Wales is such a beautiful country, full of winding roads, rugged coastlines, lush green landscapes, rolling hills and picturesque lakes and waterways. It was also where Suzie grew up, so she has a real soft spot for the place. With all that in mind, we decided to spend a week circumnavigating it, aiming to keep away from the main roads as much as possible, as well as try to take in a couple of popular 'biker' places as we went. Although we had a loose plan of which way around Wales we'd go, we didn't book a thing in advance, because nothing ever goes to plan, so it's better to have a very flexible itinerary...which was just as well in this case! So, here's the highlights of our Welsh Wanderings. We'd highly recommend a trip!
DAY 1
We loaded up our trusty DR650's, did some final re-checks, and set off from our home in Devon. We didn’t take many photos as we were too busy enjoying the ride, especially through Exmoor and the coastal road (the A39) through Lynton, Porlock (where we first met back in 2012) and Minehead. We managed to almost completely dodge the motorway except for one junction on the M5, so not too bad at all. The one bonus of being in close proximity of the M5 as we headed up North towards the Severn Bridge, was that we came across Ollie's Cafe near Junction 22, so we stopped for some grub, and it didn't disappoint!
With full tummies, we loaded ourselves back on to our bikes and headed up and over the bridge into Wales, and then Northwards again on some of the smaller roads, avoiding the M4. We then hit the A4042 and pulled in at the Baffle Haus to check it out, as we'd seen it on social media, but never stopped by. There were loads of riders there who had been on the 'Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride', so the place was buzzing and there was a sea of various different types of motorcycles to look at.
We had a lovely cup of coffee whilst we had a bit of time off the bikes and mooched around, before deciding to get back on the road. The only issue now being that Kelvin’s DR650 wouldn’t start…maybe a starter motor issue? The chap in the parking area was super helpful but unfortunately he didn’t have a battery booster with the cable for Kelvin’s bike, so we bumped it with the help of some fellow riders and got it going again, and all seemed well! Hmmm, I wonder how long that would last?!
After a beautiful ride we camped at a lovely little site came across in Talybont-on-Usk (Talybont Farm Campsite) and tried out The Star Inn for a nice cider and some dinner. We'd initially sat outside by the river but the rain decided the descend, so we moved in to the cosiness of the pub and the lovely barmaid found us a small table so we could eat our food. We were so lucky as the place seemed to be very busy. We experienced super friendly staff and it was literally a stones throw from the campsite…magic!
DAY 2
Today it was all about the RAC man Dave 5585 who came to save the day! However, before I get in to the details of our trip stall, I just have to talk a bit more about food! It's an important topic for me...I don't do well without some good sustenance! Very close to the campsite was the CanalSide Cafe (at Talybont stores and post office) who served us up a warming and filling breakfast. Thankfully the rain had subsided so we ate outside and watched the world go by, and opposite was a cute, stone bus stop with a bookshelf in it, actually filled with books. What a cool idea! There's not many places you can do tings like that now without someone coming along to ruin it, which is a bit sad.
We walked back to the campsite to pack up, and by this time the tent was a bit dryer. Always a bonus! After the bikes were reloaded we set off again, this time on the A40 heading Westwards, as we wanted to go over and explore Pembrokeshire. Such a beautiful place, and an area Suzie spent a lot of time when she was growing up.
Unfortunately, as we were riding through Sennybridge there was an issue. We'd filled up with fuel at the Texaco garage, and then I pulled off, followed by Kelvin. However within seconds he told me to stop. His bike had died, and he couldn't get it started again. We took both bikes the few meters back to the garage and had a bit of a problem-solving session, but nothing was working. We thought it was trip over before we’d even really got started.
Kelvin’s bike felt like it had a starter motor issue, carb issue and stator issue all at once! It was quite odd, and we just couldn't work out what was going on, and we thought there’s no way we’ll be able to continue as we’ll need spare parts. I reluctantly called the RAC, not holding much hope for a fix, and thought about some 'Plan B' options. At least the garage sold coffee and food. We'd been really looking forward to a bit of a mini bike adventure after all of the craziness of the last couple of years with the travel restrictions and lockdowns, so we were feeling a bit deflated.
