Our Road Trip pics & Story. 56k => Cuppa :)
18-10-2005, 07:40 PM
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Our Road Trip pics & Story. 56k => Cuppa :)
OK, so here’s the story of our mini Road Trip.
Inspired by Stu’s pictures, and the story of his trip around Scotland, ( https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=136923 ) I decided we had to do something similar.
I’ve been over to Wales a few times, and have really enjoyed the scenery, so I thought as it’s so close to home we could take a trip around there while we wait for the PF Scotland trip to get sorted ( https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=137061 )
So, I loosely planned a route, and booked the hotels for the nights. We were going to make it a long weekend, and take the Friday and Monday off.
Friday – Walking Day.
The morning saw us head off over the bridge and towards the Forest of Dean. I’ve been over this way a few times and like the way it just seems so unspoilt. Add to that the really cool roads, with a surprisingly small amount of traffic, and the stress at work took all of minutes to be forgotten.
We parked up in one of the picnic areas, and headed off into the forest. The nice thing about doing this out of season (and on a weekday), was we were walking around and just didn’t see anyone – there were a few in the picnic areas, but once you headed off, you felt very alone.
We did find a bit of activity when we walked past a stone works place, they were cutting up some huge bits of stone, huge circular saws and one cutting with a bit of rope. It seemed to be so slow though, it didn’t look like it had moved when we walked back past it about an hour later.
From here was on through Monmouth and then some top B roads all the way up through the Golden valley. Just before that was Tea and a Scone darling, in some old house at Grosmont. Something that amazed me, when we did come up behind someone, even without me hassling them (no, really), they pulled in to let us pass – top stuff. Not only was this a tractor, a small coach and a truck, but even some little old lady. Now that was a surprise.
After the valley it was time to start picking up the pace, so we took to the A roads through Leominster, Ludlow and Church Stretton. Around here we can’t help but see a big hill off to the left, the Long Mynd. We take a look at the map and see that there is a road that goes quite near to the top, so off we go.
Well, driving up this steep single track road with nothing but drop off to the side was awesome, and such a good view. We parked as near to the top as we could, then set off on foot to have a look around – I’ll let the pictures do the talking here.
From the road we could see a couple of houses and things in the valley below, so headed back down the road (in 1st gear…I was scared, let alone her) to a car park at the end of the road. There was a map there that showed a stream coming down the hill from a waterfall about a mile up the hill. Again on foot we go on up to take a look. Again that was nice to get a bit of the outdoors.
Feeling a little worn out, we’re back on the road and heading through Shrewsbury to a village called Hodnet for our first hotel. A nice small friendly place, with some real good food and far too much to drink. Quite funny when I asked the waitress if there was a good pub nearby and she said “You are in it”. It turned out to be a bit of a giggle anyway as a bunch of golfers turned up to make the place quite lively.
Saturday – looking around day.
A bit of a lie-in and full English later and we are off again through Witchurch and up to Ellesmere Port for a look at a bit of industrial stuff. Looking at the start of the Manchester Ship Canal was also quite cool – how much work must that have been?
Along the North Wales coast now, through Prestatyn, Rhyl, proper little seaside villages (at bloody 30mph – Sunday drivers out early again this week…) Then up the pace a bit as we jump on the A55 and wind our way through Colwyn Bay, Deganwy, Penmaenmawr and on to Bangor. We can’t miss Snowdonia off to the left, but we’ll take a quick look up there tomorrow.
Now across the water and into Anglesey, we’re heading for Hollyhead. We are a bit early so we spend a bit of time looking around at yet more of this cracking scenery.
About 2:00 we finish a quick drink in one of the pubs on the harbour and dump the car before getting onto the Swift ferry bound for Dublin.
They were offering a separate deck with your own reclining leather chair, complimentary snacks and wine for 10 quid – we’ve got about 2 hours, do you think we can get our ten quid’s worth? Damn right we can…
Borrowed a GPS thing - this looked a bit odd
One thing though – I didn’t think much of trying to walk around on the ferry with both it, and me, swaying from side to side, perhaps that was a bit too much wine.
We get in to Dublin, and catch a cab to the hotel, right bang in the middle of it all – I’ve never seen somewhere with so many pubs and clubs in such a small area. We found a Thai place just up from the hotel, Honey roast duck with ginger and Pac Choi went down well. I could have eaten that all over again I recon, but we’ll save some room for beer.
