The 2024 GG ridesGlan Gwna audax

Chester and North Wales Summer Audaxes 2024

June 2024 Glan Gwna Rides

This is the first time these rides had been run so let me introduce you to the routes.

Glan Gwna is a holiday parc, a couple of miles outside of the World heritage site of Caernarfon which I have been visiting since the 1970’s situated in a valley along side of the Afon Seiont. We met and started from the Route 66 cafe there run by Bill Armstrong for many years who opened early to provide riders with a brew. It also has a clubhouse with bar and restaurant open until riders returned in the evening. So ideal for an Audax control.

I offered two versions of the event to get a wider entry base.

Firstly a 200km ride: Initially heading South West to the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula along its northern coast before turning East at Aberdaron following the southern coast of this beautiful peninsula to Llan Ffestiniog, where the ride climbs to 480 metres over the Mignient, a upland moorland area passing the Ffynon Eidda at the top of the climb and past source of the Afon Conwy.
This is followed by a long descent to Betws y Coed and following the river to Conwy.

From Conwy an almost 25 mile ride along the coast back to the start proved the toughest part of the ride this year due to a strong headwind and driving rain which had developed. It is relatively flat but the shortest way uses the Sychnant pass (158 metres) to Penmaenmawr as it the shorter route this is what is on the route sheet but being an audax one can choose the coastal route.

Summary: 210km with 2700m of ascent in figures with the one long climb and many shorter one.

We had 15 entries but only 9 riders started The fastest time was Ben Cox from Wrexham Road Club in 11:40 the grupetto came in 2 hours later - a long day in tough conditions. Well done all of you.