cycling in Snowdonia

We're a dutch couple and we're planning to cycle for 3 weeks in England and
Wales, starting in Harwich. We intend to use Sustrans routes when possible
(but don't want to use very rough tracks...). We've noticed that Lôn Las
Cymru contours Snowdonia along the coasts. We like cycling in the mountains
very much, but the OS Road map shows only A-type roads in Snowdonia. And we
*don't* like cycling on busy roads. How dangerous is it, to cycle on the
A-roads in Snowdonia, for example the Llanberis Pass? (Because we're fully
equipped, i.e. including tent and cooking gear, we will be quite slow).

Thanks, martjans

martjans wrote:
We're a dutch couple and we're planning to cycle for 3 weeks in England and
Wales, starting in Harwich. We intend to use Sustrans routes when possible
(but don't want to use very rough tracks...). We've noticed that Lôn Las
Cymru contours Snowdonia along the coasts. We like cycling in the mountains
very much, but the OS Road map shows only A-type roads in Snowdonia. And we
*don't* like cycling on busy roads. How dangerous is it, to cycle on the
A-roads in Snowdonia, for example the Llanberis Pass? (Because we're fully
equipped, i.e. including tent and cooking gear, we will be quite slow).

Thanks, martjans



Have a look at the OS 1:50000 maps - the whole country is viewable for
free he

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/

Forgot to mention: the Llanberis Pass road is too narrow, steep and
winding for cars to go fast enough to be dangerous. The mountain
scenery in the Pass is stunning, so try and include it in your route if
possible.

"Señor Chris" schreef in bericht
...
Forgot to mention: the Llanberis Pass road is too narrow, steep and
winding for cars to go fast enough to be dangerous. The mountain scenery
in the Pass is stunning, so try and include it in your route if possible.

Hi,

Thanks for your quick reaction. I am using this link for planning my route:
http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/...e/products.jsp. (and a 2004
version of Memory Map 1:50k, and the maps from Sustrans).
There I can even zoom in to a 1:25k level. But what I meant was, that
practically all of the B- and minor roads seam to end in the mountains, so
the only way to enjoy Snowdonia seams to be by using the A-roads. But if you
say the Llanberis Pass (via the A486...) is not dangerous, we will certainly
include it! And probably Nant Gwynant, depending on our chosen route. By the
way, I already visited Snowdonia in 1985, backpacking, on campsites in
Brynrefail and Beddgelert.

martjans

"martjans" wrote in message
. nl...
We're a dutch couple and we're planning to cycle for 3 weeks in England
and Wales, starting in Harwich. We intend to use Sustrans routes when
possible (but don't want to use very rough tracks...). We've noticed that
Lôn Las Cymru contours Snowdonia along the coasts. We like cycling in the
mountains very much, but the OS Road map shows only A-type roads in
Snowdonia. And we *don't* like cycling on busy roads. How dangerous is it,
to cycle on the A-roads in Snowdonia, for example the Llanberis Pass?
(Because we're fully equipped, i.e. including tent and cooking gear, we
will be quite slow).

Thanks, martjans

As you say, Lon Las misses most of Snowdonia, but is a lovely route.
Most of the A roads in Snowdonia are OK - maybe avoid the green 'A' roads -
the pink ones are OK
Llanberis Pass is fine.

Of course, if you want proper steep hills, go to the Lake District - Hard
Knott and Wry Noses Passes are the 'best' ones.
Yorkshire Dales are also very good - Yorkshire Dales Cycle Way is a pleasant
route from Skipton.

Peter

martjans wrote:

But what I meant was, that
practically all of the B- and minor roads seam to end in the mountains, so
the only way to enjoy Snowdonia seams to be by using the A-roads.

The A-roads are OK - in fact you are probably better off sticking to
them because of the gradients on the minor roads, especially if you are
carrying camping gear.

Most of the heavy traffic goes around Snowdonia rather than through it,
so I'd avoid the A55, A487 and A470. Although it is a primary route
(green), the A5 is pleasant riding and has great scenery.

martjans wrote:
How dangerous is it, to cycle on the
A-roads in Snowdonia, for example the Llanberis Pass? (Because we're fully
equipped, i.e. including tent and cooking gear, we will be quite slow).

Thanks, martjans

Hi there.

I lived in the are for a few years and whilst it is true that The
Llanberis pass itself isn't too bad being narrow and twisty, the same
can't be said of some other roads in the area. For example, the A4086
from the top of the pass toward Capel Curig can be a bit of a race
track, as can the whole of the A5. However the A498 from Lyn Gwynnat
climbing up to Pen-Y-Pass is lovely.

