The next trip was 12 days long from Porthmadog to Swansea. Instead of taking the car we rode 9 miles to Wilmslow where we caught a train for Shrewsbury late morning and then another to Porthmadog- 5 hours in all but it seemed the best way to do it. It was only 14 miles of mostly cycleway to find the B and B this first day.Goats peered in through our bedroom window. The only place open for food was a Bangladeshi restaurant called The Lemon Tree- delicious korma but even the English food was spicy. Sundays in Wales can be difficult.

The next day the ride through to Barmouth via Harlech was on the main road but quiet. At the Toll Road(free to us) there were many sheep on the beach wallowing in the warm sand. We cycled on the causeway to Shell Island that was one well- spaced camp site with lovely views out to sea. If you get caught by the tide here it's a 6 hour wait but apparently this only happens once every 2 weeks.
We lunched at Llanaber and sat watching a gently rolling sea looking across to The Llyn peninsula hoping for the glimpse of a dolphin.
After a total of 32 miles we arrived at Coed Talon, our B and B, on the edge of a higgledy piggledy pretty village, Llwyngwril, with a river walk down to a stony beach. There was a resident family of lesser spotted woodpeckers to watch and we ate in the only local pub.

The next day we were heading for Aberystwyth. After stopping for morning coffee in Tywyn we perused the rail timetable and instead of going up the valley to Machynlleth and then back the other side we took a short ride for 2 stops on the train to Dovey Junction - check the osprey nest- which took us over a bridge to the other side. It removed 10 miles through midge infested trees and we had already been to Machynlleth several times for the Alternative Technology Centre in the past. The guard was surprised we were getting off here and said did we know it was the middle of nowhere. It was a lovely spot.

It was a quiet road to Tre-r-ddo for lunch then Borth with a high sea wall and straight row of houses facing the sea. There was an internet cafe that was useful for finding cycle friendly hotels in Aberystwyth( we hadn't bothered prebooking being a large University town)
We set off up a very steep hill. We climbed a lot during the next 7 miles and the road was very busy with fast cars. It was really hot!

After 31 and a half miles we found a gem. A bit over the top with brass and glass furniture and our second 4 poster bed and a jacuzzi. With the window open we heard the sea all night. The tandem was locked in an underground car park without doors surrounded by old furniture and beds.We walked round the castle at dusk and as the sun set people lit camp fires on the beach.

It was surprisingly impersonal at breakfast and we left by 9.30 in wind and rain on an uphill haul on a busy main road. We wore capes but after a while it felt like the wind would tip us off. Wet through we stopped in a bus shelter. The traffic was getting us down. We had a hot drink at a garage but I stood rather than squelch in my wet clothes.

We cheered up at the Royal Oak pub in Aberaeron where