Friday

It’s 8th February and it’s 5 o’clock in the morning, time to get up and go. After all the frantic organising over the last few weeks it’s finally time to set off again for mid Wales. I had arranged to meet the 110 at Sainsbury’s Savacenter on the M25 at junction 22 at 5:30 a.m., guess I’m late already! After a quick shower and a few hurried goodbyes it’s off like a bat out of hell in the Rangie. Our party consists of 3 vehicles a 1976 Series III SWB diesel, a 1984 110 3.5V8 Station wagon and 1982 3.5V8 Range Rover and 7 people.

The plan was for Mark and Phil in the Series to set off at lunchtime on Thursday to arrive sometime during the evening at Welshpool. Dave, Tony and I in the Rangie (“the beast”) and the 110 (Uriah) travelling up early Friday to arrive about 10 am. Chris is coming on Friday straight from work in Peterborough, expecting to arrive about 10pm and Bruce is setting out from Norwich in the early hours of Saturday morning (following a Jethro concert on Friday) to arrive at 8am Saturday morning. I eventually arrive at Sainsbury’s at 6:15 a.m. to find Dave and Tony already waiting, by the time I’ve filled up it’s 6:30 before we turn onto the M25. Dave and I agreed that the Uriah will lead the way with “the beast” following up behind. We make good time and are soon passing through Birmingham on the M6, although the traffic is heavy it keeps moving.

By just after 8 o’clock we are on the M54 heading for Shrewsbury, where we stop for petrol and breakfast at the Little Chef on the Shrewsbury bypass. By 9:15 we are back on the road arriving in Welshpool town centre by 9:45. We had already had instructions from Phil, by telephone, to call just before we arrive, so he can video us coming up the drive. He and Mark had arrived the night before after an uneventful drive up in the series.

We had arranged a variety of accommodation, us old boys staying in B & B at the farmhouse and the lads in a self-catering cottage. The farmhouse is a lovely 16th century building standing in it’s own grounds far from the road. It’s a working farm livestock farm run by Graham & Sue Jones along with their 2 sons Alistair & Nick. We arrive on the dot at 10:00 a.m. we couldn’t have timed it better.

After a brief hello, we dump our stuff in our rooms and set about changing the wheel sets on the motors. It doesn’t take long once we find the power switch for the compressor. Graham kindly lets us use the barn and his facilities to prepare the motors (it’s so much easier when you’ve got a good trolley jack and an air gun). In no time at all we are ready to roll, to assist us in keeping together Phil acquired a pair of hand held CB radios.

We are travelling in convoy me and Tony in front in “the beast”, Dave in the middle with Uriah the 110 and Mark and Phil in the series following up the rear. We are soon heading up the A490 towards Llanfyllin with Tony navigating me driving. 20 minutes later a sudden cry of “we should have turned right there” as we pass the B4393 causes me to jam on the brakes and swerve into the kerb. The 110 slams to halt behind us, the series (unable stop) swerves round us both, coming to rest up the front. The CB crackles in to life “Bloater1 to Bloater2 can you give us some warning next time we ain’t got disc brakes you know”.

After turning the motors round we regroup on the other side of the road before continuing. We turn off the A490 onto the B4393 to Llanfechain then on to Bwlchyddar up a small single-track road. From Bwlchyddar we continue up a steep single-track road to Llangedwyn. We proceed on through Llangedwyn up a tiny tarmac road until the next crossroads. Here we turn right to find the first lane of the day.

We drive up a small single-track tarmac road, before entering some woods (time to engage diff-lock and low box). The road rises up into the woods, at the first fork our intended route is blocked by 2 belligerent looking men standing by a Japanese 4×4 parked smack in the middle of the track. Rather than start the day with an argument we take the right fork and climb up into the woods along a muddy track. There is a steep drop to the right and we seem perilously close to the edge but we continue up through the woods emerging onto a track which brings us back out on the tarmac after about half a mile. It’s been raining gently for about the last hour but now it begins to clear. About another half a mile up the road we are ready to enter the next lane, but it’s blocked by a 109 Land Rover and a Citroen BX.