It wasn't too long in the grand scheme of things when Dave the RAC man showed up in his bright orange truck...thankfully to actually save the day! Dave found the issue after a little while of hunting around and testing various things. It turned out to be a corroded connection that was hanging on via one strand of wire, and so he sorted it! Woohoo! I was elated! The battery was mullered but at least the bike was now working and we wouldn't have to go home. THANK YOU 'Dave 5585'!
We got in touch with our friends’ Mo and Rob, who live near Carmarthen, and as luck would have it, Mo happened to be going to M&P motorcycles near Swansea. Unfortunately, despite what Mo asked for, they managed to provide her with the wrong one. Luckily Rob managed to find a battery that fitted in his garage, and then it was a matter of adding the acid and waiting for it to charge up, so definitely time for tea, a relax and a good catch up with our friends on our impromptu visit. The beauty of not having a fixed plan! Mo had also made a nice big pot of Welsh Cawl with some cheddar cheese, which was super tasty and just what we needed. What a fab end to a slightly eventful day!
DAY 3
Kelvin’s bike was sounding much happier, and after a nice breakfast with Mo and Rob we bid them farewell and set off nice and early to work our way around the Pembrokeshire coastline. Our meanderings took several hours as after St Clears, we took all the small back roads and literally followed the coastline around!
Unfortunately it seemed as though Kelvin’s brain was not firing on all cylinders that morning (although at least his bike was...or at least the one it did have!). First of all we got flagged down by a very friendly Jaguar driver who came to tell us that Kelvin's cargo net was dangling down (thank you Mr Jag driver!). The next thing was that after stopping for a bit at Laugharne Castle (a very beautiful place) we got about another eight miles before Kelvin realised his shoulders were feeling a lot lighter…queue panic as it dawned on him he no longer had his Camelbak on! Doh!
After hightailing it back to the castle, we pulled up to realise it was gone. Then a white Days Rental van pulled up next to us, the side door flung open and an arm protruded out holding the Camelbak! Amazing! They’d seen it fall and tried to drive after us but couldn’t quite catch us. They’d been trying to chase us around the countryside to let us know, and we must have passed them when we doubled-back. It was so kind of them to persevere and give it back to us. THANK YOU!
We started off again from the castle, this time double checking we had everything and that everything was secured. Check! The coastal road was beautiful, and we stopped at various points on route that day, including a spot of delicious tea and cake at Bubbleton Farm Shop and Farm Kitchen. It's a really beautiful stop off and the cake was excellent!
The scenery was spectacular all day. I particularly love Freshwater West beach and we also made our way down to Bosherston and then on to a tiny old chapel (St Govan's Chapel) in the cliffs, which Mo had told us about. It was quite a steep walk down but well worth it, especially on such a beautiful day. Kelvin decided he'd stay with the bike and save his knees, which was probably a wise plan as it was definitely a challenge on the knee caps!
Once I made my way back to the car park and cooled down a bit from my steep ascent, we headed back out on the road, up to Pembroke Dock, over the bridge and then up the coast to Newgale. This was actually the place I invited Kelvin on our first camping outing together, where he met a group of my good friends, so there were some good memories to be had.
We pulled over at The Duke of Edinburgh Inn (sadly since closed by the looks of things) for a spot of lunch and we had a bit of a chat to a couple in a camper, as well as two midgets in a midget (their words, not mine!!), one of whom also rode a Harley and was very happy to meet some bikers on their outing. Their Midget car was pristine, and very beautiful!
Finally it was up around Cardigan, Lampeter way, Tregaron and then on to Devil’s Bridge. It’d taken so long on the back roads to get to Devil's Bridge that it was all well closed by the time we got there, but we had a peer over the edge. The campsite we found was beautiful (Woodlands Caravan Park) with the most amazing bathroom and shower facilities! We also had our own picnic bench and a chorus of sheep to sing us to sleep.
Yet again I managed to find us a place within five minutes walk of a pub, the Hafod, so we wandered off there, took the map and GPS to have a look at some ideas for the next day, and got a yummy meal! What a great day!!!
