Marches Meander - Sunday 17 August

OK so we have finalised the route.

Here's a link to a Google map

http://tinyurl.com/3f2sea

1. Shrewsbury to Quatt via Craven Arms

We'll leave Shrewsbury at about 10am. The precise departure point is yet to be determined, it might be Shrewsbury Services at the junction of the A5/A49 (it can be difficult to get out of but the new traffic lights on the roundabout have improved matters). Or we could start at Sainsbury's, just a bit to the north of the roundabout, but again it can be difficult for a lot of bikes to get out of, or from a lay-by at Bayston Hill just to the south of the A5 roundabout. This is probably the best option (thanks to admin for suggesting it, I wouldn't have thought of it). The layby has a nice easy exit onto the A49 south, with good visibility, and there's bags of room, it's often a truck stop for a dozen artics. Whatever, they're all within a mile or so of each other, and with fuel nearby.

Here's the layby on the A49



Follow the A49 south to Craven Arms. This is a fast and flowing single carriageway trunk road, the main north - south route through Shropshire. Yes I know I said it would be on less well known roads, but this is a means to an end, and you can't have everything. It's 17 - 18 miles down to Craven Arms, through Church Stretton, where the road slows to a 30 and there's a set of traffic lights. On the plus side the A49 has some good bends and near Church Stretton it gets quite wide, good overtaking oppos here. From Church Stretton to Craven Arms it's a bit twistier.

Left at Craven Arms onto the glorious B4368 through Corvedale to Morville. It's about 20 - 21 miles of really good B road. After a few miles there are a few 40 limits and I think one 30 through some pretty stone villages. The road rises steadily through wheatfields with the occasional field of sheep, nice straights and some good twisties too At Shipton the road forks, left goes off to Much Wenlock, right towards Morville and Bridgnorth - we want the right fork. I mention it cos it would be easy to stay left and go the wrong way. Towards Munslow the road stars falling again, the views across Corvedale are fantastic

At Munslow turn right onto the A458. It's a 40 limit through the village. After the village the road climbs a hill and opens up for the short hop to Bridgnorth - we want the bypass so not going into the town centre. At the top of the hill there's a roundabout, we want straight on, goes down a hill with a good view of the Severn (which we cross at the bottom).

At the roundabout turn right onto the A442. It's a mix of 30, 40, 50, 40 again, and then NSL. Quatt is about 3 miles down on the left hand side, just after we climb a sandstone hill. Beware - on summer weekends this road is busy, and the place is usually rammed with bikes, and it's a bit of a difficult entrance as you have to turn sharp left and back on yourself going uphill over some gravel. Not ideal. So if nec be prepared to park by the roadside and whatever you do don't park by the fuel station cos Mrs Petrol will get her knickers in a twist

*Stop for coffee/bog/fag* This leg is 43 - 44 miles in total.

Uncharacteristically empty in this shot, well it was Wednesday morning:



It usually looks like this:




2. Quatt to Leominster via Ludlow

Turn right out of the cafe and retrace our steps. At the roundabout turn left onto the A442, cross the Severn and up the fast hill we came down. At the top, turn left at the roundabout onto the B4364 towards Ludlow. If you liked the first country road from Craven Arms, you'll love this. It's pretty much like the first road, only better It's a terrific B road - twisty, great views, some good straights, and a few sharp S bends at Neenton, Burwarton, and Middleton - you need to be careful and slow down. But for the most part it's a sheer delight, you won't want it to end, and you'll be disappointed when we turn right just beyond Middleton onto the A4117 for Ludlow. This bit's only about a mile though. Here's a repaste of the pic at Burwarton:



At the roundabout turn left - we're back on the A49 for the trip to Leominster. Nothing exceptional, pretty, busy I'm afraid, but there's no other way. At Leominster, turn right at the roundabout into the OK Diner, where we'll stop for lunch. There's plenty of parking, and a fuel station next door. The food's good value, the bogs are clean, and the place feels like it's in a time warp.

*Stop for lunch* This leg's 35 miles or so.


3. Leominster to the Cross Gates cafe, not far from Rhayader

Take a right out of the cafe/fuel station into Leominster town centre. Leominster's a small country town, no major jams as it simply isn't big enough unless it's market day (Thursday), except for the traffic lights (this is our second set) on the other side of town where I've never managed to get across without a red. The town centre is pedestrianised so there's a sharp right bend (non-threatening) to go round the centre, then a sharp left, you need to get in the right hand lane as the road starts rising towards the lights, and then turn right onto the A44. It's signed for Brecon and Rhayader. The road is residential for a mile or two, and then you fork left (still signed Rhayader) and the road starts opening up. After about 4 miles there's a turn right for the A4110 - ignore this - I nearly took it yesterday by mistake - although we'll be on the A44, we turn right (and it is a definite turn right) onto the A44 signed for Rhayader.

