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Looking for a quiet 50-70 mile road loop in Snowdonia. I've seen magazine articles of Stwlan Dam and that would be ideal.
Is it possible to piece a loop together on quiet roads including the dam? Can start anywhere, will be in a van.
And if not there, anywhere else in Snowdonia that avoids the death inducing roads on a summer weekend?
If Snowdonia is a no-go zone then would also be considering Pembrokeshire & Mid Wales.
Thanks for any advice.
Few years ago but this was a lovely route:
https://strava.app.link/zYW1Xwaf9hb
That looks perfect.
You think would be ok on a summer weekend?
I like how you got portmeiron in too.
Going on "popular route" on Strava builder, you could climb Road To Hell out of Denbigh, up Stwlan and back for ~75 miles.
https://www.strava.com/routes/2853936982565868944
When I did it mate I hardly remember seeing a car but I guess times are different now. I’m not local so wouldn’t know I’m afraid, sorry. Obviously the Dam itself is closed to traffic so worst case scenario you can just Everest that 🙂
We started in Betws-y-Coed and climbed out through Cwm Penmachno and over to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Up to the Stwlan dam and back down (it was being resurfaced at the time so not at its best).
We then dropped down toward the A470 then turned ‘inland’ up to Beddgelert on a truly wonderful bit of road.
We’d planned to head down into Llanberis and do the Electric Mountain dam access road before doubling back up the llanberis pass and heading back to B-y-C via Capel Curig. In the end, we’d both had enough after the climb up from Beddgelert. We popped up to Pen-y-pass for a quick bite at the cafe, but didn’t bother with Llanberis.
That was a great ride on good roads with plenty of scope to shorten/lengthen as required.
If you are doing stwlan check out the surfaced road up to the manod quarry on the other side of the valley.
Good climb and an intresting history
Full details here.
https://snowdoniarunner.co.uk/trailroadrunningroutesevents/manod-mawr-Ns8Fa
Thanks!
Bullandbladder, sounds a good route too, do you have a link to it?
Manod, very interesting!
I did this route starting at Antur Stiniog then heading anti clockwise. I did Stwlan dam last. Saw sod all as the clouds came in.
To finish it off I did a lap of the track in the Antur Stiniog car park before the slog back up to the glamping pods we had with work
If you want quiet roads, head over to the Berwyn’s some very tough, stunning climbs.
PM’d you.
I really must go back and do that ride again, it was bloody lovely.
I live just outside Llanberis.
The staycation and childrens summer holudays means that there is a lot if traffic here at the moment. It isnt metropolitan, but its busy on fast roads. The more you go to the picture postcard locations, then the more people wanting to be there.
Ian