Welsh December laning

[Ben]

just got back from an amazing weekend away in wales laning.

i left my house at 7am on saturday, destined for Welshpool.

it was a cold winters morning, and i had a great idea. as i dont have a fridge, but do really enjoy a cold beer after a long days driving, i strapped the beer onto the roof rack. wind chilled beer!

met Jim n Mike at Welshpool.

and we soon hit the road.

the sun came up and it looked like it was going to be a nice day.

got to the start of the first lane.

and Rob was waiting for us.

first lane done and it was onto the big ford at Garth.

looked a lot higher than normal, and it has been known to wash vehicles down and against the bridge.

i was sent in first, as my truck was the biggest.

[youtube:3vabi7v4]51Ti-XYPDl4[/youtube:3vabi7v4]

followed by Mike.

[youtube:3vabi7v4]6NdJzkJhOdY[/youtube:3vabi7v4]

and Jim.

and Rob.

onto the next lane.

the firing ranges were in use when we got to the top, as the red flag was flying. so we turned around and drove back down.

and were greeted with an amazing view.

next lane, is one of my favourites.

next lane.

next lane.

stopped for a spot of lunch.

new rear bumper.

back on the lanes.

strata florida next.

front and rear bumpers protected the bodywork lovely.

another ford next.

one of the last lanes of the day was very overgrown and didnt look like it had seen much use lately.

started heading for the camp site, as it was now very dark.

had a beautiful ice cold beer on my way.

we soon had the trucks parked up, tents pitched, and fire roaring.

was a great night. with some great people, and luckily the rain held off.

the next morning was very overcast and was raining a little off and on.

thats it for tonight. rest of the pics and report tomorrow.

 

[mike hatton]

Thanks Ben,

Cracking pics of a fantastic weekend. Top marks to Jim for organising our lanes and thanks to everyone else for the company and another thanks to those that did their gate duties.

That ford was something else! Shat myself when the veg oil froze in the pipes and nearly killed the motor, quickly switched to the derv tank and pulled it out... Will start off on derv next time (and switch the heaters to re-circ )

I'll have a root through my pics, I'm afraid all the vids were naff quality.

 

[Ben]

we were quite late leaving camp sunday morning, but were straight onto the lanes.

past England and Wales's biggest hydro electricity scheme, or so the sign said.

nice ford at the start of the next lane.

the bastard lane next, and im leading.

bumper took a bashing, but at least it saved my bodywork.

nice bit of flex.

happy valley (old coach road) next.

yet another bent bar.

need to call Gwyn Lewis and see if he will make me a sumo bar. will be the same as the 80 series ones he sells, just a few inches shorter.

the next lane, which is one none of us have driven before didnt look like it had been used in a while. we got to a stream near the start of the lane, and it looked like there would have once been a bridge, as we were faced with a a steep almost vertical drop into the stream, with another steep climb out of it the other side. the group decided to turn around and leave this lane for today, as it would take too long to try and get every one across and we didnt have much day light left.
it was the right decision despite me really really really wanting to drive it! to the point that im going back this sunday to drive that lane, certainly looks like it will be a challenge.

we did one more lane, which was good near lake verwyn, then we all headed off.

big thanks to Jim and Mike for organising and leading the group. and huge thanks to Rob for escorting me to Welshpool to get some fuel. we just made it to the fuel station as my truck was starting to splutter and die.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Nice to see everyone at the weekend. Where was the lane you turned back on Ben?

 

[Ben]

that took some finding.

its the lane just above the arrow, and runs north to south.

do you remember it?

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=28 ... hp=ids.srf

 

[Chris]

I think I have done that lane before by the sounds of it. With Jon and Dirk possibly Gary S too.

Chris

 

[Ben]

this might jog your memories a bit...........................................

an old car in surprisingly good condition, looks like it must have been washed down the stream years and years ago.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I'm struggling with making the arrow and the picture fit together Ben although as with a lot of them it's been a while. I'm seeing the arrow pointing at the short orpa fording the river and I don't remember it being anything like your picture. The long north south orpa immediately east of the arrow is interesting although the landowner can be a bit troublesome and the orpa a bit further south out of Cwm-Cewyd is/was also an interesting one more along the lines of your picture did you go past a house part way along that in my day looked like they might try renovating it?