These 2 were here last time in November, so I decided to knock at the house and ask if they could move one of the cars to let us in the lane. I was invited in and after a quick chat in the kitchen with the owner, we agreed to pull the Citroen out of the way as it was non-runner.

This lane had recently been cleared but it was very narrow the noise of branches battering the sides of the cars was deafening. Within a quarter of a mile Phil’s series had it’s roof rack firmly wedged in an over hanging tree. It took about 20 minutes to extricate the series by liberal use of the bow saw. Unfortunately not without breaking one of the spots (my fault, sorry again Phil). The track was fairly good going but after about a mile we passed a spot in where the car leaned sharply to the right and I said to Tony (the navigator) I bet the series gets stuck here. A few minutes later the CB bursts into life “Bloater1 to Bloater2, we’ve just got stuck again”, oh well, time for the saw again. Sure enough there was the series firmly embedded in its second tree of the day. After a further 20 minutes sawing the series was free again and we re-grouped at the bottom of the lane.

The exit from the lane is cunningly disguised as a fence lucky we were going out and not trying to find the way in. We continue on down the road for about another half a mile until the green lane starts again and then we find ourselves climbing up a narrow muddy track. Every so often we have to stop to remove various branches that have fallen onto the lane. The lane runs for about half to three quarters of a mile before climbing out on to the road.

We set off for the next lane, which is about 2 miles away. This lane is entered via a gate, the rain is now falling steadily again we proceed down the lane which although firm has much laying water. As Uriah charges through a puddle it suddenly grinds to halt. Oh no! Water in the electrics, stopped by 3″ of water, out with the WD40.

We proceed on down the lane crossing a small stream then lane begins to climb up the other side. About a quarter of a mile further on we come to the spot where I got stuck for 4 hours last November. The large hole where I got stuck has now filled with soft slimy silt. Don’t step there Mark it’s very deep, oops! Too late, pull him out, now his trainers.

We decide to try and slowly creep “the beast” round the side by putting 2 wheels up the bank. We are working on the basis that if “the beast” can get through then the series and Uriah shouldn’t have problem. It takes all of 20 seconds for “the beast” to slide unceremoniously into the mire. Attempts to back “the beast” up only result in it skewing across the lane becoming firmly wedged up against a tree stump.

We try to Hi-lift “the beast” up and push it over but we can’t get it high enough. Ok bring up Uriah and let’s pull it out. Next we try levelling the bank to prevent the side slip, but after 2 attempts and 2 recoveries we decide to quit before damaging the lane any further.

Unfortunately there’s no room to turn around so it’s reverse down the lane and up the other side until we can find a spot wide enough to turn. In the case of Uriah it is all the way back to the road (still at least in reverse it doesn’t get stuck in a puddle).

From here we decide drive round the Mynydd Mawr and pick up the next lane called “Cefn Hir Fynydd”. We stop about half a mile from the start of the lane by a small stream to wash our hands and feet. Cefn Hir Fynydd is a lane that runs up over the crest of a mountain for 3 – 4 miles giving stupendous views over the surrounding countryside.

We end up at about 2:30 P.M. in Tregeiriog, from here we turn down the B4500 to Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog. At llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog we turn right after crossing over the river and continue down a pleasant wooded valley until we get to next lane. This lane is a rocky mountain track that runs for about 4.5 – 5 miles ending up just outside Llandrillo, by now it is raining heavily again. Halfway down the lane is a monument to a local explorer and we stop here to sign the visitors’ book.

From Llandrillo we drive down the B4401 to lake Bala. We arrive in Bala around 5:30 P.M. it’s been a long day. After a break for some fish and chips other food purchased from the Spar grocer we set off for Welshpool at about 6:00 P.M.. We decide to take the main road to Dolgellau and from there to Welshpool on the A458 on the assumption it will be quicker. Big mistake!

We arrive back at the farm about 8:30 having driven through pouring rain and endless road works. We spend about 20 minutes reviewing the day’s activities on the video in the cottage before Chris arrives. We all decide to move over to the lounge in the main farmhouse where the bar is located. I have a nice hot bath and we sit talking until the early hours before turning into our beds completely exhausted.