We didn’t have a mega late night, but got around a few places – all good, I’m definitely going back one day. It’s all non-smoking too, a real bonus, especially when you wake up in the morning and can see and breath normally. I really would like to see that here (sorry smokers)
The people there seemed to be nice too, and a lot were Irish – I was expecting it all to be tourists. Expensive for drinks though.
Sunday – Long drive day
Took another taxi back to the port, we had saved just enough to cover the less than 9 Euros on the way there, plus a bit more just in case. Well this twat wants to charge us 19.50 – it’s more expensive on a Sunday, so he says, and he was waiting outside the hotel (for less than 5 minutes) but wanted to charge for that too. He had the 13 Euro I had and a big fat fcuk off.
Anyway, we get back and clear the port about 2:30 Sunday afternoon, with a long drive ahead. The next Hotel is just off the M4 at Newport, over 200 miles away, and I wanted to spend a bit of time around Snowdon.
The first bit of the journey was going well, a near empty A55 and I’m sat around the 100 mark. That is, until we round a bend and I see a stickered up van on a bridge – arse.
I’ve hit the brakes and managed to scrub about 35mph – I might be OK. Well, when I get close enough to actually make out what it was, it was an ambulance anyway. Cool.
Now back at Conwy we turn off and head though it, it’s a huge castle with a village inside from what we can make out and take a B road along the bottom of the mountains. A bit of the A5 then we really start to climb and then realise just how vast this countryside is. Awesome. We spend sometimedriving around, and quick stops to admire the view and then it’s the A470 for a long time.
This is just miles and miles of nothing around us, Brecon, Abergavenny and then Newport just before 8:00 and we’re at the Hotel. More nice food, more expensive drinks
Monday – and relax.
We’re at the Celtic Manor, an amazing place with the best Spa ever. We spent hours in the big bubble bath, Sauna, Plunge pool, Sauna, you get the picture. You just can’t help but relax here. Nice. The room rate wasn’t too bad, being a Sunday night but this morning just makes it worth every penny. It was really quite too, they had some BMW conference on, so most people were stuck in that. Funny when we go to get the car, the car park was like a BMW showroom.
So, that was us – real good fun, and we will be back out doing a bit more walking around soon too recon. If you get the chance to go and see a bit of Wales, it comes recommended.
Big thanks to my navigator - we used the map more than the GPS, and didn't have any trouble at all
Love you honey
Inspired by Stu’s pictures, and the story of his trip around Scotland, ( https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=136923 ) I decided we had to do something similar.
I’ve been over to Wales a few times, and have really enjoyed the scenery, so I thought as it’s so close to home we could take a trip around there while we wait for the PF Scotland trip to get sorted ( https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=137061 )
So, I loosely planned a route, and booked the hotels for the nights. We were going to make it a long weekend, and take the Friday and Monday off.
Friday – Walking Day.
The morning saw us head off over the bridge and towards the Forest of Dean. I’ve been over this way a few times and like the way it just seems so unspoilt. Add to that the really cool roads, with a surprisingly small amount of traffic, and the stress at work took all of minutes to be forgotten.
We parked up in one of the picnic areas, and headed off into the forest. The nice thing about doing this out of season (and on a weekday), was we were walking around and just didn’t see anyone – there were a few in the picnic areas, but once you headed off, you felt very alone.
We did find a bit of activity when we walked past a stone works place, they were cutting up some huge bits of stone, huge circular saws and one cutting with a bit of rope. It seemed to be so slow though, it didn’t look like it had moved when we walked back past it about an hour later.
From here was on through Monmouth and then some top B roads all the way up through the Golden valley. Just before that was Tea and a Scone darling, in some old house at Grosmont. Something that amazed me, when we did come up behind someone, even without me hassling them (no, really), they pulled in to let us pass – top stuff. Not only was this a tractor, a small coach and a truck, but even some little old lady. Now that was a surprise.
After the valley it was time to start picking up the pace, so we took to the A roads through Leominster, Ludlow and Church Stretton. Around here we can’t help but see a big hill off to the left, the Long Mynd. We take a look at the map and see that there is a road that goes quite near to the top, so off we go.
Well, driving up this steep single track road with nothing but drop off to the side was awesome, and such a good view. We parked as near to the top as we could, then set off on foot to have a look around – I’ll let the pictures do the talking here.
From the road we could see a couple of houses and things in the valley below, so headed back down the road (in 1st gear…I was scared, let alone her) to a car park at the end of the road. There was a map there that showed a stream coming down the hill from a waterfall about a mile up the hill. Again on foot we go on up to take a look. Again that was nice to get a bit of the outdoors.
