Pen-y-pass and mid wales

[Stu9000]

Ive just got back from my 2nd trip to Wales on the new (to me) R1200rt year 2007. What a bike.

Post trip thoughts.

Wales in good weather is a good as anywhere in the world for biking. I zoomed up from Surrey, (a3 junction of the M25). 3 hours outbound slog. M25. M40. A5. 35 degrees centigrade.
Hot and sticky. 170 miles mostly motorway was enough for day 1. I was taking it reasonably easy as im still getting a sense of what I and the bike can comfortably do.

I stayed at a campsite about 2 hours out from Pen-y-pass Snowdonia. Nice enough. Cheap as chips. Nothing special. But im starting to feel a man of my 55 years deserves a tad more comfort than an inflatable mat offers. Im in two minds, because I love the sense of freedom having a tent strapped to the bike offers. But while the bmw can handle it, the bike felt heavier than was ideal. The most annoying factor is the time it takes to pack up in the morning. More on this later.

Day 2 gets me close to Snowdonia.
Only avout 2 and half hours on the bike the Denbigh.
I almost pushed on to do the passage, but thought bugger it im on holiday and would enjoy it more fresh the next day. That said, I think now I know the bike better I could get to this point in one day not two. It has been proper proper hot though.
I didnt fancy pitching the tent. Air bnb are always happy to take my money and there is a place for that but a good middle road are the camping pods. £40 gets you a double bed, power and a kettle, and a half decent table and chair. I recommend this place. Ty'n yr Eithin. Very chilled. Well run. Clean decent showers.

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Pen-y-pass was what I hoped. Climbing through switchback roads into cooler air. I didnt go right to the west coast as it looked super busy. Instead I took the A4085 road south. Ot was empty, and superb. Just miles after mile of swooping wists and turns. Canolfan prysor visitor centre was pretty stop over for a coffee.

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From here it was a 2 hour run to Builth Wells.
Again, just mile on mile of glorious roads. Sometimes creating hills in the middle of nowhere, then down into shaded tree tunnel roads crossing quaint stone bridges and dodging the occasional delivery lorry.

Llanidloes is clearly a mecca for off road adventures. I passed packs of them all grins, giant knobbly tyres and splattered with mud. Ive got to get in on that some time.

I looked for pods but there was nothing available in quite the right spot so I camped in Talybont-on-Usk. The pitch up website seems pricier than the uk campsites site. But i wanted to stay to the west and head south through the hills, so was fairly specific in terms of where I wanted to stay. Great view but fairly iffy showers. The promised home made sausages came frozen, which was not ideal for the bbq.
But I slept well and did i say tue view was glorious.

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The next day was the return to civilisation, but it stayed great rheough Pontypool. I joined the M4 at Newport and then it was the motorway home.

Lots learned.
I can do more in a day, need to pack lighter, and need one of those side stand pucks on a string.
Next time I'll probably do the m4 to Newport, up though the hills, maybe take in some west coast roads.