Saturday

This morning we are all up and down for breakfast by 8:45. Breakfast is a choice of serials and fruit juices, followed by a full English with plenty of toast and as much tea and coffee as we can drink.

After breakfast, as Bruce is not due to arrive from Norwich ‘till about 10:00, we set about fixing some of the problems from yesterday. The series gets its sun visor removed to improve visibility. Uriah gets a plastic bag wrapped around the ignition module and secured with a cable tie. “The beast” gets its front nearside sidelights refitted and the front wing “adjusted”. The repeater flasher on the offside is also fixed back onto the wing.

By now it’s 10 o’clock and still no sign of Bruce, he’d already ‘phoned to say he was on the M54 but that was over an hour ago. After much muttering, a visit to the stables and general milling around in the farmyard he eventually arrives at around 11 o’clock. By the time he has booked in and changed etc it’s 11:30 before we set off, the group is now pretty restless.

Today we head back through Welshpool and up the A483 towards Oswestry there’s a light constant drizzle. A few miles before we turn off the main road head north west making our way across country using the network of small yellow roads. We eventually arrive at Rhydycroeasau and thence to Llawnt where we pick up the first lane of the day.

We are in the familiar formation of “the beast”, followed by Uriah, with the series playing “tail end Charlie”. Chris is driving “the beast” and it’s his first time off-road, all goes well at first, although going is firm it is very slippery. Chris is just remarking how easy it all is, when a loss of concentration causes the rear to try and overtake the front. Whoa boy! Now we proceed with a little more caution. Everything goes fine until we get to the next major intersection where we turn right. Another loss of concentration and we nearly do a 180. We get stuck for about 5 minutes while we sort out “the beast”.

These lanes are fairly open and wind through a mixture small wooded sections, open hill tops and mountain tracks. We loop round in a sweeping arc for about an hour and half ending up on the windswept mountainside of Foel Wylfa. From here we take a sharp right fork and descend down a narrow steep track almost pegged onto the side of the mountain. At the bottom there is a locked gate with a large tractor parked hard against it. Three or four dogs run out of the yard barking and creating a great commotion. The farmer’s wife appears and starts hurling abuse at us, wanting to know what we are doing.

I’m reasonably confident that this is the right of way marked on our map (it checks out on the GPS) but I really don’t want to get into an argument. I feign ignorance and explain that we are lost and point out that it really is too difficult to back up the track 3 in a line. I point out that there is nowhere to turn so the farmer grudgingly moves his tractor and we pass through the yard thanking the woman profusely.

After this we descend a steep metalled road to the main highway where we turn east. We curve round and come back onto the same network of green lanes around the other side of the mountain. We are soon off the tarmac heading due north eventually coming to the crossroads we were at some hour and a half before. This time we turn left and make our way through the wooded areas shown on the Land Ranger map but much if has been felled so it is fairly open. As we progress across the open mountain top the tracks get deeper, cut by the logging lorries presumably hauling timber.

It is still raining hard and there is a bitter wind biting across the track. The lead Range Rover eventually grinds to halt with the axle bottomed out on the centre of the track. We attempt to Hi-lift it out but to no avail, the track is too muddy and the base just keeps slipping away. So we back the other 2 motors up about a quarter of a mile and bring Uriah up to the side to try and pull “the beast” through. It’s too slippery and we can’t get any traction if we’re not careful we will end up with them both bogged down. As a last resort we snatch “the beast” backwards and at last it is free.

We bring all the vehicles through by running adjacent to the track and once through this section we rejoin the main track where the going is good. We soon arrive back at the top of the steep track that led down to the farm we were at earlier. This time we ignore the track to the farm and continue on down the mountain by another route, this brings us back to the opposite end of “Cefn Hir Fynydd” which we drove yesterday.

We drive up this lane in the opposite direction over the part we had not driven before. When we arrive at the crossroads where we finished yesterday we turn down the same lane as yesterday to finish up in the village of Tregeiriog again. From here we proceed to Haford Adams to find the last lane of the day.

