How grim is the drive from Betws y Coed to Bikeparkwales?

Never been to the south before, we’re staying in BWC for a few days in April and thinking of adding a trip down to Bikepark Wales- not that it’s exactly close but it’s a lot closer than it is from Edinburgh! But I hear bad things about the north-south drive, I’m thinking how bad can 3 hours be? But maybe it can be?

I have driven that route via the A470 a couple of times.

It’s scenic but can be painfully slow if you get stuck behind stuff.

Wont Antur Stiniog do in its stead?

It’s slow going but it’s not traffic – you are always moving and the views are generally nice.

Not grim at all just slow.

Not even that slow now they’ve put some by-passes in, but think there are still roadworks just past Coed y Brenin (can’t see them being finished in the last 2 months).

What are you driving? In a decent car, in reasonable weather, it’s a fun drive!

there might be some merit in picking up the A5 at Betws and heading east. At Chirk pick up the A483 and head south, oswestry, welshpool newtown, then Builth wells, A470 brecon then merthyr/BPW.
But you are driving past some great riding.
why not do BPW and then work your way home, Dovery, Beulah, Rhayader, Nant y Aran, Climachx, penmachno.

why not do BPW and then work your way home, Dovery, Beulah, Rhayader, Nant y Aran, Climachx, penmachno.

This

Nice drive lovely views but you will only do it once as it takes for ever

For some ludicrous reason we went to Antur Stiniog and BPW on consecutive days having driven up from Brighton. They’re quite far apart! Found some excellent gammon, egg and chips somewhere in between though I’ve no idea where – that Friday night it felt like the whole of mid-Wales had decided to shut down so we were thankful to find a pub with some lights on. It’s a bit of a killer drive if you don’t take a break somewhere.

It’s a long way but very beautiful. Make a feature out of it if you can 🙂

We regularly do brecon to Coed y brenin. It is a 2 hour (fast) drive each way. Brecon to Merthyr adds 25-30 minutes this end and Coedybrenin -Betws y coed would add 35-40 minutes that end. Reckon in a fast car you are looking at 3 hours each way minimum, assuming you know the roads, use the short cuts, and are happy to overtake slow traffic when necessary. If you are a follower of traffic happy to go with the flow then add an hour each way at least.
I would stick to Antur Stiniog!

All sounds not too daft then. We’re doing Antur on the sunday, this is an (in)convenient addon 😉 It’s planned as a north wales trip but, well, I’d drive 3 hours from here to do BPW so maybe it’s not so daft to do the same from BWC.

What I’m driving depends a little bit on whether my car ever starts again tbh! Making progress not really a problem in the turbowhale but it made a bit of a return to the water at the weekend and is still a bit wet.

Ah, but it doesn’t work if BPW is booked out for months in advance, which it is. Damn you and your enormous success, Sorrell!

bYc….

bloody tourists!!

😉

There’s a way to ride up at BPW, it’s not just uplift

It’s a great drive

lapierrelady – Member

There’s a way to ride up at BPW, it’s not just uplift

Yeah, but it’s the uplift that’s drawing me- there’s no shortage of great pedal-up riding in north wales after all!

Weekends at BPW the uplift will be busy. Midweek you’ll get on as a pay-as-go. Never had a problem. Plus if you hate yourself you can ride up.

Another silver lining is not having to drop a load of silver into the coffers of the Toll bridges.

A joy we get from traveling up from down south……paying to get into Wales…. 🙂

I have only been in car to north Wales once and I can confirm it took literally 9 years*

* I was 8 at the time so everything seemed a lot slower

acehtn – Member
Another silver lining is not having to drop a load of silver into the coffers of the Toll bridges.
A joy we get from traveling up from down south……paying to get into Wales….

Ah, but it’s worth it…….

*Note that you don’t have to pay to get into Englandshire. Value, worth and all that. 😉

Ah, but it’s worth it…….

Bet it’s not as exciting as the Dragon races 🙂

Would like to revist the venue, see what’s been done, but what bike to take…. rigid raider or hardtail, or bouncer, if the tracks are well armoured then must be general purpose or low profile tyres

(we haven’t done what tyres yet 🙂 )

You’ll get on the uplift at BPW in the pm even on the ?eekend, they have four buses now
In the am you can ride and push up (a few cheeky shortcuts too – just ask a local)
Or you can session the lower trails
Enjoy

I live in Carmarthenshire and often drive up to Snowdonia. The A483 between Llandrindod Wells and Newtown is an absolute blast in a car with even a modicum of speed but is very frustrating if you get stuck behind someone. My advice (Berlingo driver!) is to drive that particular section either early or late. Most lorries seem to avoid it but not all. FWIW the ‘shortcut’ between Newtown and Dolfor isn’t worth the effort. There are very few fixed cameras on the route but LOTS of mobile ones.