The A44 is a biker's dream. It might be busy with other bikes, but you'll soon see why. The scenery starts with thatched cottages and cider orchards, gradually opening up after you cross into Wales into moorland and wild hills, and you'll see a few hawks and maybe a few pairs of red kites. The road is twisty, with some fantastic straights. There are no seriously nasty bends except for a series of tight bends including two hairpins shortly after the turn (A481) for Builth Wells. These are awkward buggers, both left handed from memory, and you must slow right down, they're damn tight and sharp. You'll know when they're coming up cos you'll see a conical hill in front of you. There are a few cattle grids too, and you might see a few sheep in the road but they usually scarper pretty quick. Sheep are the stupidest creatures on earth so be prepared. For the most part, this is one of the best roads on the planet, you can really throw the bike around.

After the hairpins, it's a nice run to the Cross Gates cafe, in the village of Pen-y-Bont. Another popular bike cafe, it's clean and functional.

*Stop for tea/bog/fag/ice cream/fuel* This leg is 36 miles or so.




4. Cross Gates to Shrewsbury via Knighton, Clun, and Bishop's Castle

Turn left out of the cafe back onto the A44. In the main part of Pen-y-Bont turn left onto the A488. You'll wonder why you're going through an estate of council bungalows, but this so often happens in Wales. Keep the faith! After only a short while, less than a mile, the road opens onto beautiful moorland, more cattle grids, and it's just perfect, it really is, it's one of my all-time favourite roads. It climbs, it drops, it goes across moors and through woods, good bends and blinding straights. This is another road you won't want to end. Few sharp bends at Llanfihangel and at Bleddfa. The view across the valley as you start to drop down into Knighton is awesome.

Knighton is in a valley and the hill down into it is fairly steep. You have to give way at the bottom and turn left onto the main street, it looks like nothing's changed since the 1940s. And it probably hasn't! After about 250 yards turn right onto a narrow road that after about half a mile has a sharp right and looks like it goes nowhere. Keep going and there's a sharp left uphill out of Knighton, it's a nice run to Clun Road gets narrow in places, and there are afew blind corners where there might be a tractor turning, just don't go stupid.

Clun is the land that time forgot. It's a small village, stone houses, a little bridge over a shallow river - where you'll see kids paddling, mums sat yapping. There is a sharp right bend immediately after the bridge, followed by a sharp left uphill, if you can do U turns, this is a piece of p!ss but a bit more challenging on a sportsbike. The road then twists through the village but as soon as you're out the NSL sign appears and it's another great ride to Bishops Castle. The road is a bit narrow but this is rural Shropshire!

Carry straight on on the A488 and don't turn off. The road starts to climb again towards Shelve. Really pretty and a great ride. After a while the road narrows, and goes into the Hope Valley - the road here is twisty for a few miles with blind corners cos of rock walls so care is needed and you have to slowdown. Usually the road never sees the sun so it's often wet with water dripping down the rock face.

Now in Shrewsbury commuter villages of Minsterley, Pontesbury, and Hanwood - there's a tricky bend under the railway bridge at Hanwood - and before you know it you're at the roundabout with the A5 Shrewsbury by-pass. Turn right to get back to Bayley's Island, and the start.

This last leg is the longest at 47 - 48 miles.

* *

Well that's the route. Total length is around 160 miles. I hope that you'll come, and enjoy it as much as I do! Sounds corny - but this is what I bought a bike for and why I love living out here in the sticks. Scenery will be different in August, the oilseed will be gone (thank god) and there might be some combines around, and as usual those bloody caravans. All the roads have good overtake possibilities, you just have to be sensible and patient!

I'll add a few pics tomorrow, it's taken me over an hour to type this, so I'm spent!

Ed

[Luckypants]

Ed - the ride looks awesome, will be sorry (a bit) to miss it.

[Bluepete]

I will add that in Leominster, people with huge overbites will stop, stare and point in confusion at motorbikes. They still think W reg cars are new!

Originally Posted by BluePete

I will add that in Leominster, people with huge overbites etc etc

Inbreeding

[Spikenipple]

I might be up for that, it sounds pretty good! It's not too far from me to ride there in the morning either, which is nice.

[Binky]

Route looks good, i'm a maybe as well... leaning towards yes.

Route looks fantastic Ed

I've decided I'm a definite for this one - I'd already booked that weekend off work anyway so would be daft not to make the most of it!

[Quiff Wichard]

me?

shh I left- but was told of this so popped back to say - me coming

[darylB]

Be great to see you Quiff, still got to see this machine of yours.

Daryl

i'll be there dudes!