Geocaching along the Mawddach Trail

Bike Testing

Bike Testing

The weather has been terrible here since Christmas, but we really wanted to get Morgan out for a decent ride on his new bike. We had a quick spin around Nant yr Arian on it on Boxing Day and he’d been over to the beach on it, but really needed an easy, long ride to get properly used to it.

Yesterday looked like the best forecast weather-wise, so we decided to ride along the Mawddach Trail from Penmaenpool to Barmouth and back, stopping off along the way to do some geocaches. The forecast was dry, with sunny spells and isolated showers. Dave and Sarah came with us, so along with me Anna and Morgan, there were 5 of us and 5 bikes and kit to get there, so we drove up in a convoy of two cars.

The clouds were pretty low on Cader Idris and it didn’t look at all sunny, but it was dry as we set off along the flat and fairly straight cycle path along the Mawddach Trail. Morgan and I did the first geocache in the car park whilst the others were getting ready, and the second geocache was found a few miles into the ride. Each cache that we found was of course rewarded not only with the cache itself and its views, but with a sweet too!

Morgan & Mawddach Estuary

Morgan & Mawddach Estuary

WWII Tank Traps

WWII Tank Traps

Caching Treats

Caching Treats



The next geocache was another couple of miles into the ride, but by the time we got to this one, the wind had picked up a little and it was raining. We soon found the cache though and headed off towards the next one. It rained a little on and off between these two caches, but was dry when we found it, so we continued on our way and headed off towards Barmouth Bridge and Barmouth itself where hopefully a pub with some lunch and hot chocolates awaited.

It started raining again on the way to Barmouth, so the lights of Davey Jones’ Locker were very welcoming. We stopped for a decent lunch and nice hot chocolates. The plan was to then head back the way we had come, with a couple of little detours to other geocaches that we hadn’t done on the way there. However, it was now raining pretty heavily. It was fairly fine rain, but very wet and was blowing in horizontally from the sea. It certainly wasn’t dry anymore. Crossing the bridge was pretty unpleasant with the side-wind, but at least the wind would then be behind us all the way back.

Barmouth Bridge

Barmouth Bridge

We were all kitted out with as much warm, waterproof clothing as we could find, but didn’t stop off for any geocaches on the way back to the cars, we just pressed on at the speed of the slowest rider – which by the way wasn’t Morgan – and were soon back at the cars ready for the drive home.

As usual it was a good day out despite the rain. If it had been raining before we left then we would never have gone, but once out there it wasn’t too bad, and it had to be better than sitting at home doing nothing.

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.

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