice-cream when available.
Hope you have a good one.
We're also planning to ride it during the last week of May (joys of Teacher restricted holidays!) but haven't got as far as logistics yet. There will be three of us, we were thinking ride one direction and then pay for a minibus type taxi back at the end rather than play the train lottery (and possibly not much in it cost wise!).
How many days/where are people planning to break up the trip? We were thinking 4 days with plenty of time for pub & cafe stops allowed for, but need to plan it around where we plan/hope to sleep really and work backwards from there.
We're planning to do it in 3 days (but I'm also parking in Machynlleth and riding back there on the road on day 4, or paying for a taxi if I'm in pieces by then...). Doing it in 4 days makes sense if you're planning long stops or detours to trail centres.
Day 1 is a long day to Traws (55 miles) then Betws as the next overnight stop (hotels & airbnb'ing rather than camping).
If cycling back you can reduce the distance to ride / taxi by getting the train from Llandudno Junction (about 1 mile from Conwy Castle) to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Probably halves or more than halves the distance.
Lots of good tips, thanks!
I've done Conwy to Port Talbot. Pretty much straight down the middle. Took in a few bike parks on the way.
1st day was a washout and only got half the distance done.
All I remember about Conwy was riding next to a resovoir and a dirty great black pipe that we had to go under.
It took 6 days and most of us were on ebikes.
We also had two backup vans and generators.
Some videos on Stephen Foster MTB YouTube channel.
What ever you do, don't stay at the pub near Cody. Flying foxes or something like that.
It's absolutely shite.
Do you mean the bunkhouse in Trawsfynydd?
There's another Cross Foxes, between Corris and Dolgellau. It's one of my favourite places to stay, great food, lovely accommodation and excellent beer. It definitely is not "absolutely shite."
Cross Foxes - Restaurant & 5 Star Accommodation in Snowdonia https://share.google/PB3mpZguq935HUDrm
My review of the Cross Foxes from the bike packing thread:
Stayed in the Cross Foxes in Traws. Evening meals were ok and the staff friendly but the place was generally grubby and the most expensive of the trip by a good margin. 'continental' breakfast was cereal from plastic storage containers and a loaf of sliced bread. Village shop was well stocked and friendly.
Lots of inspiration from others there too:
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/off-topic/the-bikepacking-thread/
I mean the village pub that's between Cody and the power station.
When we arrived, two youths were syphoning petrol from a car in the car park 😳
The place was freezing. Paint was damp and ended up on our cycling gear when we tried to dry stuff on the radiators.
Breakfast sausages had the ends cut off them, possibly because they were black and rotten. They smelt rank anyway so nobody had the balls to eat one!.
The old school house further up the main road was brilliant if it's still doing b&b.
Problem is the nearest pub for evening meal was the Fox and Flea's, sorry Flying Foxes.
Cross Foxes even when I stop rushing and concentrate.
