Banlla one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Banlla here.

This is an excellent walk, but the GPX plotting is inaccurate and confusing in places, for example there is a straight line across a river in Llanfairfechan and another through a row of houses below Bangor Mountain. I am going to flag this route for inaccuracy and have created BANLLA 2, a better plotted version of the same route. For my detailed review and pictures see the new version.

As an experienced walker, I had no problem with the path over Bangor Mountain and there should be room for SlowWays that use these kinds of paths, especially in rural areas, but it may be more slippery when wetter. The coast path section is wonderful.

Walked from Llanfairfechan to Bangor, definitely started on a high and finished on a low with this route. The start all the way up to the spinnies was a nice adventure and a birders/wildlife enthusiasts/botanists dream, just a few bird species I saw without binoculars were; Skylarks, Swallows, Lapwings, Little Egret, Oyster catchers, Buzzard, Wren Fledglings so recommend bringing some for the the mudflats and multiple nature reserves/bird hides on this route!

From the Spinnies, the route became a little less enjoyable as you start heading back onto the roads which many don’t have paths so be aware of traffic/being visible here. Then it leads to some paths which go through some pretty villages, the route from St Cross Church to Tal-y-Bont was an enjoyable segment as it’s through the fields, but walking through industrial areas were less so and a little unsettling if travelling solo. The worst part of this walk is undoubtably when you start climbing the slope through Maesgeirchen and back down into Bangor. The ground here was incredibly steep and the gravel caused a few slips. The views of the city were nice though!

I recommend a new Slow Way route is created when the Penrhyn Castle Estate open their section of the Wales Coast path. This would be a much more attractive route to Bangor, taking out quite a few road crossings, industrial estates and steep slopes.

I wouldn’t only suggest the whole route to advanced or experienced walkers. But smaller segments are very doable e.g the nature reserves.

The path is quite technical so not safe for all levels of walkers.

The path is reasonable accurate, I took the diversion down the cycle route (Tre’r Felin in Llandygai) instead of going past Ysgol Llandygai.

This path is not accessible for wheelchair/mobility scooter users, cyclists or other wheels and anyone with mobility issues.

Final warning: Be aware, no benches between Glan y Môr Elias nature reserve (by Llanfairfechan) and the Spinnies. My feet were on fire!.

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