In a 4×4 you can follow literally in the wheel-tracks of history. Down quiet green lanes, you can re-trace ancient routes which were the very lifelines for generations of travellers. These ancient roads offer 4×4 owners a rare and privileged opportunity to view breathtakingly beautiful areas that no one other than very intrepid walkers, hill farmers and forestry workers are likely to share.
The routes that Pro-Trax uses in the Welsh Mountains are skilfully planned so that over the course of the weekend they become more breathtaking and challenging. This will become more apparent as we take you through an impressive variety of terrains from forest to mountaintop and back down to surrounding moorland and peat bogs.
What makes Wales so attractive as a driving environment is that the lanes sit on the very bedrock of the country, many of them lying on the oldest rocks in Britain dating back 530 million years. The lanes driven would have been worn down by carts over thousands of years. Therefore high levels of concentration are required as Welsh carts obviously weren’t very wide (!) – a misjudged approach could see 4×4 taking home the impression of a dry-stone wall on their bodywork!
Most of the tracks require low box, and are still hugely enjoyable – the hard ground and dust in the summer in comparison with the mud and ruts of the winter make travelling across the terrain highly entertaining! You can see this for yourselves as we tackle river crossings, rock steps, dense forest and steep gullies, also taking in various reservoirs and nature sanctuaries en-route.
Whilst this is not a physically difficult terrain it is technically demanding – brain before brute force as it were! However, by the time you make your way back home you will have wound down several notches from the pressures of everyday life…!
It is also worth noting at this point that 4 x 4 owners with any make of vehicle are welcome to accompany us on these trips as the nature of the terrain is suitable for all types of vehicle and varying standards of driver ability. You can also be sure that when the ‘going gets tough’ the professionals are on hand to ensure that everyone makes it through safely to home camp!
We meet at the Chain Bridge hotel on the outskirts of Llangollen for 9.00am to sign in and a short briefing, we leave for the trails at 9.30am. Saturday lunch is at Bala and our overnight stop on the Saturday night is on the coast at Aberdovey. After a hard day driving in the Welsh mountains the guests can then relax in the friendly surroundings of the Britannia Inn where we have a meal together (price not included) before taking to their beds at leisure. At 9.15am on Sunday morning we go straight into the lanes and head for Macchynclyth then overland towards Nant-y-Moch reservoir, Devils Bridge and Ponterwyd, lunch will be at a Forestry visitors centres before finishing near Llangurig around 4.00pm.
For the more adventurous among you there is the option of camping, either ‘wild’ in the mountains, or using approved campsites in the area. This again adds to the feeling of pure escapism on the weekend leaving the restraints of everyday life far behind..! A barbecue out in the Welsh mountains on a warm summer’s evening (yes it can happen!) is not to be missed.
The cost of this weekend per vehicle is £125 and excludes any food or accommodation but does include expert instructors, well equipped support vehicles and well researched lanes. Expect to pay around £34 per person for B&B with approx £11 per person for an evening meal. On receipt of your booking form you will receive a confirmation letter with joining details and accommodation information for both Llangollen and Aberdovey. All joining details and accommodation info will be in confirmation letter
