Cross border raid.....

The plan was simple, to get in another days biking before going back to work, and I really fancied North Wales. I've ridden lots of the manufactured trails like Mach 3, the Marin Trail, the Karrimor Trail and the Dyfi Cli-machx (nice name), but never much natural stuff in the Park.

My bike is great, but I was conscious that the shocks hadn't had any attention for 2 years, the back wheel had a wobble, and some gears were unachieveable. Luckily Ben at mobile bike repairs managed to squeeze it in and service/fix all of the 'niggles' over the Christmas period. Massive thanks Ben - its now running like a dream....

So finally after what felt like ages of bad weather it looked like Sunday was going to be a calm day between two storms. So we headed over the border to Wales early on the Sunday morning.

A dusting of snow on Tryfan

It was a nice drive over and I'd forgotten how close it is as I tend to go to the Lakes due to its proximity to us. We passed the stunning Bodelwyddan Cathedral on the drive over and Abi admitted to being confirmed here. Being ill-educated and non religious I didn't really know what this meant, I imagined that Abi was taken in and they declared "yep, I can confirm she's a girl, next......"! I'm sure I was confirmed at hospital, but each to there own.....

I also have a terrible confession, for the first time in about 3 years I had a McDonalds on the drive over! Terrible behaviour I know, but it seemed so right on this fun day trip, and the breakfast McMuffin was good....

We got to Betws-y-Coed before the Sunday tourists and set of into the forest on the bikes. It was fairly fresh, and despite lots of layers I couldn't feel my feet or hands, but luckily the first long forest road climb soon warmed us up (slightly). We were following a route called 'Elin's Fancy' from an old BikeFax guide.

Abi looks shocked, but I guess I shouldn't jump out of the tree's with the camera so much!

deep lush forest tracks

It was a great route, with lots of quiet forest fire road (climbs!) and forest singletrack, I'd deliberatly picked this route to stay lower and hopefully warmer in the forest, but hadn't appreciated that when the sun was out, we didn't feel its benefit. I do love these forests though, at times it was very dark and lush and felt like you were in another land far far away (and I don't mean Wales!)..

here I come.....

We also cycled on a section of Sarn Helen the course of an old Roman Road from Aberconwy to Carmarthen. This was similar to the Lakes, and w bumped into some off roaders, who'd blown a gasket on their 4x4. Worth while coming back to explore this area, and trail further, maybe even complete the whole of the 270 mile Sarn Helen mounain bike route!

Abi in 2nd place at the water jump

With cold feet we returned to a very busy Betws, and loaded up the damp kit before heading to the cafe for a well deserved pit stop. We finished the day at the Moel Siabod cafe which was a petrol station last time I was here! Must return to North Wales again soon.....

a very happy chappy... cake and hot chocolate