North Wales Saturday 22nd Jan

Hi All,

I am thinking of going around a few lanes in North Wales this Saturday, I know its very short notice. Nothing too extream but anyone is welcome to join ( to tow me out

) Let me know if any one is interested.

Steve

if mine had been up and running i would of liked to be in but i gotta get the tonka back on the road

Come in your 2.2 then

Pics uploading as we speak.

Cracking day , cheers Steve and co-driver Owen.

I know im just being impatient...but I WANT PICS!

Ok, met Steve and Owen (co-driver) in Corwen and tootled off in the general direction of Betws y Coed. I can't tell you the name of the lane as I've never heard of it, but it's something Welshy sounding
After a brief 3 point turn in a bemused farmers driveway we got back on track and hit the lane. This was an odd lane, gentle most of the way then impassable :shock:

First lane - nice and gentle

Then came over a summit and was greeted with this

The track then turned too mush so Steve and I got out for a nosey and decided that with a bit of towing here and there we'd probably make it. Once that decision was made Steve started to jog back to the car. Unfortunatly his first step on the lane resulted in him sinking a foot down and losing his trainer. Classic ! :lol:

We then decided that if his 12 stone sunk a foot a 1.5 tonne Fronty would probably sink a lot further , so we decided retreat was the best idea.

This pic just before Steve tried to run back to the car and lost a trainer LOL!!

By the look of the well used 3 point turn area we were't the first to make a tactical retreat. In fact there were no tyre tracks through the sinking mud so I guess noone has attempted it for an awful long time.

Next stop was the Corwen Carwash . Steve hadn't done this before and after watching the same Youtube vids that I have of trucks floating down river when the water is high we were a bit cautious. Steve kindly volunteered me to cross first and it really wasn't that bad considering the heavy rainfall we have had recently.
As Steve made his crossing I was waving at him and pointing, he obviously had no idea why until he crossed to our side of the river and told him he'd left the gate open would have to go back and shut it :lol:

So after never crossing the carwash before he ended up doing it 3 times in 5 minutes LOL!

Vids to follow ......

We then went on to Conquering Hero. I don't particulaly like this lane as the only time I have done it before I only just made it through the short canal at the top

Anyway, pressing on I dragged the ar$e of my standard Fronty all the way up to the top of the mountain. Steve went first.

And yes, that is fog ( not F.O.G)

My turn. I decided to attach a rope beforehand just incase. Having never done this before I just attached it to the front towing eye and tied it to the roof bars. What I wasn't expecting was that it would slip down and wrap itself around my front wheel half way through the canal :evil:

Vid of rope wrapped round wheel to follow :oops:

Then off to Whitestones. I've done this a few times, nice articulation shots available when you get up top. Unfortunately I couldn't get past it without tipping over. Owen offered his bodyweight as a counter balance but there still was no way I could get through with rolling it over so gutted we had to accept defeat :evil:

Doesn't look much on pic , but there has been some major erosion on this lane since i last did it. Steve threw a huge rock into that water and it dissapeared without trace :shock:

So a embarrassing retreat back down the lane

Plenty of fresh air under n/s/f wheel and a nice lean on the n/s/r wheel

Still going backwards

Further down the lane the Farmer had obviously been busy. A huge log and several boulders blocking the right of way (Grrrr...)

Thanfully Steve had brought Wales' answer to Geoff Capes. Nice one Owen, cheers

To reward Owen's hard graft Steve left him drive. 20 yards later I'm thinking that's an odd line into that bend :lol:

So with a fat git on the running boards (me) we got him around.

And finally on to Splashy Lane which was both splashy and very icy. (vids to follow)

All in all a cracking day out.

Many thanks to Steve for organising, Owen for lifting 3 times his own body weight in boulders and logs and gate opening and my daughter Abby for gate opening and camera work :wink:

Looks a good day, that first lane is "The Lost Lake" it used to be quite rough up there but most of the lane was hardcored over a year or two ago.

Looks like an interesting day :lol:

fantastic pics lads. ste, we will have to pop over and have a look at them lanes

Vids will be on in the morning.

Was stunned at the state of whitestones, considering I was only there last october

I was up there early December and it wasnt so bad, maybe the snow melt has been eroding it ?

Its strange the log and stones as there is no history with the landowner having problems and Ive met shooting parties up there before and had pleasant chats with them with no problems,

the lost lake... my favorite destination, even if the lane there is easier now

It makes me think they are repairing it as its the Ceriog Trail, it was a lot more angled last time I was there a couple of months ago but perfectly drivable.
I am thinking more work in progress and the log may have been there to buy on the rut to lift the angle so to speak until the earth firms up and beds in?

Ste- I know what you're saying but the log and boulders were 70 yards away. It really did look like a blockade to be honest.

CC- Don't care what you call it, I want it!

Anyway, here are the vids missing from the first post, in no particular order.

Here is a numpty green laner who has never attached a rope to a Fronty before :oops:

This is Steve on one of his 3 Carwash crossings in 10 minutes :lol:

Don't forget to shut the gate before you cross :wink:

Arghhh last two vids still havent uploaded.... to follow

Splashy (icy) lane

The 'Not nice is it' comment at the end of the vid was referring to the smell of cow cr4p and pee on a hot engine :lol:

This was also about the fifth time today Steve had driven through water and left his window open :lol:

nice videos, but can i give a little tip, dont go through broken ice to fast, its a sure way of popping a radiator

Ive just looked through all 171 files in that albm! you got some ace shots there!! really wish I lived closer so I could join you on some of them lanes!