Day 4
We had a great start to the day with a scrumptious breakfast at the Two Hoots Tea Room, chatting to some friendly locals, lovely staff, and the owner provided us with two ‘I ❤️ Cymru’ stickers for our bikes, plus some paper towels to clean out visors, and we had a good chat to! They also did amazing freshly baked delights so we got some chocolate Tiffin for later in the day….it was baked that morning! (Thanks to the THE BIKER GUIDE for the heads up about the Two Hoots Cafe)!
We then set off to Nant-Y-Moch reservoir on some little back roads and it was well worth it. It's such a beautiful area, and no-one else was around. We stopped for a bit of a look when we got to the damn, and had a short wander around, before heading off again. We headed up on the little road around the reservoir, and then continued towards Machynlleth, and then followed the coastline through the pretty town of Aberdovey (Aberdyfi), on to Tywyn then Llwyngwiril, before ending up in Dolgellau. A really pretty little route if you have time to get off the main road.
Being a fan of castles we headed up towards Caernarfon castle, and it was definitely time to partake in some of the Two Hoots Tiffin!! I scored it 10/10!!
Caernarfon Castle was definitely an impressive one, although not wanting to leave the bikes we didn't go inside. I decided to leave Kelvin with the Tiffin (a big mistake) and have a wander around as much of the outside as I could. Needless to say, when I returned the 10/10 Tiffin was demolished!
Next we did a bit of a wiggly tour around Snowdonia, first heading back Southwards towards Beddgelert, up and around to Pen-Y-Pass, then stopping in for a chat with some ducks at Llanberis lake. It was then on to Capel Curig before heading up to Bethesda and onto a great little campsite (Platts Farm) at Llanfairfechan. We literally went up and down each side of Snowdon and got some great views of the mountain range, Crib Goch and beautiful valleys. It was absolutely stunning, even in the rain! It was also great to be in the area on a relatively quiet off-season day, without hordes of tourists, so we were thankful of that.
We’d decided to stay in this area because our good friends Nadine and Pat lived in Conwy, so they picked us up and we all went for a walk around Llandudno and then had some scrumptious pizza at Johnny Dough's Pizza. Yum!!! Thanks Nadine! It'd been a very healthy trip so far it seems...or maybe not!
After dinner we went for a wander along the sea front and managed to get front row seats to a most spectacular sunset. What a glourios end to a fab day. It had been great to catch up with some more friends and explore off the bikes for a short while, and now it was time to head back to camp.
Day 5
It didn’t disappoint! We took the scenic route along the West side of the River Conwy, and then off on the small roads through Nebo and then on to Pentrefoelas, including a diversion that took us down some wonderful little roads (well, for bikes not in a rush anyway) with broken tarmac and grass down the centre…almost green roads…but not quite!
I then spied a little place on our left, the The Riverside Chocolate House (now called Bocs Bwyd...Food Box in English)! With a name like that we just had to stop!! It was a great little place with some beautiful chocolates, although we opted for a beans on toast breakfast and bought a selection of a few chocolates to enjoy later! They were insanely tasty by the way, so worth every penny.
Then it was off through the Welsh hills and over Cadair Benllyn to Frongoch, near Bala. I remember going through Frongoch and to the Kayak shop there growing up, when I used to compete in Whitewater Slalom, training and competing on the river Treweryn. Good times!
We opted to take the smaller road down the East side of Bala lake, and once again my eye caught a sign…Lakeside Cafe! We peeled off to the Caffi Lakeview Cafe (at Bala Sailing Club), where we were greeted by some lovely staff who told us about all their cakes, and I opted for the ‘Courgette and Avocado cake’ as I was intrigued. Apparently it tasted like carrot cake and I have to say, it was delicious. So, cake for lunch it was!! There seems to be a theme going on here me thinks!
Following our nutritious lunch we then meandered through the hillsides to Llanymawddwy. Again, the scenery was spectacular! After getting to Llanidloes we headed over to Crossgates (Llandrindod) to get some supplies and a top up of coffee at the Cafe Express, which we managed to get to 15 minutes before closing! Great timing.