Feeling a little worn out, we’re back on the road and heading through Shrewsbury to a village called Hodnet for our first hotel. A nice small friendly place, with some real good food and far too much to drink. Quite funny when I asked the waitress if there was a good pub nearby and she said “You are in it”. It turned out to be a bit of a giggle anyway as a bunch of golfers turned up to make the place quite lively.
Saturday – looking around day.
A bit of a lie-in and full English later and we are off again through Witchurch and up to Ellesmere Port for a look at a bit of industrial stuff. Looking at the start of the Manchester Ship Canal was also quite cool – how much work must that have been?
Along the North Wales coast now, through Prestatyn, Rhyl, proper little seaside villages (at bloody 30mph – Sunday drivers out early again this week…) Then up the pace a bit as we jump on the A55 and wind our way through Colwyn Bay, Deganwy, Penmaenmawr and on to Bangor. We can’t miss Snowdonia off to the left, but we’ll take a quick look up there tomorrow.
Now across the water and into Anglesey, we’re heading for Hollyhead. We are a bit early so we spend a bit of time looking around at yet more of this cracking scenery.
About 2:00 we finish a quick drink in one of the pubs on the harbour and dump the car before getting onto the Swift ferry bound for Dublin.
They were offering a separate deck with your own reclining leather chair, complimentary snacks and wine for 10 quid – we’ve got about 2 hours, do you think we can get our ten quid’s worth? Damn right we can…
Borrowed a GPS thing - this looked a bit odd
One thing though – I didn’t think much of trying to walk around on the ferry with both it, and me, swaying from side to side, perhaps that was a bit too much wine.
We get in to Dublin, and catch a cab to the hotel, right bang in the middle of it all – I’ve never seen somewhere with so many pubs and clubs in such a small area. We found a Thai place just up from the hotel, Honey roast duck with ginger and Pac Choi went down well. I could have eaten that all over again I recon, but we’ll save some room for beer.
We didn’t have a mega late night, but got around a few places – all good, I’m definitely going back one day. It’s all non-smoking too, a real bonus, especially when you wake up in the morning and can see and breath normally. I really would like to see that here (sorry smokers)
The people there seemed to be nice too, and a lot were Irish – I was expecting it all to be tourists. Expensive for drinks though.
Sunday – Long drive day
Took another taxi back to the port, we had saved just enough to cover the less than 9 Euros on the way there, plus a bit more just in case. Well this twat wants to charge us 19.50 – it’s more expensive on a Sunday, so he says, and he was waiting outside the hotel (for less than 5 minutes) but wanted to charge for that too. He had the 13 Euro I had and a big fat fcuk off.
Anyway, we get back and clear the port about 2:30 Sunday afternoon, with a long drive ahead. The next Hotel is just off the M4 at Newport, over 200 miles away, and I wanted to spend a bit of time around Snowdon.
The first bit of the journey was going well, a near empty A55 and I’m sat around the 100 mark. That is, until we round a bend and I see a stickered up van on a bridge – arse.
I’ve hit the brakes and managed to scrub about 35mph – I might be OK. Well, when I get close enough to actually make out what it was, it was an ambulance anyway. Cool.
Now back at Conwy we turn off and head though it, it’s a huge castle with a village inside from what we can make out and take a B road along the bottom of the mountains. A bit of the A5 then we really start to climb and then realise just how vast this countryside is. Awesome. We spend sometimedriving around, and quick stops to admire the view and then it’s the A470 for a long time.
This is just miles and miles of nothing around us, Brecon, Abergavenny and then Newport just before 8:00 and we’re at the Hotel. More nice food, more expensive drinks
Monday – and relax.
We’re at the Celtic Manor, an amazing place with the best Spa ever. We spent hours in the big bubble bath, Sauna, Plunge pool, Sauna, you get the picture. You just can’t help but relax here. Nice. The room rate wasn’t too bad, being a Sunday night but this morning just makes it worth every penny. It was really quite too, they had some BMW conference on, so most people were stuck in that. Funny when we go to get the car, the car park was like a BMW showroom.
So, that was us – real good fun, and we will be back out doing a bit more walking around soon too recon. If you get the chance to go and see a bit of Wales, it comes recommended.
Big thanks to my navigator - we used the map more than the GPS, and didn't have any trouble at all
Love you honey
18-10-2005, 07:57 PM
#4
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fantastic pictures and story
i absolutely LOVE conway - i have fond memories of visiting the castle on a school trip and wandering round aimlessly when i was 14 - oh i must go back sometime
i absolutely LOVE conway - i have fond memories of visiting the castle on a school trip and wandering round aimlessly when i was 14 - oh i must go back sometime
18-10-2005, 08:04 PM
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Great story and pictures m8 
I've paraglided from the top of Long Mynd.
