Cwm Penamnen, Dolwyddelan a Betws y Coed

Train there and back

Back on the bikes up at Cwm Penamnen above Dolwyddelan. Train from Llandudno Junction up to Pont Rhufeinig then blast down the A470 for a couple of klicks to Dolwyddelan village. Stock up on coffee and cake in the Spar shop before attempting the big climb up into the cwm.

After a tour of the cwm, descend back to Dolwyddelan and then choose from a number of routes back to Betws for more coffee and the train home.

Kirroughtree Stane

A big day out! Great weather for March - 18C and hazy sun. Fairly quiet - only a few people around.
We did the Red and the Black.
Some great locations

Some great biking

Glentrool - one of the 7 Stanes

We're in Scotland again

We're in the Galloway Forest the one on the top left.













We did Glentrool blue run yesterday. It was a reasonable blue route - not too difficult and some faster sections with big banked corners
We're off to Kirroughtree today.

South Tyne Trail

This needs much more exploration. A neat trail on an old railway bed that we did from Haltwhistle to Lambley viaduct. Not far, about 9 miles return, but loads of wildlife and great views from the viaduct of the South Tyne. The route keeps going past Alston - could get back and do this sometime.

Internet image of the viaduct to give you some idea

Penmachno, yeah

Planning on doing Y Dolen 1 at Penmachno this weekend. Just printing the route details. We'll see...

Maintenance

Bikes need looking after. Emerging from Winter - even tho' not used much, they need TLC. Elin's bike' s headset needed stripping down and re-setting. Funny Aheadset type- sealed bearings - top one is ball race and lower one needle rollers. Not much could be done except clean it up. Then re-setting with centre bolt against star washer. Final tighten of the stem bolts. Should be okay for a while.

Next day, the BB went. Very clicky and rough. RAM model replaced with Shimano BB 68x113. Note that the front deraileur needed resetting as out slightly in chainring 3.