So...... Most have seen the pictures from Pete and Andy of out trip to Wales the weekend just gone. Iv made this one up to show the routes and locations and other general info, Hopefully some people can make use of it if planing there own trip. Something Im sure all of us will recommend 
For my self the trip was a chance to give the Petrol Blue its first proper outing and really see what a standard Clio could do. For Pete. it was a chance also to take the biblical sounding Type R out for it first ever play on some equally amazing roads. Cub. was out to give the freshly rebuilt Flamer its shakedown before a track day season ensues. For Tim. ....... Well i think Tim just did it because he is an extremely nice bloke who Im sure the rest of us cant thank enough of organizing the weekend.
Thanks again Tim
So on to the finer points. Tim had been messaging us about the routes and stop of points for over a month. We had paid our accommodation fees and were set. We all met Friday at Chieveley Services on the M4/A34 as we always do for our journey's either North or West. The weather was looking ok but as soon as we got past the traffic at Oxford the rains started.
We traveled non stop North deciding to take the M6 Toll. By this time my choice of drinking a full bottle of water before we left the M40 was looking rather foolish :S We made fairly good time and got to the Shell 8 Miles outside of Llangollen. We were fulled up and ready for the following day. The Hotel we were booked in to was called The Bridge End Hotel . A nice but very busy B&B at one end of the town just over the bridge that spanned the river. We parked up for the night and headed in to book yourself in and then onto the local pizzeria. I was ID for a beer ! Tim was soaked through when the waitress poured half a jug of water over his shoes but all in all a very nice place to eat. We headed back to the B&B for a few Beers and a off tasting cider or two. We turned in with the thought of a early start and a Lovely Welsh fry up. We were up for our breakfast that the Hotel had very kindly put on early just for us as we were eager to head off. We hit the road at 8:30 to what would be a day we would sooner not forget
We headed to the Evo triangle first thing. We pulled up to grab a couple of Pics and also to just discuss what we had already experienced just coming out of Llangollen ! We had decided we would miss out the A5 part of the triangle to save a bit of time. We made four passes of the road down to Cerrigydion before 10am. The B4501 was an eye opener to us, with its quick fast open stretches turning very quickly in to some amazing crest's and off camber corners it soon became apparent why it's a favorite with car enthusiasts. We then made another four passes of the A543. This was probably the best road i have ever driven on. You can see the road for miles infront of you and the corners sweep from one to another and its all very smooth. After the Evo triangle had shown us all it had to offer we headed for Snowdonia. This part of Wales is beautiful i have only ever seen similar when i used to live in Norway. Snow capped mountains, quarries on both side of the valley floors, old mining houses that have see one too many winter months. We stopped off for lunch at the foot of Mt Snowdon.
We carried on after lunch to Lake Vyrnwy and the Hellfire Pass. Again some stunning views and amazing roads. Some are best taken slowly as there very technical. After that we pretty much motored our way down to Aberystwyth taking in the views. Stopped just out side to refill the tanks and then in to the town center to find our second nights sleep. We got to The Shoreline Guesthouse about 5pm. Chucked our bags in the rooms and headed in to town for some food and a few shandy's Me and the bear had some proper drinks mind. We were up early again to view the maps and get breakfast sorted for our quick stint to meet up with SharkyUK who had helped Tim with all the planing and best routes for the trip.
We had decided to meet Andy in the Elan valley. Not before driving what used to be an old mine by the look of it. Really nice open flowing roads on the valley floor with a reservoir beside it, truly stunning some of Wales. We met up with Andy at one of the reservoir's in the V6, he and Tim made some alterations and we set off for the Brecon Beacons and the famous Black Mountain Roads including the hairpin Sadly i didn't get many pictures after this as i was too caught up with the epic roads. (so one last pic marathon) We stopped off at the shell in Crickhowell where Tim picked up a fweeeend and we headed for Abergavenny to say our goodbyes.
There you have it, with the following route maps you have everything in order to get out there and experience what Wales and you car has to offer. The map for day 1. The map for day 2. Cost wise went something like this. The accommodation came to £60. The M6 Toll was £5.50 and petrol was £170 for myself. With a total of 836 miles door to door. Lunch came to about £10 each day and dinner was about £50 with beers after.
