Another free Monday, another early start, and another excuse to point the bike west. This time, though, the plan was a bit more ambitious, North Wales and, if all went well, the Isle of Anglesey too.
Stop One: Llyn Brenig Visitor Centre
The first destination was over two hours and 115 miles away, so there was no hanging about. I headed straight up the A5, ticking off the towns as they came, Tamworth, Lichfield, Cannock, Telford, Oswestry, Llangollen, before eventually reaching Cerrigydrudion and peeling off onto the B4501 towards the Llyn Brenig Visitor Centre.
The B4501 is a cracking road, and it’s part of a network of genuinely enjoyable routes in that part of Wales, the A543 being another favourite for the return leg. This visit, though, was less about the roads and more about the views, a decent coffee, and whatever fried pork products were available. The visitor centre didn’t disappoint on any of those fronts.
Stop Two: Criccieth Castle
Properly fueled up, I headed back onto the A5 before turning off onto the B4407 and B4391 through Ffestiniog, an excellent stretch of road that deserves to be on every biker’s list. From Ffestiniog it’s just a short run down into Criccieth.
After crossing the railway tracks on the approach into town, I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of Criccieth Beach spread out in front of me. I hadn’t planned on stopping, but some views don’t give you a choice. I pulled over, took it in for a few minutes, added a pebble to my growing collection, and firmly resisted any thoughts of paddling.
The castle, perched dramatically on the headland above the bay, was just as impressive from a distance, and even better up close once I rode over to grab my evidence photo.
Stop Three: Beaumaris Castle, Anglesey
From Criccieth it was a straightforward 30-minute blast along the A487 to the Menai Bridge, where I crossed over onto Anglesey and followed the A545 coast road into Beaumaris. The town was busy, as you’d expect in August, but the castle itself is simply stunning, a perfectly preserved medieval fortress surrounded by a water-filled moat and encircled by symmetrical concentric walls.
The number of visitors wandering around inside made it clear this is a major attraction, and with good reason. Given more time I’d have loved to explore it properly, and the town itself looked well worth a wander too. As it was, I had to settle for a water break on the waterfront, taking in the sweeping views across the Menai Strait, before reluctantly heading back the way I’d come.
Stop Four: Flint Castle
A fairly dull 60-mile stretch of A55 followed, hugging the North Wales coast, before I found the turning into Flint for the final castle of the day. Flint Castle is a different beast to Beaumaris, more ruined, more raw, but well worth the visit. After a good wander around the site and the obligatory photos, it felt like the right moment for a small celebration.
A McDonald’s conveniently appeared across the road. A friend had been raving about the Belgian Chocolate Honeycomb Iced Frappé, so it seemed only right to investigate. One enthusiastic first sip later, I was regretting my life choices, the drink turned out to be built on a foundation of solid crushed ice, and the resulting brain freeze was nothing short of spectacular. I took the rest considerably more carefully.
With the castle tally complete and the Frappé eventually conquered, there was nothing left but the 98 miles home. A cracking day out.
