Day 5 – Llangurig to Dolgellau
We stopped at a pub for lunch at Newbridge on Wye. I asked if we could take our bikes round to the beer garden. Yes, said the landlord, but you’re fine to leave them out the front – our village is very safe and no one will swipe them. He seemed aggrieved that we didn’t want to run that risk, small though it may have been, but with big consequences for us. A good example of what economists call moral hazard.
We came through some more spectacular country today on our way to Dolgellau (pronounced Dolgethlee). Cumulative elevation gain of 3,200 ft, which is a record for us. (Scotland record was 2600 ft)
We were interrupted by two errant sheep that managed to get on our bike path but could not be persuaded to get back in their field. Soothing words seemed to have no effect. Bill would have known what to do. In the end they both managed to squeeze themselves into other fields, one through small hole in a fence, the other by leaping a cattle grid. The farmer will wonder how they got there in the morning.
As with last year, I delight in reading your blog regularly and following the always beautifully written adventures of my very fit and adventuresome brother and sister in law! Just a hint, Marg….of course the horse in the previous post would not understand your Welsh, ha ha! The way to approach horses, ponies, donkeys etc. is to bend over and blow gently out your nostrils, interspersed with calm gentle voice to say hello(in Welsh if you want!). The horse will come up and blow out its nostrils to you too, and thus you make friends, gradually raising yourself to an upright position and offering your hand for a sniff before a pat on the neck (especially a gentle scratch just underneath where the mane attaches to the neck). Scenery looks wonderful, and Welsh place names quite the whimsical delight(don’t they have to use more vowels at some point?? So many ll’s and w’s!). Hoping you continue to write often on the blog, and that you continue to enjoy mostly great weather. Love, Laurie
You would love all the horses here Laurie! Foals everywhere. They are so cute!!