Drws y Coed

We start from Slate Quay in Caernarfon in front of the castle where there is a large car park. Cycle away from the town centre past the Welsh Highland Railway station and follow the Lôn Eifion cycle track alongside the railway, part of Lôn Las Cymru, the Sustrans Holyhead to Cardiff route. Soon you will see a sign for Lôn Gwyrfai which crosses the railway and takes you across the A487 and up to a road junction where you turn right and loop back to join a shared use path alongside the A487. After a short distance, turn left again along Pen y Bryn Road. Signage is patchy up to here but from now on the route is straightforward and well signed. A series of tracks takes you across another road and through a farm to deliver you onto the A4085. Surface is generally good, mostly tarmacked but with a section of packed earth and easily avoided potholes, rough through the farm.
Turn right along the A4085 road, not one of Snowdonia's busiest but tourists form a significant proportion of traffic, midweek outside school holidays is the best time. You'll pass the Snowdonia Park pub and Welsh Highland Railway station on your left after the bridge over Afon Gwyrfai. Stay on this road as it winds its way down passing Llyn Cwellyn on your right until you reach Rhyd Ddu where you turn right towards Nantlle along the B4418. This is a lovely quiet undulating road with views of peaks, lakes and woodland. Taking its name from the mountain Drws y Coed, this section is the highlight of the ride.
Nantlle is an old slate quarrying village, the horse drawn Nantlle Railway was operational until 1963 after which the quarries in the valley all closed in turn. Between Talysarn and Penygroes is the Pant Du vineyard, the café and shop are open from April 1st to October 31st. The cakes are worth stopping for and you can buy their excellent cider, I wasn't impressed with the red wine and haven't tried the white.
Continue along the B4418 but look out for a link path to Lôn Eifion on your left on the edge of Penygroes, soon after Pant Du. Cross the bridge over the A487 and turn right along Lôn Eifion which takes you all the way back to Caernarfon.