Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 A hidden value to the club membership is that you get to knock around with people who have some good ideas. I had never heard of the Ponderosa Cafe or the EVO triangle but it kept popping up, both on the forum and in conversation. I am a nosy parker and it niggled me a bit that we might be missing something so today on our way to our holiday in Betws-Y-Coed we diverted and went to Ponderosa for lunch. Next up was the EVO triangle, we were doing well until we saw a sign for Lake Brenig Visitor Centre. 'Oooh there might be a cafe...with cake!!' There was and we did. So we must hold the record for taking the longest time to complete the triangle in a Westfield. Oh, and WOW, what views on the way round, the whole Snowdon mountain range, thank you members for the information. The Ponderosa Cafe at 1400ft, in the middle of the photo The Lake Brenig Visitor Centre cafe, also with cracking views...and cake 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_t Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 I was planning to head over there on bank holiday, but it was so wet that I didn't in the end. I've been wanting to for a while now and it's only a couple of hours from me. It's looks well worth it from those photos. I'll have to try to get a date in before Christmas comes around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onliest Smeg David Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 There's an excellent cafe Julie (can't remember name) (or was) in Betws-y-coed near the mini railway station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onliest Smeg David Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Also http://www.tyn-y-coed.co.uk For food (very good) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Have you tried Oggies Cawl or Bara brith yet ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onliest Smeg David Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Have you tried Oggies Cawl or Bara brith yet ? Pastie broth & bread with dead flies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHew Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 the views over the Moor tops are well worth taking your time to look at. As soon as we get a dry day I'll be heading back up there too. Glad you enjoyed it. If you want another good drive, perhaps on your way home, try the B4391 from Festiniog to Bala. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Ooo brenig lovely. I think but I'm not sure that the triangle includes the road from the A5 over Denbigh moor. Ver woth it. Also try the raid from (sorry I can only just say this place) cerrygudridguon to Ruthin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dolan - Wirral & North Wales AO Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Three cars from the Wirral and North Wales clan did the Evo triangle on Thursday. It was wet, which made it interesting and certainly held the attention. We also did the drovers trail from Bala to near Trawsfynydd. This road has 5 gates but once you are through them the road and the scenery are superb. Highlight of the day though was undoubtedly the hot chocolate muffin with vanilla ice cream in Barmouth. Drovers trail near Trawsfynydd. Graham with a small slice of Jeff's chocolate cake at the Gold Cup. Westies and cake seem to be recurring themes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 The Snowdon Horseshoe this morning. If anyone watches Countryfile one of the calendar pictures is of the Snowdon Horseshoe in snow, there is only one of mountains, the rest are animals. Can you believe it, we got up to rain in Betws-Y-Coed this morning, so we left the roof on for this journey. It was bright sunshine 3 miles up the road, and for the rest of the day. Thanks everyone for the suggestions, looks like we are of to Bala at some point this week! We are cycle dodging tomorrow, the Tour of Britain cycle event comes right past us at about 1pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Conwy Falls Cafe is also another handy stop in the Betws area, (just a mile or two outside), it's great for grabbing breakfast at after an early morning run on the Triangle, as its on your way from the Triangle to get a refill at the Shell garage before doing another circuit, then on round the Horseshoe pass and the Ponderosa. It's car friendly too, they have a few car clubs that use them. There's a few walks, including one to the falls of the cafe's name, that start from there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 I can't find the Drovers road on a map although I have identified the Ffestiniog to Bala road. Where do I turn off the A470 please? The Conwy falls cafe, yes very good, and I love the name of the place next door....The Fairy Glen...my Glen assures me he is no fairy. The driving part of our day today has been up the Nant Ffrancon valley, where we spent the day, then back down to the Llanberis Pass turning left before Caernarfon to come back into Beddgelert, stopped for tea, then back to Betws. The route basically circuits around the base of Mount Snowdon, and on Sunday tea time the roads are empty. I keep driving past the Tyn-Y-Coed, which looks very busy this weekend, may try it later in the week. Lake Ogwen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigHew Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I can't find the Drovers road on a map although I have identified the Ffestiniog to Bala road. Where do I turn off the A470 please? Heading south on A470 look out for Blaenau Ffestiniog, Make sure you take the left fork which sends you along the high street (see map below) Go through a couple of villages before you get to Ffestiniog. Watch out for the B4391 on the left. Use the next map to see the junction, the A470 bends around to the left then goes under a railway bridge, the B4391 is on the left a few seconds after the railway bridge as you get up to the highest point watch out for the very small carpark on the right, only about 2 miles out of Ffestiniog) it's worth stopping for a photo there....! Once you've gone over the tops, the B4391 eventually comes to the A4212, turn left towards Bala, down and around Llyn Celyn which itself is quite a nice drive into Bala. Enjoy.....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dolan - Wirral & North Wales AO Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 The Elan Valley, near Rhayader, is well worth a visit if you are going that far south. It is a series of 5 reservoirs and 6 dams, built in the 19th century to supply water to Birmingham. The roads and the scenery are superb, as is the visitor centre (cake!). There is a Red Kite sanctuary there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 We have spent the day in Nant Gwynant so we have come at this road from a different angle. Through Beddgelert, Nantmor to take the B4410 to Maentwrog, gosh I hope you can keep up with all these strange names. Up the A496 to the little car park, which was full of roadworks vans, but I took a picture anyway, here. We carried on along the B4391, onto the A4212 to Llyn Celyn, here, Then we were running out of light so we diverted up the B4501 to Cerrigydrudion and back to Betws-Y-Coed, so we sort of did it and just left a little bit to discover next time. Thanks for the information, the roads were lovely, smooth tarmac even, very novel. The views were great but we were too late for cake! Thanks a lot Julie P.S Rhayader, a bit far south for this holiday, but not ruled out for the future, thanks John. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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