 

[Ben]

sorry John, i dont think ive been very clear.

the arrow pointing to the ford is a link i borrowed from wetroads. the lane in question is the orpa running south, from just above the arrow pointing to the ford.

the pic of the old car is the first river crossing on that lane running south. we only got a few hundred yards down the lane, before getting to the stream/river crossing.

i did get the impression the landowner might be awkward.

did you have any problems with him?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I'm wondering if you meant the arrow is just above the lane not the other way round?

 

[Jimbo4x4]

The long north south orpa immediately east of the arrow is interesting although the landowner can be a bit troublesome

That's the one Jon, never heard about the landowner before - how nasty are things likely to get?

Nice write up Ben, thanks mate. Got a few vids to upload to the 'tube but you can have these for now:

[youtube:2dngfzgg]G-VDIzFnXbg[/youtube:2dngfzgg]

[youtube:2dngfzgg]mKg7Ltp0Pow[/youtube:2dngfzgg]

[youtube:2dngfzgg]KyqP_JlWico[/youtube:2dngfzgg]

[youtube:2dngfzgg]NdDNOjEPrSQ[/youtube:2dngfzgg]

 

[Ben]

looking at the link to the map. its the lane that is just above and to the right of the arrow. the lane runs through the letters "Nant-Yr-onog"

*edit.

great vids Jim.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Ok, that makes more sense yes, watch yourself if you go back on your own he gets very hot under the collar and rams his tractor into gateposts in his haste to try and block you from going further up It was quite a challenge in 2004 last I drove it but I've no idea what it's like now.

 

[Ben]

thanks John.

will let you all know what happens when i go back on sunday.

wont be going on my own though, from what i saw of the lane, i could easily run into problems, if for example my winch stopped working.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

That's the one Jon, never heard about the landowner before - how nasty are things likely to get?

He might have spontaneously combusted by now and been replaced he was adamant it wasn't a RoW but he would be. He was just very in your face and arms waving about like a mad thing and if he could get his tractor across the gate before you got to it he would. Might need to take your chainsaws there was often fallen trees and it does get very soft in places as well.

The one just west of the southern end is class as well. The southern end had a thick layer of silt over an old stone road so there's a good firm base under there. Much further along you pass a derelict (or was) house that looked like they'd started doing it up and then a bit further along it's very sunken and again often fallen trees. Never had any bother from landowners on that one.

 

[mike hatton]

Plenty of pics please Ben and good luck

Guess the bike lock means the farmer may still be trouble... Gate still lifts nicely though .

 

[Rob]

A few videos in no particular order:

[youtube:322cmycp]Gi4_E-5tgmk[/youtube:322cmycp]

[youtube:322cmycp]URcXhqXOb4Q[/youtube:322cmycp]

[youtube:322cmycp]Eh3fPGGaiQE[/youtube:322cmycp]

[youtube:322cmycp]gSVyxKZMlj4[/youtube:322cmycp]

[youtube:322cmycp]ciSf5KWbdX8[/youtube:322cmycp]

[youtube:322cmycp]ta-RB6DQ8PY[/youtube:322cmycp]

If I have labelled any of them incorrectly let me know. Thanks for a great weekend guys, some awesome lanes that I haven't done before and great night camping

 

[Chris]

I don't think I have done any of those lanes.

Some nice water to play in. But I don't think that the big river crossing will need to get much deeper before your wheels won't be touching the bottom at all!

Chris

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Probably worth double checking it is still legal to drive Ben, just because it's shown as an ORPA on the map doesn't mean it definitely is ok for MPV's still.

 

[karl webster]

For those in the group on sat.....

I have stripped down the front axel on my truck and took the full hub off to see if i could get that dam half shaft out. Without to much fuss i did it with a bar. Didnt get a puller on it. Dont know why it was so fast. The end of the half shaft has no damage at all. Fingers crossed it will go back together ok. I will be fitting a new cv on that side and new oil seal ect in the end of the axle. Also going to try andf free the caliper off on the opposit corner

Great pics, And can someone put some up of the twisty section, didnt get a pic of the rear of my truck.

Thanks karl