Turbocharger Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I'll be out in Wales this weekend, planning to drive Strata Florida (from the Abbey end probably), in three vehicles without snorkels. Has anyone driven it recently to say how wet it's going to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llanigraham Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Well it hasn't rained a lot around here, so I wouldn't worry. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU KEEP EXACTLY TO THE LEGAL ROUTE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 Thanks Graham, I've not driven it before but I intend to do nothing but follow the ROW. I have a brand new OS map and GPS (if it carries on working...) Is the legal route the obvious choice on the ground (ie avoid the impromptu 'playgrounds' that the irresponsible minority dive into) or could I get caught out by following the track in front of me, in all good faith? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 There are a lot of forestry tracks in the early part of it, from what I've seen, although driving on these is not going to cause any harm in terms of ground damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Peter Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 There is going to be rain here in west wales friday. Have fun in the bombhole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Thanks Graham, I've not driven it before but I intend to do nothing but follow the ROW. I have a brand new OS map and GPS (if it carries on working...) Is the legal route the obvious choice on the ground (ie avoid the impromptu 'playgrounds' that the irresponsible minority dive into) or could I get caught out by following the track in front of me, in all good faith? There has been a lot of people making their own routes/driving up the river. TBH it is pretty tough to find the exact correct route without knowing it but you will be fine if you drive the 'sensible' options - when I first drove it 10+ years ago there was just one track and a lot more green than there is now! At the northern end there is some forestry which can be difficult to negotiate just right, but with Memory Map and a decent OS map there should be no dramas - John George is a competent navigator. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richy B Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 We will be travelling along it tomorrow ( friday) P.M, As part of a 3 day trip, Done it on many occasions and always take the correct/sensible route, Picked our favourite bits of lanes, kinda of a "best of" mini tour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 7, 2010 Author Share Posted August 7, 2010 Okay, now I'm confused. We followed the lane from SN805568 to 755646, up through the woods and emerging by the abbey, but we didn't cross any water at all. In truth the ROW was hard to follow through the trees on the map so we stuck to the route indicated by the white arrows on a black circle, and checked our route against contours and the shapes of woodland etc. Did we hit an obvious pitfall? If it's a silly mistake I'd like to go back tomorrow and try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 I cannot believe that the river had dried up, though it could have done I guess! It should be pretty self explanatory... Do you have a map? I can only assume that you went badly wrong. As long as you took the left fork 50m through the gate it is pretty much a case of following your nose. If you were a mile too late turning off the road there is a track up through the trees. Part of the route you took should have been in the open, for the first couple of Kms, then onto the trees for about a Km and then up the valley floor, with the woods to your right before crossing a Cat1 track by a bridge and through some moorland before going into the trees where they have been harvesting. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 7, 2010 Author Share Posted August 7, 2010 Hmm. We started at the southern end, pretty sure we came off the road at the right point because we could see a bridge below us to the left. The track forked almost immediately and we looked at the left fork but it turned back on itself, to the left, so we went back to the fork, then spotted the black and white arrows and followed them along a Cat1 track through the woodland with mature, cut and newly planted areas, and didn't see anything of interest (if you're not a tree spotter) until the Abbey. Credit me with bringing a map? Maybe we'll go back tomorrow and try from the other end. As we emerged towards the Abbey there was another track back into the woods over our right shoulder, though I don't know where we went wrong to miss it. Still, plenty of miles and no damage to the tracks or cars... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 The left fork was a rough gravel/stone track last time I drove it; off the metalled road, 50m, fork left, house/barns on the left down the hill, through a couple of small splashes, then up and into the fir woods through a gate... I cannot remember any track looking like it turned back though - will consult Google earth... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 8, 2010 Author Share Posted August 8, 2010 Well, drove it successfully from the Abbey end today. I realised that we were about 10ft from the ROW at the north end, on a track 15ft below the ROW from where the proper track was invisible. I still have no idea how we came to be there though, we turned back from the southern end to see where we went wrong and couldn't understand it. Either we were somewhere completely different or we ignored a 4ft Forestry "No vehicles" sign, both seem unlikely. In any case, an excellent weekend's laning and plenty to go back for in future. To answer my own question, most of Strata's fords are about halfway up the wheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richy B Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 We have just returned home, Strata was fine water levels wise on friday p.m But boy did it rain ater that !!! Super weekend allround, Met Mr bowyer of goodwinch fame along strata Was dissapointed to meet two groups of 7 trucks later in the weekend on a organised trip in another area, Im pretty sure i know of the organisers, so will check my facts first and then pop an e mail to um to advise them of "most" peoples idea of guidlines for acceptable group size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adafish Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Was you the lads in the 90's on wyeside campsite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 9, 2010 Author Share Posted August 9, 2010 Yes, that was us, a blue and a white Ninety - you came past us while we were enjoying our lunch on Strata too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adafish Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 was'nt up there on the Sunday, we went off and did one down by BELLUAH...I was one of the 3 brothers in the double cabs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 9, 2010 Author Share Posted August 9, 2010 In fact, I'll post up a few of the better pics I took. I didn't manage to capture the owl that flew down and landed on my bonnet while my mate was opening a gate, but there's a photo on his camera of it flying away again - special moment. Here's the first version of Strata Florida that we drove - apologies to the Forestry Commission, we were doing no damage and following a beautifully waymarked route. We tried again the next day, and realised we were on the track below, and couldn't see the proper route. Once we'd picked up the waymarkings we wanted to stay legal and didn't want to head off onto some of the 'rougher' side tracks, so our own reticence stopped us finding the proper ROW Even some of the tarmac roads are properly scenic We found a party of walkers trying to figure out how they were going to cross a fast flowing river that was a foot deep... Genuinely in the middle of nowhere Nice bit of civil engineering from Halcrow Why can't they all be signposted this clearly? Twisty bit Looks much more dramatic than it was, he only picked a wheel up for the briefest moment as it came out of the crossaxle An arty pic to illustrate "Strata Florida" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Absolutely love your photos. Magic. I've only done the lanes further up in Wales than those - Happy Valley is probably one of the southern most - I really must fit in another few days of Welsh lanes before the years out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I have got to get to Wales before they shut all these things. Looks like a lovely drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richy B Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 It really is a fantastic area, We usually go mid week as there even less people about, I cant really reccomend the area enough, been there many trips now and still end up saying "WOW" many many times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.