Day 2 - Llanberis to Chester

Map of the day's 109km ride with two category 3 climbs!

After such a nice day yesterday, today was always going to be a disappointment. But we did not expect the biblical rainstorm that drenched us to the bone just as we started the days cycling.

We had set off, after a late start, at about 11, stopping for a pastry-filled breakfast in Llanberis at the bottom of the hill. After waiting for another shower to subside, we started off to the south east towards Pen-Y-Pas, a 300m col. Only a few minutes later though, the heavens opened again. The entire road surface was covered in an inch of water, itself being bombarded by millions of huge rain drops, almost deafening the sound of distant thunder. The barren gullies in the steep mountains on either side gushed with raging water. In some places these streams of water collided with the wall at the roadside, cascading onto the slope and turning into half-river, half-road. Such an awesome sight almost made up for such a thorough soaking.

Escaping the rain...

After gratefully finding a bus stop for shelter, we waited out the rest of the downpour to ease off and continued slowly (or, for the welsh speakers among you, 'araf-ly') up the hill. We then descended through a cloud-filled valley and almost 5km of lush forest into Betws-y-Coed.

Cyclists more than anyone (except frequent Little Chef visitors) know that what goes down must come back up. We rose up from 'Betsy' for almost 20km through rolling moorland before, joy of joys, another long and pedal-free downhill. By this stage we had left the rainclouds behind us and were racing into glorious sunshine. This helped to dry us out no end, but rain penetrates deeper than rays, and by the time we found a campsite just south of Chester, we found most of the stuff in both panniers was soaked.

At the campsite we set the tent out, strung up a washing line to dry the wet gear and started on another pasta dinner. In search of something to wash down another bland meal, and somewhere to watch the Germany-Italy game, we headed to another village pub. In contrast to the night before this place was a posh affair, with wooden beams, pretentious artwork and expensive pints (This is England, after all!). And after a day of cycling, a good pint seems to go straight to your head, I can tell you.

Calorie-filled dinner at the campsite

All in all, it was an epic days cycle. Despite the hills (a full 1400m of uphill) we managed 105km in about 6 hours. With breaks discounted thats an average of 19kph - not bad for the first true day of cycling. If we keep this up, we will be in sight of Scafell Pike by Saturday! Tomorrow should be a much flatter day as we head up beyond Liverpool to just south of Preston.

Stats:
Distance: 109km
Total Distance: 129km