CLUB 10th BIRTHDAY ELAN VALLEY AND MID
WALES RUN - SUNDAY 1st MAY 2005
The trip over to Wales on the day before the
run can only be described as wet although it did brighten up a bit in the
afternoon on arrival in Machynlleth.
The following morning Andy met us at our hotel and we followed him over to
Newtown for the start of the run in brilliant Welsh sunshine which stayed with
us for the rest of the day. The start was at the Safeway supermarket now being
re-badged as Morrisons, and we wondered if this would cause any confusion but
everyone found it and we were able to depart a little earlier than scheduled
leaving us more time at the Elan Valley visitor centre.
We left Newtown on our way to the visitor centre and soon left the main road
to proceed on windy uncrowded Welsh roads arriving there at 11-30am to be joined
by Rhon in her MK2 model as well as her husband bringing along their MK1. It is
also worth mentioning that we also had a WRX Impreza amongst the ten MR2s.
A pleasant half hour was spent wandering around the centre and chatting to
the other members before setting off around the reservoirs and joining the
narrow mountain road. It was a pleasant surprise to find the road well surfaced
and almost devoid of other traffic despite it being a Bank Holiday Monday. This
allowed us to travel at a fairly brisk pace arriving at the mountain village pub
in Ffair Rhos for lunch just before 1pm to be welcomed at the door by the
landlady Jackie Knoles.
After an excellent leisurely lunch we left at 2-30pm for Devil’s Bridge along
further minor roads and then joining another mountain road to take us past the
Nant-y-Moch reservoir and then to our delight we passed the Austin 7 club with
their fabulous pre war cars heading in the other direction.
It was then onto Machynlleth and up to Corris and Andy’s village at
Aberllefenni for a cup of tea at the slate works opposite his house at the end
of the run. An excellent day out in the pleasant Welsh scenery in the glorious
sunshine left us all wondering what else could we wish for and after further
chatting we left at about 6pm. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and none of
us departed at the earlier optional finish points.
KEN SALMON
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