A
lovely sunny day, still with a nip in the air but thankfully the wind
had dropped! We had to cycle back the three miles to CAT where they'd
misplaced their stamp - as at Llanidloes they told us we were the first
of the year. It had been a long time since our last visit so we enjoyed
looking round again before lunch at their excellent cafe and back to Corris
where we stopped at the hostel to collect our panniers. At Aberllefenni
we had to turn off the road past a quarry - a sign here would have reassured
us but we pressed on. Again there was no sign where the road turned into
a track. We had to push most of the way up to the summit, the track being
steep and rough. The surface was better after that so we freewheeled down
cautiously with brakes applied. At the main road (A487) we at last found
a sign and another one showing the way down the track at the other side.
After half a mile or so was a junction - again no sign so we took what
appeared to be the major branch but it went off in the wrong direction
to a farm building. So we investigated the other possibility and were
met by a gate with a "No access without permission" sign. Sustrans have
since told me there are some unresolved issues with local landowners.
We retraced our path to the main road and cycled along it as far as the
Cross Foxes Inn where we took a minor road to Tabor to rejoin the route.
Then it was downhill to Dolgellau, straight through the town to the start
of the Mawddach Trail, a delightful run along the estuary over the trackbed
of the former GWR Barmouth-Ruabon line. We crossed the estuary via the
cycle/pedestrian section of the railway bridge, paying our 60p tolls,
then along the seafront at Barmouth before a four-mile slog along the
A496 to Dyffryn Ardudwy and our base for the night, Clwt Cotal Helygen
Vegetarian Guest House, arriving at 6:30. Nice people, lovely food, highly
recommended (01341 247580)
More Photos