Ride to some nice lakes in North Wales

[KLR600]

After not being able to commit to the BCF rideout yesterday I decided I was going to go for a spin anyway . I live in North Wales and I've been threatening to take my better half to some lakes for a while now. We've done all the the well known touristy ones like Geirionydd and Crafnant so we ventured off the beaten track to some other lakes I know that are dotted about.

We started off from Llanfairfechan where I live and and then turned off at Penmaenmawr and went over the Sychnant pass (didn't get any pics of it sorry) then rode through the picturesque castle town of Conwy (again no pics as I ride through here everyday to get to work!) and headed off down the beautiful Conwy valley. We turned up into Gwydir forest just outside of Llanrwst and worked our way up to the first lake. The roads up there can be described as patchy at very best and they're all singletrack lanes with loads of gravel and grass up the middle. The absoloutly stunning views all around don't help when you're trying to negotiate this kind of road though! Eventually we got to the turning for the first lake. The road here turned into a forestry acces/fire road and I would of been better off on a trailie than my trusty XJ! We took it easy along the road and rolled down into a clearing to be greeted with this:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/serenaur/panorama.jpg

I've got no idea what the lake is called but I know it's stunning and also well hidden! If you look closely in the picture you can see me chopped in half on the left!

There was a truck by the lake aswell and I like trucks so naturally I had to pose next to it......

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/serenaur/leettruck.jpg

But you can't beat the bike

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/serenaur/meandbike.jpg

After we'd finished taking pictures and posing next to trucks we decided to head on to Llyn Elsi. We dropped down into Betws y Coed, which if you've ever been there you'll know how nice it is there and headed back up the other side of the valley. We stopped at a garage my friend works at on the way and he let me have a go on his Gas Gas 280 '05 trials bike which was a big mistake as I really want one now!

We got back onto the fire roads and with my memory being a bit patchy of these roads (they all look the same) we eventually found the "car park" at Elsi after a few wrong turns. Well I say car park, It's more of a clearing in the trees!

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/serenaur/panorama2.jpg

As I like clambering up around on places I found a nice big rock to stand on and watch over the lake for a bit:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/serenaur/elsirock.jpg

Both the lakes were very serene and not half as busy as I expect the more well known lakes are in the height of summer.

After walking around Elsi for a bit we decided to head home. We dropped back down into Betws y Coed and took the A470 back to Llandudno Junction where we had KFC for tea and I filled up with petrol. We headed back over the Sychnant pass and I suddenly had the urge to be a bit "moto"!

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/serenaur/Jump1.jpg

When we got back I'm sure I heard my bike sigh a big old sigh of relief!

My trusty MX/Enduro/Road steed for the day:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/serenaur/Bike.jpg

All in all we had a great ride and were quite lucky with the weather so I'm not feeling too bad about missing the big BCF rideout anymore!

It always gets me that people pay hundreds if not thousands of pounds to come and visit North Wales yet I'm lucky enough to live here. I know so many little beauty spots that you'd never find on an OS map and I feel so privelidged to live up here!

I'd be more than happy to show anyone these lakes or the more well known lakes up here in North Wales but if you do want to go for a spin don't bring a mint bike because it won't be mint much longer!
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Now: '00 Kawasaki ZRX1100R - Past: '84 Yamaha DT125, '89 Kawasaki KLR600, '97 Yamaha XJ600N
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[loveday]

Some nice quality panaromic shots you taken there. What camera did you use?

[Andy C]

nice!! and that smile next to the truck its huge!!!

Like said, love the panaromic
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[KLR600]

Thanks guys, my girlfriend took the pics, she used a Canon EOS 30D, she hasn't had it long so it's any excuse to take pictures at the minute!

And it's all about exaggerated poses in front of the camera.....
____________________
Now: '00 Kawasaki ZRX1100R - Past: '84 Yamaha DT125, '89 Kawasaki KLR600, '97 Yamaha XJ600N
<My Bikepics Page> <My Yootoobes> <My Websites> <My Photos>
<Take Cool Photos!>