# North Wales Cruise - 10th November



## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

Because of my commitments policing the Olympics in the summer I wasn't able to organise my usual cruise around North Wales but chances are we would have been washed out by the incessant rain anyway. Even though the days are shorter there is probably a better chance of good weather in the late autumn anyway. To that end (and because I've been mithered to do it!) I'm going to run the cruise early in November.

The date is set for Saturday 10th November (to fit in with my shifts, so little flexibility there). We will start as usual from the De Vere hotel at Queensferry. To make the most of the available daylight it will need to be an early start at 9.00 am. I'll put a route together to take in the most popular stretches of road from the previous outings, which will include the run down to Bala and from there towards Porthmadog, a climb over Llanberis Pass and the now famous _evo_ triangle. I'll think of somewhere for lunch and there has been a suggestion of a venue for dinner near to Llandudno, which is convenient to give people a choice of routes home; either the A5 or the A55.

All interested please shout up and I'll put you on the list. Keep an eye on this opening post as I'll update it as plans come together.

1) Mark Davies
2) forest
3) ImolaTT
4) corradoman
5) burns
6) John-H
7) Marco34
8) sutty
9) IWEM


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

Hi Mark, I would like to register my interest for this one. Can I let you know for definite closer to the date?
Iain


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## ImolaTT (Jul 5, 2009)

Hi put me down please


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## corradoman (Sep 11, 2010)

it would be very rude of me not to bother as i live in north wales so count me in please


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## TTMBTT (Jul 22, 2010)

Will keep this trip in mind, could possibly attend. Would have to set off very early
but still keen. Will let you know this w/end Mark.

Mark.


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## burns (Jun 2, 2009)

Put me on the list please! 8)

However, whilst you're including the most popular roads, could you also please omit that awful road up to Harlech?  I still have nightmares about that horrific experience! [smiley=bigcry.gif]


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## DDcrash (May 5, 2009)

The steep one?  Might be able to do this


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## V6RUL (May 28, 2009)

Might be able to make this run out.
Steve


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## TT4PJ (May 5, 2004)

Hiya,
Would like to try and make this before the toy gets tucked up in one of the TWO new garage's for the winter.  Thing is that it will only be a couple of weeks after we have moved into the new house.
Put me down as a hope to be able to make it, but depends on how many boxes we still have to empty.
Will confirm the first week of November if that's ok.


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## burns (Jun 2, 2009)

DDcrash said:


> The steep one?  Might be able to do this


Steep is an understatement! My knees had turned to jelly by the time I parked up at the top! [smiley=bigcry.gif]


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Mark Davies said:


> there has been a suggestion of a venue for dinner near to Llandudno, which is convenient to give people a choice of routes home; either the A5 or the A55.


Hi Mark,

here you go: the Wheatsheaf Inn in Betws-yn-Rhos for excellent food 8)

http://www.thewheatsheafinn.org.uk/home.html


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Sounds good to me


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## Marco34 (Apr 5, 2009)

I should be good for this one. My car needs a good airing.

Please put me on the list Mark.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

John-H said:


> Sounds good to me


Could you make do with a passenger? I promise not to rip the leather to shreads with my finger nails hanging on to the seats :wink: :roll:


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Mittens can be provided :wink:


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## Demessiah (Jan 27, 2009)

Sign me up.. 8)


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

John-H said:


> Mittens can be provided :wink:


Might be a good idea seeing that winter is approaching


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## Sutty (Dec 9, 2009)

Count me in too please.


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## corradoman (Sep 11, 2010)

A3DFU said:


> Mark Davies said:
> 
> 
> > there has been a suggestion of a venue for dinner near to Llandudno, which is convenient to give people a choice of routes home; either the A5 or the A55.
> ...


10 minutes up the road from where i live, have been here loads of times so can vouch for it


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

corradoman said:


> A3DFU said:
> 
> 
> > Mark Davies said:
> ...


