N.Wales Bridge To Bridge
This was an ambitious dual project that has been on the drawing board for some time. Selecting the right location was paramount to its success.
It comprised a two day walk, each approximately ten miles in distance, that hugged the spectacular North Wales coastline. We based ourselves at Menai town, and used the excellent rail service to get to our start/finish points. The walk started at Conwy Bridge and ended at Menai Bridge, Lllanfairfechan acted as our half time hiatus.
Linda focused on producing a dog-friendly adventure. She deemed it a great success (despite the lack of ‘poo’ bins!)… it was very safe and there were plenty of wide open beach opportunities for pampered pooches to enjoy.
Much of Day One was on a SUP. There is always a potential clash when cyclists and dog-walkers meet, despite any lane segregations. A reluctance by the minority of cyclists to kerb their speed and affix bells to their handlebars is a real concern. The fact that the long cycleway sections on this journey were extremely wide, open and straight meant that any passing traffic could be reassuringly seen well in advance.
For my part, I was eager to cater for the, often neglected, mobility scooter fraternity … by producing a lengthy offering. I achieved this for Day One … it was an uninterrupted carpet of smooth tarmacked perfection.
As often, when assembling disabled- friendly walks, there was a snag! … to achieve the distance and tackle the gradients, a powerful scooter would be required (I am not referring to a 4×4 ‘tramper’ type). There are size limitations for scooters on trains, so in order to achieve this linear, private drop off and pick up transport arrangements is required.
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DAY ONE: Conwy to Llanfairfechan ~ 8.7 miles / 750 feet ascent
To-day’s walk is served up with a generous portion of glorious scenery and is sprinkled with a dose of intrigue(???).
A sublime opener was provided by the ‘chocolate box’ seaside town of Conwy and a riverside stroll that leads to its marina … to see how the poor people leisure!
We now tapped into National Cycle Route 5 for the remain of to-day’s route. From the golf links, a couple of minor roads led to a narrow corridor of splendour that is sandwiched between the beach and a large holiday park. Thereon, we ran in tandem with the A55 ‘Expressway’. This is a wide ribbon of excellence, a shared cycle and walkway configuration that seems to work in harmony in this case.
At reaching the oasis of Penmaenmawr, a must needed break stop was seized upon. Only the pristine beach and sound of crashing waves was in evidence to keep us company.
Fully refreshed, we got back to running cheek by jowl with the world of motor mania … or so we thought. As the cars started to disappear into a series of deep tunnels, we assumed that we would continue to hug the coastline, as the train line does, and around the tunnelled headland on the seaward side. It doesn’t go around it … it goes OVER!
This ingenious hidden gem will come as a surprise to many. Astonishment morphs into intrigue as it soon becomes apparent that this new cycleway is not so new as it it first appears … it is actually part of Thomas Telford’s original and “spectacular” coast road. It was built in 1830 and it probably followed the line of an ancient track(?).
Our day’s ending comprised of an inauspicious drudge through residential Llanfairfechan, but a very pleasant final stretch along the promenade.
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DAY TWO: Llanfairfechan to Menai ~ 10.7 miles / 750 feet ascent
To-day’s treat could not have been more contrasted to yesterday. Our route hugged close to the rugged and exposed coastline … courtesy of the Wales Coast Path (870 miles in its entirety!). Recent storms (this written April 2024) and natural erosion made for challenging going in sections.
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