This lane is a steep mountain track surfaced with small granite chips. On the map it is shown as a relatively straight line climbing up tightly packed contour lines. About half a mile up the track does a hairpin bend and continues on up in the opposite direction. Straight ahead is a five bar gate with a rough track continuing in direction shown on the map. The track doesn’t look well used but appears to be the correct direction, doubt creeps in which way should we go? Out with the GPS to check exactly where we are then another consultation with the map. We decide to go on thru’ the five bar gate, the track climbs straight on up to the top.

We are now travelling along a grassy track on an exposed hilltop, darkness is beginning to descend and the rain is now persistent. After about a mile we come to collection of very large boulders placed across the track in front of some gates. These have obviously been placed here to prevent access but since been moved. There is just sufficient space to squeeze between them and the gatepost so on we go.

From here we descend a narrow track alongside a fast flowing stream, water is pouring down the track in a torrent and at times we lean alarmingly over but no problems for the Land rovers. Eventually we descend on to some tiny single track metalled roads into Tyn-y-celyn. From here we run down some small metalled roads until eventually joining a main road at Glyn Ceiriog.

By now it is very dark but the rain has eased off, time for home. It takes about an hour to get back to the farmhouse and the warm comfortable lounge. After a nice hot bath and a cup of coffee it’s time to decide where to eat. After a quick conference and a consultation with Sue we decide to try the village pub. Tony elects to go tea-total for the evening and we all pile into Uriah for the short drive to the village. We arrive around 8 p.m. to find both pubs are fully booked until at least 9:30. So after another quick discussion it’s off to Welshpool.

We arrive to find opinion split with some wanting to eat out and others wanting a take away. We eventually agree on an Indian take away which takes at least 30 minutes due to the size of the orders. We return to the farm and use the self-catering cottage to eat. By 9 o’clock we are all fed and watered and we have watched the video footage taken that day. The old boys now depart to the lounge to rabbit and make use of the bar until the early hours leaving the lads to watch a film on TV. Sitting back in the lounge, drink in hand, chatting in front of the fire is a perfect end to the day.

Sunday

We are all up at about 7:30 this morning, time to prepare for the last day. Down for breakfast by 8:00, would we like the full English breakfast? asks Alistair. You bet! After the obligatory bowl of serial and a glass orange juice we all tuck in to the bacon eggs. After copious cups of coffee and tea and lashings of toast and marmalade, honour is satisfied and we can truly live up to our call signs of “Bloater1 and Bloater2”.

We pack our bags and empty our rooms, so that Sue can get on with preparing for the next guests. We settle the bill and deposit our bags etc. in the lounge to be collected later, after we have completed the day’s off-roading. Sue and Graham always allow us to do this and it makes life so much easier.

Just as we are about to leave Sue says “I don’t suppose you would like to do us a favour”? Depends what it is. “Well there is a lane which runs up the back of the property which is very overgrown. The council keeps promising to clear it but nothing happens. We want to bring the horses down it but we can’t because it is too overgrown. I don’t suppose you could all run up it in your Land rovers to clear a way. The first part of the track is not too bad and then you will get to a place where there is a tree stump in the middle of the track, you might get stuck there but I think it should be ok”. No problem, we decide to give it a bash.

We set off in convoy at around 9:30 with Uriah (the 110) in front, the series in the middle and “the beast” following up the rear. Uriah is in the lead on the assumption that it is the largest and would make the biggest hole in the brush. The first part of the lane (the easy bit) is very overgrown forcing the mirrors flat against the bodywork. After a few hundred yards we are brought to a halt by a large over hanging tree. The only way passed is to dig out the lane on the opposite side to level the track. This gets the motors to lean away from the obstruction. The lane is so tight we can’t get the doors open to get out, but after bit of manoeuvring and a lot of effort we all get out except Dave, who sits steadfastly in “the beast” waiting for events to happen.

It takes about half an hour with everybody digging furiously before we can continue and Uriah still manages to whack its roof, leaving a sizeable dent. After about a quarter of a mile we come to the tree stump. The tree stump is a good 18″ to 2 feet across and it is smack in the centre of the track. I would say it was at least 30 years or more in the growing, so this lane was not driven for a long time before it was cut down and it doesn’t appear to have been driven much since. The lane is so narrow from this point on we decide to walk it to see if it’s possible to drive the rest of the way, although it won’t be easy to go back either.

