Bobby Gilbert Adventures

This was a weekend of extremes of luxury. Extremes that ranged from hot baths with champagne, dressing for dinner, cocktails by the fireplace, to gale force winds blowing us off our bikes and horizontal rain. Then back to the hotel to really appreciate the pampering. All in celebration of a big birthday for Sally (I’ve said that we can only manage this level of luxury for birthday’s ending in a zero – mind you, I really got into it – must be a way to repeat!).

Sally: It was lovely to be taken away for a weekend for my 60th but I had no idea what this would entail! I’d just been told ‘pack for every eventuality’, so biking gear, relaxing gear, warm gear, posh gear even! My only question had been ‘Will there be hot showers’. I guess I was secretly hoping for a nice hotel but was equally prepared for a tent, a bunkhouse, a youth hostel. I’m with Bobby after all! I was told yes, there should be hot showers, so now I’m envisaging a cold sprint across a field to a shower block. As we got closer to our destination, he’s pointing out where he’s cycled before, where he’s camped, teenage stories; and then we pull onto a sweeping driveway (it’s looking hopeful) and WOW, in to view comes Lake Vyrnwy Hotel. The boy has stepped up!

The Sockasaurus was waiting in our room (apparently its a Welsh Dragon that guards your room when you’re out). A bottle of chilled Champagne may have found its way in from the van. Chilled bubbles, hot bath, elegant supper. Sally particularly enjoyed the pork three ways.

Sally: Rude.

Next morning we had breakfast while the rain was beating down against the windows. I showed a picture to Nicole who realised she could remember visiting here when she was three, and the all-you-can-eat breakfast, which was apparently a defining childhood memory. “So many different cereals to try”

After breakfast we set off into the wind and rain to cycle around the very full reservoir and up into the mountains.

Until… We found the road was closed due to a hurricane, a year ago, blowing down a whole hillside full of trees. They seemed pretty serious about us not getting through the fencing. “Danger of death!” said the sign, with a picture of a tree falling on someone’s head, but hey, it was hardly the Kumbu Icefall, and in any case everyone knows seracs don’t fall on weekends. So we found a way through the fencing and soon were cycling in splendid isolation on a road, closed specially for us, to the end of the lake.

Sally: This road was definitely closed. No through way. Really? Because there are trees down from a storm that passed through a year ago? After a minute or two of ‘shall we, shan’t we’ and a bit of shimmying around, we found the local dog walkers gap which kind of endorsed it for me.

The climb up to the top of the Bwlch y Groes was a series of steep ramps but gentle in between. The main challenge was the strengthening wind and rain. At one point descending the other side we were both lifted up and blown across the road. Exciting!

Sally: Exciting for Bobby. Tourette’s for me.

We were back at the hotel by 2.30 for an afternoon and evening of more relaxing and luxury. Reading books while drinking cocktails by the fireside, then dressing for dinner. It was almost like being a grown-up.

Sally: I could seriously get used to this lifestyle! One minute getting blown sideways off a hillside, blowing like a whale up another one, but then returning to a nice hot bath, and relaxing in really lovely surroundings.

Next morning, after another pleasant breakfast looking out onto more soft Welsh weather (fog and mist) we set off for another battle with the elements. Climbing out of the valley by the road we’d descended the previous afternoon was very atmospheric.

There was lots of evidence of storm damage. In some places whole hillsides that been blown over. I’m guessing it only took a matter of minutes. Must have been awesome to see it happen.

No room or hot bath to return to this time, but we were able to change into dry clothes and have a drink in the warm bar before heading home. Must find a way to do this more often.

Sally: I loved our stay in Lake Vyrnwy hotel. The room was spacious, the bathroom was a bit old school with a big bath (perfect). The hotel had lovely spaces to sit by a fireside with a book, a game, a drink. The food was excellent. Thanks Bobby – you could not have got it more right! (Can we do it again?).