summittoppler wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:30 am

voodoo_simon wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:57 am
Which does remind me, I need another tour of the island on the fatbike this summer

Make sure you check out Parys mountain, a surreal place.

Missed that out last time as I was on the coast (also missed out on the Brick works on the northern part too )

voodoo_simon wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:32 am

summittoppler wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:30 am

voodoo_simon wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:57 am
Which does remind me, I need another tour of the island on the fatbike this summer

Make sure you check out Parys mountain, a surreal place.

Missed that out last time as I was on the coast (also missed out on the Brick works on the northern part too )

Porth Wen is a lovely spot but it has sadly been trashed by chance campers!
If you do go to Parys mtn, be sure to go on a sunny day as the colours are stunning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vg2htwBVFI&t=

Thanks for all the tips here. After Easter I'll start getting proper excited and will start looking at the maps.... We're staying right by South Stack. Can't wait.

I went out to check this former observation post from a former live artillery firing range not far from Trawsfynydd.
Sadly not suitable for a bivvy spot, nice area though.
IMG_20210329_141539_782 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

IMG_20210329_141539_788 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

IMG_20210329_141539_793 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

I've put you on "ignore" now Jeff ( really)

RIP wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:49 pm I've put you on "ignore" now Jeff ( really)

Sorry Reg but this is the start of 2 weeks off work
Bivvy planned for tomoz to make full use of the nice weather that'll hit us!

Go on, gimme a bit of slate.... phwooar

RIP wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:05 pm Go on, gimme a bit of slate.... phwooar

Not this time soz. I'll be on the summit of Y Ro Wen at 600 metres so looking forward to big views!

to help give variety, I've decided to ride to the oldest stuff around here. Today was Gosforth Cross https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gosforth_Cross - carved over 1000 years ago, there are a number of replicas, with one in the V&A Museum. The cross has both early Christian symbolic alongside characters from Norse Mythology (as described in the Poetic Edda). I've been past the church countless times, but having read and watched a lot of 8th/9th century history stuff recently, I thought I'd have a good look.
It's a beautiful thing and quite moving to think of those who carved it a millennium ago and all that has passed it by since then.
As the Fred Whitton passes close by, many may be familiar with the location, as well as my route - alongside Loweswater, Ennerdale Bridge and then Cold Fell - the unexpected kicks in the balls between Whinlatter and Feed 2 on the FW




I tried to see Calder Abbey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calder_Abbey too, but no visitors allowed just now.

Another commute home 16m and much quicker even though I took a wrong turning and added 10mins to my journey. Felt faster and stronger. Weather made it enjoyable too. A week off now too. That helps.

Sorry Reg, no slate here!
Packed up the shire horse yesterday and drove the 30 minutes to Dolwyddelan. From there I pottered around Cwm Penamnen which is a quiet valley south of the village.
20210330_141856 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

A bit of history
20210330_141442 by Jeff Price, on Flickr
20210330_141446 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20210330_143840 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

This took some doing, Mahoosive drop to the left of the bike. Snowdon summit just peaking out to the left of pic, south face of Moel Siabod centre right and the Carneddau to the right
20210330_152604 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

I first rode to the summit of Y Rowen back in September and I remember telling myself 'it's not one for bikepacking' (due to the big steep climb. Well here I am 7 months later with it in my head to bikepack it!!
20210330_155630 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Screenshot_20210330-172455_OS Maps by Jeff Price, on Flickr

I knew I'd get some big views and I wasn't wrong. Looking south over the Penmachno forestry
20210330_165937 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Looking north west towards Snowdon
20210330_184148 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

After searching the barren hill top for a quiet sheltered spot out of the wind I resorted back to the summit cairn. My thinking was no one would turn up now
20210330_200433 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

I kept the tarp in the panniers as it was a perfect spot. I soon built up a stone seat and watched the sun set between Yr Arran and Snowdon
20210330_194308 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

A good nights sleep interrupted a few times by some grouse (noisy buggers) and up for the sunrise
IMG_20210331_072307_719 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Loaded up for the 500 metre descent back to the car at the railway station car park in the village and that was done in 20 minutes!
20210331_080157 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Soon to be followed by breakfast in Betws y Coed
20210331_090315 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Ace, ace, ace, bloomin missed this type of thing

That looks epic!!!!

summittoppler wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:45 am

Bloody fly tippers, leaving their blue bin bags, hope you took it away with you

One of my GR's

Hope you had a lorra, lorra fun.

Yesterday's ride, but anyway...
Decided to get out for a day on the bike as I'm on holiday for once while the kids are at school.

From home, out into the peaks via cutthroat bridge
and down to fairholmes cafe for pop and flapjack. Up the road past the dambusters dam and info (giving me a lovely earworm for the next climb) and then up the steep, rocky climb to lockerbrook. Very nearly rode it all, just had to walk about 2m when I span out on a steep step. Blast down to the a57 and back up the steep rocky climb (there's a theme here...) to edale cross. Rollercoaster bit down to edale, passing another rider on a rough stuff type bike - hello if you're on here...

Road ride to the visitor center in edale for water and then the mother of all steep rocky climbs - Chapel gate. Had to.walk about 100m of this one... And then rode to the top of rushup edge for a snack & a sunbathe.


Surprisingly not too busy in the mam tor area, so took in the big descent to edale, back up to hope cross and then down to Castleton. Dying for an ice-cream or cold drink but cash or £5 minimum spend on cards... Road ride to hope, and a play on the pump track. Then more road to Hathersage followed by a collapse in the square with another flapjack and a large cold drink from the Spar.

Big road climb out of Hathersage, then over houndkirk Roman road and home.
66km, 1600m climb and a rather sore leg where the top of a Drystone wall fell on me as I opened a gate... All in all, an excellent day out!

If you've got 4 minutes spare, take a look at my film from my bivvy a couple of days ago.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7McVEpmApSE&t=

summittoppler wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:02 pm If you've got 4 minutes spare, take a look at my film from my bivvy a couple of days ago.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7McVEpmApSE&t=

Thanks, that was great. Impressive filming!

Started as a lovely evening jaunt but it was (literally) freezing by the time we got back home.

One more GR from the Winter Event for me, on my commute to work.

I would have got the other one if it hadn't been for that dam snooze button and the bloody head wind slowing me down and risking me being late

Now, either that is one trippy bike or I'm having flashbacks. Nice.

Loch Einich.

Hard to go wrong on a day like today.

Like many I guess, I had my first visit to the in laws for a while yesterday. Ice cream at Seascale beach and rode home , as off road as I could, following some of the Lakeland 300 route (Wasdale road to Ennerdale Bridge). Cheeky felltop detour for sunset. Late home for tea.

This is approaching the Cold Fell road to Ennerdale (looking backwards) after the ride through Skalderskew and the river crossing. If doing the L300, this isn't a section to be doing in the dark. The river crossing can be tricky and the trail is often boggy and indistinct. The route leaves the bottom left corner of the forest in the pic to cross the river/beck


Climbing up to Floutern Tarn, Ennerdale


Setting sun on Hen Comb

Looks lovely!

Some real beauties here!