The lane is narrow with steep banks either side with trees and bushes growing out of the sides. It takes about 15 minutes for Uriah to get over the stump. It is only achieved by filling in the ruts either side of the stump with pieces of rotten wood from the felled tree. Uriah only gets about 100 yards up the track before slithering to a halt in mud and leaves on a sharp bend. The series follows up behind Uriah it manages to negotiate the stump at the 4th attempt. Next comes “the beast” which takes a run up the now well trodden track and gets through in one.

We now attempt to push further up the lane, this involves charging up the lane until we stop, then backing down and trying again. Each attempt gets a few more feet until Uriah eventually gets going again in earnest. A few hundred yards further up the lane we are forced to stop by a another tree stump sticking out of the side. The lane is too narrow to get round and the stump projects about 6inches across the windscreen.

After a lot more scrambling and shunting the series and Range Rover join Uriah. Now its out with the Axe, bow saw and sledge hammer. The less experienced members of the team are of the opinion that they can batter the stump into submission with the sledgehammer, some hope! After a great deal of sweat and cursing we resort to the felling axe but even progress with this is slow. After about another 20 minutes the offending stump is passable and we continue on. We eventually emerge at the top of the lane about 1:30 in the afternoon and we have only travelled about three quarters of a mile since leaving the farm!

As it now much later than originally planned we decide to skip some of the other lanes and make directly for what was to be the last lane of the day. This lane lies to the north of Oswestry and is aptly named “Heart Break Hill” it is shown as an almost straight line going up a hill side with very tightly packed contour lines. The idea is to take “the beast” up in order check its stalling characteristics now that it has been converted from auto to manual. Previously the car always stalled on steep inclines and there was a debate as to whether it was the petrol running out of the 4 barrel Holly or whether it was the torque converter.

We set off for Oswestry on the A483, we pass through Oswestry and head for Rhydycroesau on the B4580. Just before Rhydycroesau we strike off north down a small metalled road to Carreg-y-big where head west through some woods until we come to a farm at Llechrydau. Here we join the green lane that runs north to Dolywern.

Everything is going fine until the series unceremoniously dumps its rear silencer on the lane. It’s sleeting quite hard and the underside is dripping wet but under Mark goes with a length of bailing wire. As he crawls about underneath the series the sheep obviously think its feeding time and before you know where you are, we are surrounded by bleating sheep. After the usual round of predictable jokes we are off again, boy does that series sound throaty for 2.25 diesel.

Eventually we arrive in Dolywern but we can’t find the start of the lane, in fact the roads seem to bear no resemblance to what’s on the map. After half an hour of meandering around we eventually decide to stop and ask a local who is just loading his sheep dogs into the back of his Landie. Yes he does know Heart break hill but he’s not sure you will get a Land rover down it. He remembered 30 years ago taking a bike down it but he was sure it’s not been driven by a car, for a very long time.

It takes about 15 minutes to arrive at the top of Heart Break Hill it’s not quite what we expect. There are no tyre tracks running down the lane and it is steep, wet and boggy. We had assumed it was a rocky track, no such luck. It is still gently raining and the going is very slippery. I elect to go down first in Uriah with Chris and Bruce, Phil is to video the first 200 yards of our descent from the top. The plan is to take Uriah, which has the most aggressive tyres, all the way to the bottom to check that it is not too dangerous for the others. I tell them I will radio up if it is safe to follow.

All goes well for the first few yards, but the further we go down the steeper it gets. I stay in 1st gear low box, diff lock engaged and go as slow as I can. The trees close in and the track gets even narrower and steeper, I attempt to slowly stop as I’m not sure what lays ahead as the track curves and appears to descend even steeper. By now I am very nervous as I can feel it is very slippery. The car eventually comes to a sort of stop (well the wheels are not going round) but we are still moving slowly down hill. I let the brakes off just enough that the wheels begin to turn (at least I can steer now). The track gets very narrow with a deep gully on one side that causes Uriah to lean sharply towards a thin hedge line, on the other side of the hedge is a steep drop. The only way down is to ride with 2 wheels right on the very edge and hope we don’t slip over.

