ABR Issue 41 Route Files: Snowdonia Discovery Route
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:38 am
Located in the north-west of Wales and home to the country's highest mountain, Snowdon, Snowdonia is a land fraught with legends, myths and incredible scenery. From the stomping grounds of the legendary King Arthur and his knights to some of the UK's most beautiful valleys, the national park is full of intrigue.
Fortunately for us, dissecting the 823 square miles of Wales' first national park is a network of roads that transport over 3.6 million tourists a year across the mountainous terrain. With figures like this, you can expect the main thoroughfares to be heaving with traffic in peak times, but venture off the beaten track and you can find mile upon mile of deserted, lonely mountain roads which the majority of vistors don't know about, or don't care to drive down (their loss).
The 200-mile long route that we have plotted here takes us on a circuit of Snowdonia, starting and finishing on the enchanting shores of Lake Vyrnwy. Along the way we'll visit the ancient capital of Wales, Machynlleth (pronounced Mack-un-cleth), the legendary Beddgelert and, of course, the route takes you around Snowdon, providing you with stunning views of the imposing peak.
The route has been designed to be ridden in a single day, though there's no denying it'll be a long one, and to make the most of it you'll want to be at the start point early in the morning. There's a fantastic hotel right on the shores of Lake Vyrnway and the route's start/end point, called the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel & Spa, which makes for an excellent base when riding this route.
The route
The route is available to download below, so that you can stick it in your SatNav and be on your way. Simply right click on the attachment below called 'Snowdonia-route-files.gpx' and choose 'Save Line As'. Once you've saved it to your computer, load it into your SatNav as per the manufacturer's instructions and get riding!
Fortunately for us, dissecting the 823 square miles of Wales' first national park is a network of roads that transport over 3.6 million tourists a year across the mountainous terrain. With figures like this, you can expect the main thoroughfares to be heaving with traffic in peak times, but venture off the beaten track and you can find mile upon mile of deserted, lonely mountain roads which the majority of vistors don't know about, or don't care to drive down (their loss).
The 200-mile long route that we have plotted here takes us on a circuit of Snowdonia, starting and finishing on the enchanting shores of Lake Vyrnwy. Along the way we'll visit the ancient capital of Wales, Machynlleth (pronounced Mack-un-cleth), the legendary Beddgelert and, of course, the route takes you around Snowdon, providing you with stunning views of the imposing peak.
The route has been designed to be ridden in a single day, though there's no denying it'll be a long one, and to make the most of it you'll want to be at the start point early in the morning. There's a fantastic hotel right on the shores of Lake Vyrnway and the route's start/end point, called the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel & Spa, which makes for an excellent base when riding this route.
The route
The route is available to download below, so that you can stick it in your SatNav and be on your way. Simply right click on the attachment below called 'Snowdonia-route-files.gpx' and choose 'Save Line As'. Once you've saved it to your computer, load it into your SatNav as per the manufacturer's instructions and get riding!