So all in all an excellent weekend spent with some brilliant people enjoying what beautiful scenery Wales had to offer with some of the best roads iv ever turned an wheel on.
Chris
For my self the trip was a chance to give the Petrol Blue its first proper outing and really see what a standard Clio could do. For Pete. it was a chance also to take the biblical sounding Type R out for it first ever play on some equally amazing roads. Cub. was out to give the freshly rebuilt Flamer its shakedown before a track day season ensues. For Tim. ....... Well i think Tim just did it because he is an extremely nice bloke who Im sure the rest of us cant thank enough of organizing the weekend. Thanks again Tim
So on to the finer points. Tim had been messaging us about the routes and stop of points for over a month. We had paid our accommodation fees and were set. We all met Friday at Chieveley Services on the M4/A34 as we always do for our journey's either North or West. The weather was looking ok but as soon as we got past the traffic at Oxford the rains started.
We traveled non stop North deciding to take the M6 Toll. By this time my choice of drinking a full bottle of water before we left the M40 was looking rather foolish :S We made fairly good time and got to the Shell 8 Miles outside of Llangollen. We were fulled up and ready for the following day. The Hotel we were booked in to was called The Bridge End Hotel . A nice but very busy B&B at one end of the town just over the bridge that spanned the river. We parked up for the night and headed in to book yourself in and then onto the local pizzeria. I was ID for a beer ! Tim was soaked through when the waitress poured half a jug of water over his shoes but all in all a very nice place to eat. We headed back to the B&B for a few Beers and a off tasting cider or two. We turned in with the thought of a early start and a Lovely Welsh fry up. We were up for our breakfast that the Hotel had very kindly put on early just for us as we were eager to head off. We hit the road at 8:30 to what would be a day we would sooner not forget
We headed to the Evo triangle first thing. We pulled up to grab a couple of Pics and also to just discuss what we had already experienced just coming out of Llangollen ! We had decided we would miss out the A5 part of the triangle to save a bit of time. We made four passes of the road down to Cerrigydion before 10am. The B4501 was an eye opener to us, with its quick fast open stretches turning very quickly in to some amazing crest's and off camber corners it soon became apparent why it's a favorite with car enthusiasts. We then made another four passes of the A543. This was probably the best road i have ever driven on. You can see the road for miles infront of you and the corners sweep from one to another and its all very smooth. After the Evo triangle had shown us all it had to offer we headed for Snowdonia. This part of Wales is beautiful i have only ever seen similar when i used to live in Norway. Snow capped mountains, quarries on both side of the valley floors, old mining houses that have see one too many winter months. We stopped off for lunch at the foot of Mt Snowdon.
We carried on after lunch to Lake Vyrnwy and the Hellfire Pass. Again some stunning views and amazing roads. Some are best taken slowly as there very technical. After that we pretty much motored our way down to Aberystwyth taking in the views. Stopped just out side to refill the tanks and then in to the town center to find our second nights sleep. We got to The Shoreline Guesthouse about 5pm. Chucked our bags in the rooms and headed in to town for some food and a few shandy's
Me and the bear had some proper drinks mind. We were up early again to view the maps and get breakfast sorted for our quick stint to meet up with SharkyUK who had helped Tim with all the planing and best routes for the trip. We had decided to meet Andy in the Elan valley. Not before driving what used to be an old mine by the look of it. Really nice open flowing roads on the valley floor with a reservoir beside it, truly stunning some of Wales. We met up with Andy at one of the reservoir's in the V6, he and Tim made some alterations and we set off for the Brecon Beacons and the famous Black Mountain Roads including the hairpin
Sadly i didn't get many pictures after this as i was too caught up with the epic roads. (so one last pic marathon) We stopped off at the shell in Crickhowell where Tim picked up a fweeeend and we headed for Abergavenny to say our goodbyes. There you have it, with the following route maps you have everything in order to get out there and experience what Wales and you car has to offer. The map for day 1. The map for day 2. Cost wise went something like this. The accommodation came to £60. The M6 Toll was £5.50 and petrol was £170 for myself. With a total of 836 miles door to door. Lunch came to about £10 each day and dinner was about £50 with beers after.
So all in all an excellent weekend spent with some brilliant people enjoying what beautiful scenery Wales had to offer with some of the best roads iv ever turned an wheel on.
Chris
