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excursions:
Wales| November 2010
crew: Dick, Mark and Jamie
vehicle(s): 1993 Discovery 200TDI
Wales – November 2010
It was quite a surprise when out of the blue Mark one Tuesday
said "I'm holiday this week could you take me on an
off-road trip". As I had offered to take him several times
before, I could hardly refuse. I quickly called around all the
usual suspects to find out who was available. With exception of
Jamie everybody else was not available at such short notice. I
then started frantically e-mailing to try and find accommodation
for 3. In the end I found two locations offering B&B for the
Thursday night. I settled on the Abbey Grange Hotel in
Llangollen. I arranged to meet Mark and Jamie at 9 o'clock on the Thursday Morning. here was no time to even put decent
tyres on the 3 door Discovery. I had loaded up the car with 2
Hi-lift jacks and a selection of wooden chocks, strops, shackles,
chains and ropes. The car is pretty much bog standard and is basic
model, it's even got manual windows.
Thursday 18th November 2010
I awoke in plenty of time but neither Mark nor Jamie showed
up on time. It was at least 10:30 am before we got going.
We stopped at London Colney on the M25 to fill up with diesel.
The weather was filthy and by the time we hit the M1 the traffic was heavy. Nonetheless we made good
progress until we got just past the M6 intersection for the toll
road (should have used
Frixo.com to check the
traffic). It took forever to reach the M54 intersection but once
there I put my foot down. At Shrewsbury we decided to have a break
for a meal at Morrisons but after finding it the queues in the
restaurant were enormous we decided to give it a miss. So we
returned to the A5 and at the Shrewsbury services we stopped for a
burger at Burgerking. While here I purchased 3 Landranger maps:
115, 116 and 117 from the tourist information centre. By the time
we reached the Abbey Grange Hotel in Llangollen it was about 3
o'clock.
 After unloading our luggage we went down to the bar and planned
the afternoon's route. We soon set off for Llangollen, turning
right over the bridge and then left onto the A5. After short
distance we turn right up a steep side road and at SJ218412 we
turned off tarmac and made our way up a steep lane. After about 3
miles we eventually end up at Glyn Ceiriog OS Ref: SJ203381. Here
we exit the lane and make our way through the village onto the
B4579. At OS Ref: SJ224340 we climb a very steep track alongside a
wood after about a mile we cross a small road then continue on
through a gate over the open mountain top. After about another
mile we come to a farm "Llechrydau". The original right
of way carried straight on but the track is gated and has a
bridleway sign clearly displayed. Another victory for the CROW Act
(Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000). We turn west here and
continue on the off road track eventually emerging onto the B4500
at SJ195355. Its an awkward turn left back on
ourselves and the Discovery just hasn't got enough lock to do it
in one. We then meander down this road for about a mile to OS Ref:
SJ187342. Here we turn off left and climb up a very steep track
with trees tight on each side and a stream flowing down the right
hand side. Considering the car has not got off road tyres and is
sporting to large roof bars I am amazed we get up unscathed. At
the top OS Ref: SJ190335 we are faced with a choice. We can
continue by turning right through a gate and taking a sweeping
curve round the side of the hill and through a farmyard or we can
proceed along the brow of the hill along a side road. Previously
when I drove this lane in March 2009 we got some hostile stares
from people in the farmyard. So I opted for the side road and
rejoined the track at SJ173326. At first the going was good but
the light was fading fast and although the first part of the lane
is fairly sedate I knew the last bit was very steep and rocky. I
hurried as fast as could and just as we were about start the
descent there was a problem. At a spot where we had stopped for
lunch in previous years the ground was badly churned up. It looked
like somebody had cut deep ruts with large aggressive tyres. We
couldn't turn round and we could back up as it
 was too slippery. I chose a less churned route that was on the
very edge of a sheer drop of about 30 metres. The car immediately
ground to a holt, with the tow bar bracket embedded in the mud,
holding us fast. It was dark, wet cold and miserable and in an
exposed and remote location. I tried backing up and running
forward but we just got deeper and deeper. There was nowhere to
anchor a rope to and we had limited recovery gear. To make matters
worse my bad shoulder was throbbing like hell. In the end we
unloaded all the gear from the back of the discovery and placed it
on the mountain side. We dug down by the wheels at the back and
then
using a large rock and the Hi-Lift we lifted the rear wheels
clear. We then packed bracken and all the wooden chocks I had,
under the rear wheels. With Mark and Jamie pushing and me driving,
the Disco' eventually crawled free, teetering
 dangerously on the edge. It sure got my adrenalin going. In all
it took over an hour to extricate the car. By now it was about
7:00pm and pitch black and it took another 10-15 mins. to load all
the gear back into the car. The descent from here is very steep
and rocky with a sheer drop on one side and it is tricky enough in
daylight. So I very carefully picked my way down the track, to say
the least it was nerve racking. At the bottom of the lane OS Ref:
SJ176304 ("The Lawnt") there were some houses and cars
parked so it was impossible to get out on to the road. I decided
to play the " I think I'm lost" card can you help? So I
knocked on the door of the nearest house to ask for assistance. I
wasn't very welcome and was told the road was not a right of way
(not true), I was told to continue up the track and I would
eventually get to the road (he wasn't about to move his car). So
we continued on for about another 3/4 of a mile before exiting the
lane at OS Ref: SJ179299. We quickly make our way down small side
roads to the B4580 and on to Oswestry. In Oswestry we stop at
Morrisons and get some essentials which we forgot to pack We also
get a few biscuits etc. to stop the hunger pangs. We decide to go
back Llangollen to eat so we zap up the A5 as fast as we can. Its
about 8:30 pm when we get back and the fish and chip shop is open.
