The Hobbit's Tale

Questions and answers about routes.

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jameso
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The Hobbit's Tale

Post by jameso »

..as in Dave Buchanan's Welsh C2C route. Anyone ridden it, any comments on it? I understood it took in plenty of singletrack. Mentioned on STW this lunchtime and I've been thinking about Wales and MTB rides next year. Has anyone got the original Hobbit's Tale route or know if this
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31608412
is the one? Looking at this, the TCW, Big Bear and other routes might cross over with a bit of misc link planning.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: The Hobbit's Tale

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

No idea if that's it or not but looking at the map, it does seem like a slightly odd way to go - especially staying west for so long out of Caernarfon?
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summittoppler
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Re: The Hobbit's Tale

Post by summittoppler »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 5:52 pm ....especially staying west for so long out of Caernarfon?
The bit from Caernarfon to Porthmadog is a cycleway, its the old railway line-tarmac and some gravel
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Matt C
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Re: The Hobbit's Tale

Post by Matt C »

That certainly looks like the route for the Hobbit's Tale as I remember it. I and some others had the pleasure of chasing Dave and taking photos while he did it...and picking him out of a bush near Llyn Brianne when he fell asleep briefly on the way back... Worth noting that the route for the WC2C and Hobbit's Tale are slightly different. The Hobbit's Tale (there and back again - baddumm tish) is the double which goes up the country and then back down with some deviation to get better riding for each direction. The WC2C is just North to South and a slightly more sensible undertaking..
jameso
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Re: The Hobbit's Tale

Post by jameso »

Thanks Matt. I wasn't really thinking out doing it all...! Noted there were sections that did look to take diversions dep on N or S-bound and thought it'd be likely to be a useful guide to some good trails?
Although having done a sort of road S-N-S this year, maybe.. logistically it's easier to finish in the same place as I started. But if I add in other sections it'll become a monster ride and probably more than I have time or legs for.
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Matt C
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Re: The Hobbit's Tale

Post by Matt C »

To be honest, while Dave did his best to weave in lots of proper riding (unlike the guy who took the world record after him - by riding around a football pitch... :roll: ) it is still a route designed to get you up the country and back down again without being completely unattainable. If you are just riding for fun there are lots of other options that might suit better. Have you done much in Wales before? I'm sure some of the folk on here could steer you towards the good stuff, or there are things like the TransCambrian which make a nice weekend taster.
jameso
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Re: The Hobbit's Tale

Post by jameso »

Thanks Matt. It was the mention of the singletracks that appealed, as well as covering the ground effectively. I was hoping to piggy-back off the research and knowledge he had, plus Stuart's Big Bear loop and the TCW etc to piece together a ride with a few options to fill a week to 10 days next year. A winter mapping project. Thinking of good natural riding with some open trails and lanes to link up, maybe not too much of the rocky/techy but happy on anything really. If there's more specific Qs later on I'll post up here or put the route up for critique.
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