Trip to North Wales this weekend, can we meet anyone?

Hi
My BF and me will come to North Wales for a long weekend. We'll ride from Kendal to Caernarfon on Friday and back on Monday. We'll stay for three nights in a B&B in Caernarfon. We haven't got any fixed plans for Saturday and Sunday yet and we don't know the area.
It will be my first trip on my new SV650, she'll only have her first service on Thursday. My BF has got a V-Strom 650.
Do you have any suggestions, what we could do there, where to go? Are there any biker meeting places in the area? Could we join any of you for a ride?
I'd be grateful for some ideas.

Regards
Linda

[Luckypants]

Hi Linda

I'd love to ride out with you guys, but I'm booked for the weekend....

What kind of off-bike activities do you fancy? I can give you some pointers.....

Sight seeing? Adventurous? bike realted?

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by LindaS

Hi
Thanks for your quick response. Maybe you know of some biker meeting places and some medium difficulty routes around the North. I'm still not 100% confident. Any warnings about too steep roads? Any evening entertainment (musik and dance)?
Any pointers will be gratfully received.
Regards
Linda

For a route, one day you might try the DAY 2 rideout we did last weekend. Just modify the end bit to take you back to Caernafon.

Things to do:-

Ffestiniog Railway from Porthmadog. Very scenic and quite romantic in a Agatha Christie sort of way!
Travel to Abersoch, surfing lessons?
The Slate caverns at Blaenau Ffestiniog (if raining)
Ride up to Tanygrisiau reservoir - steep challenging road and a great cafe at the top.
Mountain biking at the Coed-y-Brenin center, A470 before you reach Dolgellau.
Black Rock Sands is a fantastic beach if weather is warm, minor road from Porthmadog.
White Water rafting at Canolfan Tryweryn, Fron Goch, Bala on the A4212.

Nite life, I don't know I'm afraid. I live a long way from Caernafon and the last time I went out there was about 20 years ago!

HTH

The Ponderosa Cafe on the Horse shoe Pass round Near Llangollen is always worth a visit on a sunday. If the weather is good it will be packed with bikes. It was the venue for the 2nd or 3rd Annual Rideout back in the days when I had a SV.

Just be aware of local Plod - they will pull you for anything in those there parts of the world.

http://www.ponderosacafe.co.uk/

Would be there myself on Sunday but Mrs GSX1400 just given birth to our second child on tuesday so I will be a bit busy this weekend.

Head south to Aberystwyth is also an option (about 2 hr straight run from Caernarfon) - Great roads , hardly any police once you get south of Dolgellau plus you get a trip to the seaside! The promenade Cafe in Aberystwyth usually got 50 - 70 bikes parked up outside most of the day if it's sunny.

Enjoy.

The Ponderosa Cafe on the Horse shoe Pass round Near Llangollen is always worth a visit on a sunday. If the weather is good it will be packed with bikes. It was the venue for the 2nd or 3rd Annual Rideout back in the days when I had a SV.

Just be aware of local Plod - they will pull you for anything in those there parts of the world.

http://www.ponderosacafe.co.uk/

Would be there myself on Sunday but Mrs GSX1400 just given birth to our second child on tuesday so I will be a bit busy this weekend.

Head south to Aberystwyth is also an option (about 2 hr straight run from Caernarfon) - Great roads , hardly any police once you get south of Dolgellau plus you get a trip to the seaside! The promenade Cafe in Aberystwyth usually got 50 - 70 bikes parked up outside most of the day if it's sunny.

Enjoy.

I'm currently free at the weekend, and live 8mins "brisk" ride from Caernarfon, so if you want a jolly out on the bikes one day let me know (PM coming with mobile number).

Things to do, depends on your interests.

There's the thourist things like the copper mines at Sygun, electric mountain in Llanberis (but I wouldn't bother with that one), a couple of go-karting places, castle vists - countless castles if that's your sort of thing. Shops, more places to eat out than you can shake a stick at. There's boat rides on the Menai straights launched from near the Theatre in Caernarfon - trying to find Dolphins etc.

Ponderosa, since it was mentionned, will be about an hour south west of you by bike. You'd probably be better going to Betws-y-coed, but IIRC, the bike meet there is on a Thursday.

There's probably a lot I'm forgetting, but feel free to give me a call over the weekend even if it's just to ask for things to do.

Dave

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by GSX1400

Just be aware of local Plod - they will pull you for anything in those there parts of the world.

Do you know what, I live here and have never found that to be a problem. They are **** hot on speeding true and if you get pulled they will check your bike for naughtiness and possibly give a ticket for a small plate to. No different to a lot of forces.

Most speeding enforcement is by the scamera vans. Last weekend we were lasered by a (disappointed) bike cop with his mate in an un-marked blue Volvo T5 estate.

That said, there may be a bit of a clampdown this weekend as the weekend just past saw two fatalities and two more serious biker collisions in the area, plus numerous minors.

I would say ride sensibly and all will be well with local cops.

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Do you know what, I live here and have never found that to be a problem. They are **** hot on speeding true and if you get pulled they will check your bike for naughtiness and possibly give a ticket for a small plate to. No different to a lot of forces.

Most speeding enforcement is by the scamera vans. Last weekend we were lasered by a (disappointed) bike cop with his mate in an un-marked blue Volvo T5 estate.

That said, there may be a bit of a clampdown this weekend as the weekend just past saw two fatalities and two more serious biker collisions in the area, plus numerous minors.

I would say ride sensibly and all will be well with local cops.

I'll echo that sentiment - and I was even pulled over last weekend (see the thread about "north wales has no bike cops..." for details).

I was stopped for white lining, and got a ticket for a small plate. He could of got me for more though (like failing to display a tax disc - but I freely told him where it was, why, and showed him it).

About that blue Volvo, I know the plate on that, it's only one character different to the place on my bike. The guy that usually drives it is OK to talk to, but never been stopped by him.

I've covered close to 30,000 miles over 13months in North Wales. Yes, I've been stopped a lot, but only last weekend got a ticket. Not bad for the reputation they have.

Originally Posted by LindaS

Hi
My BF and me will come to North Wales for a long weekend. We'll ride from Kendal to Caernarfon on Friday and back on Monday. We'll stay for three nights in a B&B in Caernarfon. We haven't got any fixed plans for Saturday and Sunday yet and we don't know the area.
It will be my first trip on my new SV650, she'll only have her first service on Thursday. My BF has got a V-Strom 650.
Do you have any suggestions, what we could do there, where to go? Are there any biker meeting places in the area? Could we join any of you for a ride?
I'd be grateful for some ideas.

Regards
Linda

Hi Linda. Hope you enjoy North Wales as much as I did.

Pity it wasn't last week end. Could have met a few of us.

[Luckypants]

Linda

I'm free Saturday now. Just need a new rear tyre on the bike, which I can get early.

Will PM mobile in case you want to meet.