We nip back to the hotel and get cleaned up before going back to
town for something to eat. We are back in Llangollen by 9 o'clock
but everywhere is shut. A small Indian restaurant is open so in we
go. A word of warning to you fellow travellers, it wasn't cheap,
it would have been cheaper at the hotel. As soon as we get back to
the hotel I fall into bed. Mark and Jamie retire to the bar to
sample the homemade beers.
Friday 19th November 2010
Next morning we awoke to a cold day, but the sun was up and
clearing the mist from the valley. We made our way down to the
restaurant for breakfast, it was superb!! There was cereal,
toast, yoghurt and a full cooked breakfast, sets you up for the
day. After Breakfast we go outside and Mark takes some pictures.
I check out and the hotel kindly allow us to use the restaurant
tables to spread our maps out to plan today's route. Mark and
Jamie go outside and clean the Discovery using a pack of baby
wipes I purchased in Morrisons yesterday!
By 11:30 we are on our way back down to Llangollen. Here we turn
west on the A5 and 10 minutes up the road the scenery is so good
we stop for a short photo shoot at OS Ref: SJ175424. We then continue on the A5 towards Glyndyfrdwy and at OS map ref:
SJ152426 we turn left up a steep side road. When we near the
summit we stop again the scenery is absolutely stunning.
 More pictures are taken and the video camera is brought out.
We stay here for about 10 minutes at SJ145407 just drinking the
scenery. There's a drop of nearly 300 feet almost straight down.
From here we proceed up to the summit and along the crest and
before long the tarmac ends. Several dirt tracks lead off from
this point and the way forward is not clear, but after consulting
the map we turn left. The track soon begins to descend and as we
proceed we meet 2 cyclists coming the other way. After a few more
minutes another cyclist passes us as he struggles up the incline.
The rain has stopped and the sun is out and it gets very warm
inside the Discovery.
 After about half a mile we enter the Ceiriog Forest and the car
cools down. We exit the forest after about 2 miles and we are
presented with a junction. My instinct is to carry straight on
down what is sign posted as a national cycle trail but Jamie and
Mark think we should turn left along the edge of the forest. I bow
to the majority and we continue along the edge of the forest.
After about a 1/4 mile it is apparent that we have come the wrong
way. The track is very narrow and it takes a lot more than a 3
point turn to get the Discovery around.
Once we are back at the junction we then continue on side roads to
OS Ref: SJ170370 where it drops down into a small lane. We are
confronted by a gate but I'm sure we are on the right track. After
another
 quick consultation with the map we open the gate and continue up
the track. Its very steep and rocky with a stream cascading down
the right hand side. After a short distance we stop for another
photo
 shoot and more video. I decide its time Mark and Jamie have a go
behind the wheel to give me a rest so from here I leave all the
driving to them. I get the video camera out and film Mark and
Jamie as they climb up the track. It takes a fair while to ascend
to the top and we pass various cyclists and motorcyclist all the
way up. At times it seems busier than Picadilly Circus. At the top
of the track the terrain opens out into open moorland. Its a
lovely day and the sun is shining but time is marching on. This
lane runs for about 2.5 miles and at SJ162356 there is a fork
shown in the track. It is clear that nothing had driven down the
left fork for many years. We continued on for another half mile
before the we came upon a wooded section to our left. The track
now changes character and is deeply rutted with deep pools of
water. We have to be careful as there is no indication of how deep
the water is or how muddy the bottom is. Using the spade from the
back of the Discovery we test the waters depth as best we can. We
eventually emerge from the end of the lane at OS Ref: SJ157330 at
around 3 o'clock, turn left up the B4500 and head for home. The
journey home is relatively uneventful until we get near the bottom
of the M1. The traffic slows dramatically and its one long jam all
the way until we eventually exit the M25 at Potters Bar. Its 7
o'clock by the time we get back and it makes Jamie late for work.
As a direct result of this Jamie lost his job, what a perfect end!
Ah well 'till the next time.
Author Dick
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