... drove up that very steep road in my mates Punto and fried the clutch 
wales is a beautiful country
just a shame its full of welsh
(joke. before i get lynched)
I've paraglided from the top of Long Mynd.
... drove up that very steep road in my mates Punto and fried the clutch wales is a beautiful country
just a shame its full of welsh
(joke. before i get lynched)
18-10-2005, 08:25 PM
#6
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Originally Posted by Adam Ash
just a shame its full of welsh
(joke. before i get lynched)
Eats a lot too
And yes he did eat 2 and a bit plates
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18-10-2005, 08:41 PM
#8
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great story mate, and a fantastic time it looks like ya had! Dublins fooking ace aint it!
Me and Lindsay like little breaks like this. Theres so much in the UK to see without the need to go for the normal seaside kinds thing. Id sooner get into the countryside over hear and leave the beachy kinda hol for abroad
Me and Lindsay like little breaks like this. Theres so much in the UK to see without the need to go for the normal seaside kinds thing. Id sooner get into the countryside over hear and leave the beachy kinda hol for abroad
18-10-2005, 10:29 PM
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top.. we used to do this alot, but as stoner road trips..
deeside bridge.. man reminds me of client visits to deeside furniture when i worked for M&S head office
deeside bridge.. man reminds me of client visits to deeside furniture when i worked for M&S head office
18-10-2005, 11:02 PM
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Great post - Love the whole road trip thing and it really reminded me of home.
I used to spend alot of time in Wales so I recognise the llanberris pass shots (no fish in there Casper!)
I'll have to do a road trip out here and post some piccies up.
I used to spend alot of time in Wales so I recognise the llanberris pass shots (no fish in there Casper!)
I'll have to do a road trip out here and post some piccies up.
19-10-2005, 02:41 AM
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Great pics and text. Dublin looks awesome. Might have to build that in to a trip over.
Have been to Wales many times mountain bike racing and cycling and it is a beautiful country that I think has had rain every time, except one trip. I seem to get eaten by the nats that live near water as well but I can cope for the scenary!
Looks a top trip
Have been to Wales many times mountain bike racing and cycling and it is a beautiful country that I think has had rain every time, except one trip. I seem to get eaten by the nats that live near water as well but I can cope for the scenary!
Looks a top trip
19-10-2005, 08:22 AM
#21
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Thanks for all the nice comments guys 
I think I will try and make things like this a bit more regular I think, but maybe on a smaller scale
After seeing all of that, it really makes you take a look around at home too - driving in this morning, coming down into the Avon Gorge with the supspension bridge above just looked a little bit more special...
I think I will try and make things like this a bit more regular I think, but maybe on a smaller scale
After seeing all of that, it really makes you take a look around at home too - driving in this morning, coming down into the Avon Gorge with the supspension bridge above just looked a little bit more special...
19-10-2005, 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by St3V3_C
So who's off heading for the hills this weekend then? 
"why dont you take me for a drive like that"
I replied
"i'd have absolutly NO pleasure drive around wales in the shity mondeo"
so i also added, once i get the elise, we will DEFO go
20-10-2005, 03:37 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by Spiky
Originally Posted by St3V3_C
So who's off heading for the hills this weekend then?
"why dont you take me for a drive like that"
I replied
"i'd have absolutly NO pleasure drive around wales in the shity mondeo"
so i also added, once i get the elise, we will DEFO go
Perhaps get a few of us together too
20-10-2005, 06:36 PM
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wicked mate, i would be game for another one of these just wait till i get the cossie on the road
actually dont wait,i dont think you will wait till 2010
actually dont wait,i dont think you will wait till 2010
20-10-2005, 09:10 PM
#38
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Originally Posted by Katie
hope you're enjoying the glass! lmfao...
Some water when I got in last night,
Tea this morning
A coke when I got in after work
A coffee with dinner,
Think I might have a milkshake in a mo.
*I am, of course, completely lying - but it's very nice, thanks again
Turbodan, it'll be ready before you know it mate
20-10-2005, 10:04 PM
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awesome trip steve, been throught most of them routes on my travels, quite a few in the cossy to
Celtic manor is awesome resort, wish i could afford to go there every weekend
Celtic manor is awesome resort, wish i could afford to go there every weekend