As we descend the slope the trees become thicker, at least the ground is drier here. I take the opportunity stop at a place where the track levels very slightly. The handbrake is full on and barely holds the car. We all get out to check the remaining descent on foot, it is so steep we can barely walk down it. By now I have more or less decided that there is little chance of the series coming down as it has virtually road tyres and there’s no way I’d chance it down here. Almost at the bottom of the track there are 2 trees growing diagonally across the path both require us to drive perilously close to the edge to avoid them. We decide the prudent course is to cut them back with the bow saw before we attempt to squeeze passed.

As soon as we start to saw a great commotion starts at the bottom of the hill with a woman screaming and shouting at us to stop as we have no right cut the tree down. We try to explain that we are only cutting it back sufficient enable us to pass, but she’s not having any of it. She calls for her husband to get his shotgun and continues to hurl abuse at us. We complete the pruning back of the first tree and I decide that we will have to attempt the rest of the descent as it is.

At the bottom of the hill at the point where the lane joins the metalled road the track is barely two and a half feet wide it comes out at a sharp angle. This means the only way down is to drop the front hand right wheel down a bank some 2 – 3 feet high and hope the car doesn’t roll. Chris and Bruce decide they will not climb back up to the motor but elect to walk to the bottom and wait in the road. All this time the woman is still screaming and shouting, time to beat a hasty retreat. I leg it back up to Uriah fire the old girl up and come down as fast as I dare. As I drop into the road with a sort of corkscrewing action it’s like something out of a comedy sketch, with Bruce and Chris scattering out of the way, but as soon as Uriah comes to a halt they leap in and we are off. We radio up to the others and advise them not to come down.

Unfortunately they had not waited right up the top, as agreed and so they had to reverse back up the track about 100 yards before they could get back to the road. Because it was slippery and steep this takes a while and we eventually meet up some 15 minutes later by the pub.

By now it’s gone 2 O’clock so we decide to call it a day, the ascent of Heart Break Hill will have to wait for another and probably drier day. We make our way from here to Oswestry where stop in a garage to fill up and pressure wash Uriah and “the beast”. Phil is quite affronted at the suggestion that he should wash the series (he likes to wear the mud as some sort of badge of honour). Phil and Mark have brought their gear with them and do not have to change tyres so they decide go straight home without going back to the farm.

We all set off around 4 o’clock from Oswestry and when we reach the outskirts Phil and Mark set off on the A5 main road to Shrewsbury, while we go back to Welshpool on the A483. By the time we arrive back at the farm the light is beginning to fade so we quickly collect our gear, Bruce and Chris immediately set of for home, leaving Dave Tony and I to set about changing the wheel sets.

Once we have changed the wheels and packed the cars its time to clean up. Fortunately Nick allows us to go round to the equestrian centre at the back and use that facilities there. We change into some clean dry clothes, clean up and use the toilet. About half past 6 we get a call from Phil and Mark they’ve already arrived home! We are ready to leave by about 7 o’clock so we say our goodbyes and set off for Shrewsbury.

We stop at the Little Chef on the Shrewsbury bypass for something to eat and we are back on the road around 8 o’clock. The return journey is relatively uneventful apart from heavy traffic as we join the M6. Tony travels back with me in “the beast”, which gives us a chance for a good old-fashioned chin wag before we get home. I arrive home about 11 o’clock after unloading the car I drop into bed around midnight completely exhausted but satisfied. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we can plan another trip.

Click here to see the Gallery of Photos.

For those people wishing to plan a trip of their own I would suggest you research your intended routes before you depart. I can recommend the farmhouse where we stayed it was a great place to stay and is ideally situated to explore mid Wales. The atmosphere is informal and friendly, if you ask nicely Graham will allow you to use his facilities (jack, airline etc.) to prepare your cars before you set out. When you return at the end of the day you can relax in the lounge until the early hours making good use of the bar. The contact details are as follows:

Lower Trelydan, Guilsfield, WELSHPOOL, SY21 9PH
Tel: 01938 553105 Fax: 01938 553105
Email: stay@lowertrelydan.com

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