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Pack Ride-out to Harlech ~ 18th & 19th July 2009.
The annual ride to Harlech for an overnight hotel stop and Pack dinner was again well subscribed this year. Thirteen people stayed at the hotel and sat down to evening dinner, and another 3 Pack members accompanied us to Harlech and stayed locally in B&B accommodation. In addition to that, another 3 bikes accompanied us for most of the ride to Harlech In all, the ride attracted 13 bikes and 16 people, with another 2 Pack members, on their Trophy, meeting us at Harlech on the Saturday afternoon.
Despite wet weather over the previous couple of weeks, we were lucky enough to get a dry, but overcast day for our ride to Harlech. We met Pack members at pre-arranged places along the A470 and by the time we reached the cafe van at the Verranda, just beyond The Storey Arms, we were up to 13 bikes. Three of these were accompanying us for part of the way, just for the ride. The first brief stop was on the top of the Eppynt Ranges to enjoy the view and allow a smoke break for "those who must".
We then continued along more B roads to our first coffee stop at The Halt Cafe near Rhayader. Bryn left us here to return to Cardiff, but the rest pressed on along B roads to Llanidloes and then enjoyed the spectacular ride from Llanidloes to Machynlleth across the mountain road. Lunch was again taken at the remote Star Inn along the mountain road, just for the challenge! Despite advising the management there some three or four days previously that 16 people would be arriving for lunch on Saturday, we still received the same response that we have received over the previous 3 years....sorry, weve run out of brie for the brie and bacon baguettes, sorry, weve run out of fishcakes... Frank agreed to have cheddar in his cheese and bacon baguette because there was no brie left, but when it arrived, it didnt have any bacon in it! Ah, its a challenge indeed.
At Machynlleth, Ted and Bill headed back to Cardiff via Aberystwyth and Aberaeron and the rest of us continued to Harlech. After a gathering in The Lion pub for a couple of beers, Pack members then scrubbed up for evening dinner at the Castle Cottage Restaurant. Once again, dinner there was a fine affair beautiful food, good service and great company I can easily understand why this weekend is always well attended.
A leisurely 10 a.m. start was planned for the Sunday morning, which allowed the first heavy rain shower of the day to pass through whilst we were having breakfast. Somebody broke the good news that a severe weather warning had been broadcasted for the south Wales region, so it was clearly going to be a wet ride back to Cardiff. We set off in a gap between the showers, but once we reached the A470 we encountered heavy rain and a lot of caravans, definitely not a good combination. Luckily the rain stopped as we turned onto the A4212, a fast and traffic-free road to Bala. More heavy rain from Bala to Druid, where we joined the A5, but the sky looked clearer to the north, which allowed us to stick to our plan to ride over The Horseshoe Pass near Moely Gamelin (578 metres) for a coffee stop at The Ponderosa Cafe. The stop was well-timed, as more heavy rain fell whilst we relaxed over a coffee, but we managed to leave between showers and head through Llangollen to meet the A5/A483 south. Traffic was heavy along this trunk road (because the Royal Welsh Show started the next day at Builth?) and some serious overtaking was needed to make sensible progress. However, once south of Oswestry, the traffic eased considerably and we were able to enjoy the ride, despite running in and out of frequent light showers. People dropped off the group to find their own routes back to Swindon, Malvern and the Forest of Dene and so it was just 6 bikes that cut across to the Halt Cafe once more for hot food, coffee and petrol. Once again, heavy rain fell whilst we were in the cafe, but once we left, we had improving weather all the way back to Cardiff, arriving in warm sunshine!
There is no doubt that this event was once again a real success the routes alone are worth the ride and the beautiful accommodation and fine food are the icing on the cake! I feel sure that this weekend trip to Harlech will appear again on next years calendar.
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