End of Week 2 Training with Hiraethog Lakes Bike Ride

End of Week 2 Training with Hiraethog Lakes Bike Ride 

7th June 2015

Llyn Alwen - Alwen Reservoir 

With Snowdonia being so close many people bypass the beautiful jewel of nature which is Hiraethog Moors.  With it stunning landscape, thick forests, tranquil lakes and open spaces it is an ideal location for walks or bike rides.  

Today was one of those beautiful blue sky days when I decided to head out to cycle around one of the reservoirs that is located on the Hiraethog moors. Alwen is not as well known or used as it's sister reservoir, Brenig.  Due to lack of use cycling the 7 miles around this lake can leave you feeling totally alone with nature.  

Part of the track that circles the lake cuts through the local forest.

The track is all off road and undulates as you go along cutting quite often through forest before opening up to open moorland.

Hiraethog Moor

At the end of the lake you cross from one side to the other over an old bridge before you face the most challenging part of the circuit with a climb up to the peak of Mwdwl Eithin.

Bridge over Llyn Alwen - Alwen Reservoir

Once you drop down on an the other side the track becomes level again except for a couple of small climbs and soon you are back at the start after crossing the gravity-arch masonry dam.

Alwen Dam

After finishing this ride I headed over to Brenig Reservoir to meet up with the rest of the family for a 9 mile bike ride around the larger of the two lakes.  Starting clockwise around the lake the route, for the first few mile or so, shares the road used by cars leaving the cafe area but then the track goes off road.

LLyn Brenir - Brenig Reservoir 

 This first section is the most challenging, especially for younger children, with quite a few small climbs.  But both my daughters managed the route well with very few grumbles.

Williams family on tour around Brenig Reservoir

The vista once you have reached the far end of the lake is stunning especially on such a clear day as today and in the distance the Aran Mountains can be viewed.

Looking down on Brenig Reservoir 

Half way round and heading back towards the lake.

View across Brenig Reservoir 

After dropping back down to the lake we stopped to have a small picnic.  Here we spotted a flock of Canadian and Greylag Geese swimming on the lake and nearer to shore in a pool the children spotted hundreds of tadpoles.

From here the track is much easier and the children sped along and we were soon back in the main car park where unfortunately for us the cafe had closed.  Once we had placed the bikes back on the their rack at the back of the car we headed down to Denbigh were we had an excellent well desreved meal in Con Amici.

Two tired children and or our dog after 9 mile Brenig Reservoir cycle ride