Anglesey

pneumatic

Going to Bangor on business at the end of the month. Should I take the bike and circumnavigate Anglesey? Would that be any fun?

popette

hiya,
I go to Anglesey a lot. I took my bike a couple of times last year and went round the island using the cycle ways (is that what they're called - it doesn't seem right but I can't remember what the correct phrase is). It was about 57 miles of undulating hills - some quite narrow roads with grass growing down the middle and I saw more tractors than I did cars. I remember it being quite a bit more than undulating actually but I was a complete beginner then and all hills seemed like mountains.
I really enjoyed it and will be doing it again this summer.

pneumatic

Thanks. It sounds a bit like Arran, which is exaclty the same distance round, a good distance for a day ride, and undulating a lot of the way (actually at one point, it is mountainous!).

I'll take the bike.

ded

Anglesey is nice enough, but if you don't mind a few hills and occasional traffic, from Bangor I'd head up into Snowdonia. There are some lovely quiet mountain roads south-west of Llanberis, and even the A roads aren't that busy except on summer holidays. The climb up from Nant Gwynant to the top of the Llanberis pass is spectacular, as is the ride through the Nantlle valley... Go on, get some mountains in!!!

donbrown

Hi

Tons of good riding on Anglesey and on the mainland - all within easy reach from Bangor. I live near Bangor and I'm out on the island or the hills a couple of times a week. I see you have no fear of hills, pneumatic, and there are a couple of surprising hills on the island! I'd second ded's view of the Gwynant climb, Alpine in character, although shorter, and spectacular.

An interesting project we did last year. Anticlockwise around the island, starting from Menai Bridge, taking every right turn that wasn't a dead end, (i.e. let you continue the journey without retracing at all) This led to an interesting day out! And longish - 190 km and, amazingly, 1800m of ascent! The northern half is "marked" unofficially around to Valley. Pm if you want more details or advice on routes around here.

Cheers