I've been there a few times. Excellent isn't it


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Can't wait


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## IWEM (Jan 13, 2009)

Hi Mark

Please add me to the list, glad I can make this one

Best Regards

Ian 
IWEM


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## TT4PJ (May 5, 2004)

Hiya,
Cannot make this I am afraid. We moved house last Tuesday and I removed the awlfull bath with a door and a seat as well as all the tiles, plaster etc as you do the first week you are in a new house!!
Have the plasterer in on Monday so have to get all the wiring in as well as the plumbing sorted out over the weekend. 
I look forward to the pics and hope you all have a great day.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Still very much looking forward to it


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## coTTsie (Jan 30, 2007)

Have fun guys, do miss the drives out :? Gone all practical now (car wise anyway lol)


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

coTTsie said:


> Have fun guys, do miss the drives out :? Gone all practical now (car wise anyway lol)


Still remeber the brilliant Yorkshire weekend you've arranged donkey's years ago 

Don't be too practical :wink:


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## DDcrash (May 5, 2009)

Cant make this now. Hopefully I will be able to do a run next year.


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## Demessiah (Jan 27, 2009)

Going to have to pull out of this one. Its a shame as I was really looking forward to it. I hope you guys have a great day 8)


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## V6RUL (May 28, 2009)

Im going to have to duck as i have an apointment with a man at Audi on the Friday and then to drop the TT at Autograph on Saturday for a new mechatronic unit and thermostat to be fitted.
Steve


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

Though a little far ahead to be perfectly accurate the weather forecast for Saturday isn't looking too bad at all.

I've got a route plan sorted out, which will take in the roads we've enjoyed previously, and of course the Evo Triangle. Unfortunately I've not found the time to give it a dry run yet, and probably won't be able to before the weekend, so I can't give my usual guarantee that it will be free from roadworks - so we'll have to take it as we find it.

So the rough plan is start from Queensferry and head down through Mold and Ruthin to Bala and from there towards Porthmadog. We'll cut across to Beddgelert and over Snowdon to Llanberis where we will stop for lunch. We'll double back slightly to go through Capel Curing and onto the A5 to pick up the Evo Triangle for a bit of a play before heading North towards Abergele to take up Dani's suggestion for dinner at The Wheatsheaf Inn.

So, I could do with knowing how many fancy staying for dinner in the evening so I can book us in if necessary.

And finally, I've decided on a later start than first advertised. We'll be setting off from the De Vere Hotel at Queensferry for 0900 hrs.

http://www.devere.co.uk/locations/chester-village-st-davids.html

There's a Starbucks inside so if you don't find us standing around the cars in the car park we'll be in there instead, having breakfast.


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## Sutty (Dec 9, 2009)

Hiya
Im still going for the run but already have a Whisky & Pudding tasting event planned for the Saturday evening, so no meal for me I'm afraid. If that wasn't planned I would have definitely gone for a meal.
Cheers
Sutty


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

Sutty said:


> Whisky & Pudding tasting event


I wouldn't be missing that either - you're excused!


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

I'm still hoping to make this but have an event scheduled on Sat night, so will need to be back in midlands 6:30-7:00


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Certainly looking fw to it


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

As am I. Mark's events are some of the best planned events with some of the best roads - not to be missed


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## IWEM (Jan 13, 2009)

Hi Mark and all
We will be there but not staying for the dinner as we are early out on Sunday also

Look forward to seeing you 
Saturday

Ian & Mary


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Hi Mark,
two for dinner at the Wheatsheaf please


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## Marco34 (Apr 5, 2009)

I won't be stopping for Dinner I need to be back for the evening. Can someone please confirm this is the postcode of the De Vere. CH5 3YB


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

Yes - that's the postcode.


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## Marco34 (Apr 5, 2009)

Thanks.

Just found this online re the triangle.

Warnings / Tips

Mobile Speed Cameras (hidden in things like horse boxes, and workmen trucks). This has now become a very popular driving route so there could be quite a few car clubs driving this route on a weekend.

Very cheeky, horse boxes. :lol:


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

I spoke to someone who had been on it recently at a weekend and was a bit surprised at the number of exotic cars wizzing about


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## burns (Jun 2, 2009)

No dinner for me, thanks.

It was only a matter of time before the route became a hotspot for cameras; I think we were lucky last time we went there.


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## ImolaTT (Jul 5, 2009)

No dinner for me either 
Thanks.


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

No dinner for me thanks


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## corradoman (Sep 11, 2010)

going to have to give this a miss now, gutted as work comitments make it impossible :x local run for me too!! Enjoy youselves everyone


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

Sorry to be missing you.

Weather forecast is looking reasonable - cloudy probably but dry at least. Room enough for anyone else who wants to join in, so feel free to just turn up if you want. Setting off from the De Vere Hotel at St David's Park near Queensferry at 9.00 am.