If riding up from the south I would recommend leaving the Lôn Las
route along the old railway line at Penygroes as much of the rest of it
runs close to a busy new road and the section on to Bangor is
disjointed and can be hard to follow. The official NCN route into
Bangor is a joke being far hillier and longer than just riding in on
the main road, and just as busy.

After following the B4418 turn south and descend to Beddgelert, then
turn north on the A498, turning left at Pen-Y-Pass to reach the top of
the pass and then descend to Llanberis. (Whilst in Llanberis make sure
to visit the old quarries and the slate mining museum. Oh and visit the
famous 'Pete's Eat's' cafe in the village itself)). Leave Llanberis via
the old railway starting at the south-western end of the lake. Take
care on the climb up the A4244. (If you are camping there is a very
quite camp site at Tros-Y-Waen farm just off the minor road turning
towards Pentir). To move on to Bangor continue the minor road through
Pentir. Don't miss a visit to the University Terrace overlooking the
town and Bangor Pier. Outside of Bangor a visit to Penrhyn Castle will
show where the money from the Bethesda slate quarries was spent. You
might also like to read up on the famous 3 year lock out between 1900
and 1903 when Lord Penryhn tried to starve the independently-minded
quarry men into accepting his 'factory' work practices. (The best
account of this is R. Merfyn Jones's 'The North Wales Quarrymen,
1874-1922'). Also do a search on the history of the slate industry
which so defined the area. For example, see

http://www.llechicymru.info/index.english.htm and

http://www.penmorfa.com/Slate/

Going the way i describe also means that you climb the narrow roads and
descend on the wider ones, which I find much more pleasant than when
you are climbing wide 'fast' road with drivers roaring past going 50
Mph faster than you are.

There are a few minor roads in the area but all tend to be much hillier
than the main routes along the valleys (25% plus) and so would be a
real struggle fully laden.

Enjoy your trip!

"Señor Chris" wrote:

Most of the heavy traffic goes around Snowdonia
rather than through it, so I'd avoid the A55, A487 and
A470. Although it is a primary route (green), the A5 is
pleasant riding and has great scenery.

It was the A5 that scared us a bit, because the map on the Sustrans website
indicates, that Sustrans nr. 5 is suspended between Llanfairfechan and
Conwy, and the A55 there doesn't seam to be an option for cycling.

martjans

"pppeterrr" wrote:

As you say, Lon Las misses most of Snowdonia, but is a lovely route.
Most of the A roads in Snowdonia are OK - maybe avoid the green 'A'
roads - the pink ones are OK
Llanberis Pass is fine.

Of course, if you want proper steep hills, go to the Lake District - Hard
Knott and Wry Noses Passes are the 'best' ones.
Yorkshire Dales are also very good - Yorkshire Dales Cycle Way is a
pleasant route from Skipton.

Peter

It's cycling in the mountains we like, not especially very steep
gradients... We can manage (shortish) gradients up to 13-15%, but the slopes
in the passes you mention might be "a bit" to steep for us.
At first we intended to include the Lake District and follow the
Coast-to-Coast Cycle Route from Sustrans to take a ferry back to the
Netherlands, but that might be to much for 3 weeks.

martjans

schreef in bericht
ups.com...

Hi there.

I lived in the are for a few years and whilst it is true that
The Llanberis pass itself isn't too bad being narrow and twisty, the same
can't be said of some other roads in the area. For example, the A4086
from the top of the pass toward Capel Curig can be a bit of a race
track, as can the whole of the A5. However the A498 from Lyn Gwynnat
climbing up to Pen-Y-Pass is lovely.



If riding up from the south I would recommend leaving the Lôn Las
route along the old railway line at Penygroes as much of the rest of it
runs close to a busy new road and the section on to Bangor is
disjointed and can be hard to follow. The official NCN route into
Bangor is a joke being far hillier and longer than just riding in on
the main road, and just as busy.

Because Sustrans states that Route nr. 5 along the coast is suspended
between Llanfairfechan and Conwy, we will probably take the A5 from Capel
Curig to Betws-y-Coed (Señor Chris was indicating, that this won't be too
busy) and find our own route from there to Chester.

Your suggestion, to follow Lôn Las to Penygroes looks to be good. But I
think we might take minor roads from there to Waunfawr and Llanrug, to pick
up the minor road south of the A4086 to Llanberis and then climb Llanberis
Pass. The route you suggest seams to be good scenery, but a bit of a detour
from Penrhyndeudraeth. Depending on what time we will have left by then, we
might take a shortcut via the A4085 and A498 straight to Beddgelert, or
mayby take the minor road that climbs up along Nanmor to Nantgwynant.

Anyhow, it will be very nice to compose a route, and it'll be good to be
back in Snowdonia.


Enjoy your trip!

Thanks, I'm sure we will!

martjans