When you’re sitting on your bike on Aberystwyth promenade, there’s only one direction if you want to head north. That’s up. It was rush hour as I pushed the pedals up university hill. Most of the traffic in the other lane heading into town. I congratulated myself as I reached the student village, turned left and started to descend. Then a big red sign FFORDD AR GAU ROAD CLOSED. I got off and started to walk on down the road to see if I could sneak past whatever work was happening. A guy in hi-viz and a hard hat a way down the road communicated to me in the international language of gesture that my chances of success were non existent. I turned round and climbed the hill again. My detour was quick. It added four miles.
The coast road from Aberystwyth to Borth has some sharp and nasty hills. My favourite road sign of the trip appeared just before the drop into Borth, telling me there was a 25% decline while I was still very much climbing up.
I could see Aberdyfi less than two miles across the estuary from Ynyslas. It was more than 20 miles by road.
In Machynlleth, I celebrated passing the 1,000 mile mark for the tour with coffee and a toastie at the very colourful Hermit Crab Coffee.
On the old bridge, I crossed into Gwynedd county and Eryri national park. A guy was sitting on the wall with his bike on the floor. I asked if everything was okay, he smiled and confirmed it was.31W
Pennal boasts the most diverting little church, which is brimming with history and the Welsh Pub of the year, the Glan yr Afon. The church was open, the pub closed.
Aberdyfi demanded that I sit in the sunshine and sample the local ice cream. The bike guy from the bridge in Machynlleth was doing the same across the street. A group of wet-suited young people were lying down on the jetty looking out over the edge to the water three or four metres below. I watched with admiration as one-by-one they stood and, under their instructors’ guidance, stepped off the edge into the water below.
I passed bridge bike guy on the way to a very windy Towyn. A few people were sunbathing sheltering from the wind in the lee of the groynes on the beach, most were wrapped up enjoying the view. Twyn is a little town with big ideas. It has every amenity a weary traveller could expect. And as attractive as the options were, just four miles on from aberdyfi it was too soon for another break.
A shiny new shared use bridge allows pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders to cross Afon Dysynni right on the coast. It’s a safe, level route that’s a mile and a half shorter than following the road.
I passed Bridge Bike Guy again and he passes me while I’m taking a break on a bench at Rhoslefain. It was starting to feel like the world’s most protracted game of cat and mouse.
I was spoiled with views on this stretch. The sun is out, the outline of the Llyn Peninsula sits on the horizon. I’ll be cycling there tomorrow. Speeding down one of the slopes, I overtake Bridge Bike Guy again.
The Mawddach Trail follows nearly ten miles of the route of an old railway line alongside the stunning Mawddach Estuary, joining Dolgellau and Barmouth. I join it at Morfa Mawddach and follow it up to the main event of the day, the Barmouth railway viaduct.
This listed engineering marvel has 113 wooden spans that stride half a mile across the sands to meet an impressive steel bridge with two bow arches and two simple spans. The Mawddach estuary is a harsh environment. Corrosion, sea woodworm, and rot have meant the bridge has been totally rebuilt several times, most recently in 2020-2023. Despite all the rebuilds, it’s the same bridge that has stood here since 1867. Ask Trigger.
The footpath over the viaduct is made of large wooden sleepers which each spans the width of the walkway. Quite a few are loose and strike a note as my tyres roll over them. It’s like playing a huge glockenspiel, and I set my mind to the possibilities of tuning it to play a little ditty as cyclists roll over.
The train passes as I’m inspecting the steelwork on the part of the bridge that used to swing to let shipping traffic through. I’m in Barmouth and that’s the end of my ride.Forrhoe
For those of you who are still with me, an hour later I was sitting in the bar of a seafront hotel when Bridge Bike Guy pedalled past heading north.
The sunset was gorgeous. Phot after stats.
Day totals: 58 miles, 2,988 ft of elevation gained
Tour totals: 1,034 miles, 42,110 ft of elevation gained.