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

Looking forward to it, just checking the route to see where the best place to bail out will be. What time are you expecting to arrive at Abergele?


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

That depends on how much time we spend playing on the Triangle. I've left that to the end so people who need to be away earlier can do so without missing out on much of the route. We will certainly have been around that at least once before 4 pm and Abergele isn't more than 30 minutes away from there if you take a direct route.

You may find it better to head down the A5 from the Triangle to get you home.


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

OK, cheers Mark


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

Thanks very much for organising Mark, great to meet everyone today, some great driving roads plus another track to mark as "blocked, not for TT's" :wink:

I'll try and sort some pics out tomorrow, or Monday.

Really enjoyed the company and banter


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## Marco34 (Apr 5, 2009)

As Ian said, a great day and some excellent driving roads. Won't miss this one again. Thanks Mark for organising.

Nice to meet you Ian - thanks again for the drink.

I'm sure Mark took that wrong turning as to find the muddiest roads. My car looks very filthy now.  My wife has already said she won't see me tomorrow. :lol:

Thanks to all for making it a good day.

Mark.


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Fantastic day Mark, thanks for all your hard work organising - will post some pictures later


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## Luvs my Cupra (Aug 26, 2009)

Thoroughly enjoyed the day including the slight detour, I just kept praying that a tractor wouldn't be travelling in the opposite direction. :lol: Good catching up with folk [smiley=gossip.gif] 
The bawdy jokes in the hotel where we had lunch still makes me chuckle.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Just got home after a short stop at the Goshawk, Mouldsworth.

What a super day Mark!! Thank you very much for organising not only the cruise but the waether too ----> certainly up to lunch at the hotel.

It was good to catch up with everyone again and I'm looking fw to all those pictures on here


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## burns (Jun 2, 2009)

Cheers for today, Mark.

It was ace to meet you, Ian, and thanks for the drink and some good banter.

The TT is now matt black, with all the road grime covering it. Best get buftying tomorrow.


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

About 250 miles done yesterday, so plenty to show for that needing cleaning off the car.

Thanks to all who came along and made the day what it was. And thanks Ian for the suggestion of the alternative route home - not a road I've used before but an excellent choice. It will certainly feature in future trips - especially as it connects directly with the Evo triangle.

I'll be doing another one in the summer.


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## ImolaTT (Jul 5, 2009)

Glad you all had a good day really sorry to have missed it.
Sorry for letting you down at the last minute Mark but couldnt be helped.
See you all soon Andrea


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## corradoman (Sep 11, 2010)

Sounds like good fun, shame i missed it  maybe next run


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## Marco34 (Apr 5, 2009)

That road was good on the way home, pitty I got stuck behind a car! My camera memory card was playing up so I didn't take any pics. Can't wait to see them, some good cameras knocking about yesterday.

Car washed today. Never had so much filth in one day! Spent more time in the arches.

Can't wait for another of these next Summer!!


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

Andrea, really sorry you couldn't make it too but no need to apologise - not in the circumstances. Hope everything works out well.


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## Sutty (Dec 9, 2009)

Brilliant day Mark. Thanks very much for organising.
Thanks to all the other attendees too as the banter made the day even better.
I had to depart early as you know, and the drive home was uneventful.
Really enjoyed it. Superb.
Curious about the other road home though? Which one was it?
Till the next one troops.
Sutty


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

Here we go, a few of the pics from yesterday

First one in the lay-by at Ruthin










Next stop in Bala


























The stop over in Beddgelert










and onto LLanberis


















Some Dirty Back Ends :wink:










We saw this parked up walking to the Pub for lunch, if only they knew they missed a great day out!










and the obligatory table shot (complete with a cock-or-too :lol: )










Thanks again everyone for a grand day out, I covered just over 300 miles in total, most enjoyable to say the least.

Iain


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

Sutty said:


> Curious about the other road home though? Which one was it?


We took the B5105 from the southeast corner of the Evo Triangle back up to Ruthin. Really nice bit of road.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Great pictures Ian. How did you manage to make it look sunny at the lunch stop in Llanberis :roll:


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## forest (Mar 17, 2009)

A3DFU said:


> Great pictures Ian. How did you manage to make it look sunny at the lunch stop in Llanberis :roll:


I'd like to say I waited for the right moment Dani  , but I can't even remember the sun making an appearance there, so must have been pure fluke :wink:


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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