Finally we headed up to Llanbister and over to Radnor Revivals Holiday Lodges where we met our friend Jack Kemp, who had kindly offered for us to stay in one of the lodges for the night. We had a good catch up and then headed off to the local pub The Lion Hotel for some scrumptious grub and more chat. The curries we had were super tasty! It had been yet another great day in the Welsh countryside!
Day 6
We woke up to yet another beautiful day. After a quick brekkie, we headed up to Clun to begin with, a lovely little riverside village. If you're ever there I can highly recomment the 'Post Card Cafe' next to the bridge. It does some wonderful food, and there's a car park with toilets very close by. We'd usually get something from there and sit next to the river, but given the very short amount of time since breakfast, even we weren't that piggy!
We then headed down through the little back roads to Doms Bike Stop...A great, chilled out place and lots of bikes parked up. We found a table to sit at and ordered our lunch, a couple of toasted sandwiches. They went down very well and we really enjoyed the place. It felt very relaxed for a bike stop, which was what we generally prefer. If you're ever looking to stop there, it's worth checking if it's open as sometimes it closes for periods of time, but it's well worth a look in.
Passing down through Chepstow it was evident that it was the beginning of half term tomorrow as the roads were packed, and the traffic coming over the old Severn Bridge in to Chepstow looked horrendous and in miles of gridlock! Yuck! Fortunately we were going in the opposite direction to the congested traffic, and as far as possible, staying off any major routes. Obviously there's no avoiding the main road to cross the bridge, but we escaped as soon as reasonably possible.
We skirted around Bristol and then cut down through the back roads again towards Cheddar, up through the beautiful Cheddar Gorge, before finishing the day at Long Hazel Park campsite…a really beautiful, adult only campsite in Sparkford (home to Haynes publishing and the Haynes Motor Museum...also the start of The Motor Cycling Club's / MCC's Exeter Trial, which we take part in each January. Brrrr!).
We'd struck lucky with our campsite find! They had a wood-fired pizza truck there that evening, so dinner was sorted! The owners were very friendly and allowed us to park the bikes next to a picnic bench, which was ideal. We also got chatting to a few camper van folk who were on their way down to Cornwall, which was a great laugh, and the evening disappeared in no time! Another great day on the road!
Day 7 (Somerset/Devon)
After a yummy 'homemade' breakfast of pittas and scrambled egg, it was off towards Devon through the narrow back lanes of the Somerset countryside from Sparkford. Also, it was the first time on the trip I’d cracked open the cooking pannier, but never mind! At least it was worthwhile carrying it all that way for that one meal. At least the reason was we’d spent too much time exploring to have the time (and energy) to cook!
It was yet another glorious day and we decided to cut down though the middle of Exmoor this time, rather than take the coastal road. We pulled over at the Exmoor White Horse Inn for a spot of lunch (very good it was to), before making the final leg of the journey home.
What an awesome week it had been and we even had the final day to go, which was the Bideford bike show, so we got unpacked and sorted ready to head off again the next day! We even found a couple of chocolates left from the Chocolate shop that we’d totally forgotten about…bonus!!
Day 8…at Bideford Bike Show!
After an amazing week of travel around Wales, North Devon and North Somerset we finished it all off at the Bideford bike show. Despite a little downpour, the weather remained mostly bright and the whole area was filled with motorcycles of every description! The atmosphere was buzzing and the friendly motorcycle community was out in force.
We met our biker friends Annie and Max there, as well as meeting Sam and his DRZ. We also spotted a bike in the crowd sporting several 'The Overland Event' and 'The Armchair Adventure Festival' stickers! We couldn’t work out who’s it was unfortunately.
Overall it was a great day, and lots of chat about our bikes and other people's bikes. Plus we got home just before the downpours that arrived around 5.30pm! Timing or what!
Wales is a fabulous country to explore, especially by motorbike so why not take a trip?! Even if you only have a few days (if you're not too far away), just dip your toe in and explore bit by bit. If you love the green roads then it's heaven. We've been green roading in North, Mid and South Wales, and it's just phenomenal! Enjoy!
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