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Mooching Around The Mach Loop
Ride Date 2 Oct 2025
By Ren Withnell
Well this is inconvenient. The primary purpose of this trip was to spread my mother's ashes - and by some miracle this is all done now. This means today has no purpose, no raison d'etre. Oh my... what a terrible situation to find myself in, these are real first world problems folks. Goodness gracious how terribly awful for us. Even worse it seems as though the weather should be "OK" today. Poor poor Ren.
Oh what is a rider to do? Hmmm. We are near Machynlleth (Ma-kun-thleth? Apparently...) which means we are near the "Mach Loop". The Mach Loop for flyboys in the military is - apparently - some kind of training route through the mountains. For military plane nerds it's an opportunity to take amazing pictures of all kinds of military planes - flying BELOW you in the valley as you snap away from a mountain top.
For motorcyclists it's a route around the Machynlleth area where you might be buzzed by a fighter jet if you're really really really lucky.
The thing is I've heard of The Mach Loop for eons - but I don't know what the route actually is. Of course I have google, google will know, google knows EVERYTHING. Yeah. Hmmm. There is an overall consensus but there is nothing akin to an official Mach Loop map. I hereby present to you what I have come to understand is "The Mach Loop" from a rider's point of view.
The Mach Loop... in the world according to Ren.
The forecast today isn't too bad. There's a risk, just a chance, that we might not need to put on our waterproofs today. I mean this is the UK, nothing is certain. Sharon will be riding her own velocipede once again so I push the bikes out onto the tarmac while she's kitting up. The air is cool, the skies are grey, winter is coming...
Down through Tywyn once more, I expect sat-nav to take us through Aberdyfi (Aberdovey) but just south of Tywyn it wants me to take a left? Who am I to argue with the wisdom of the satellites, anyhow the road looks small, quiet, and perhaps interesting. Equally it could be quasi off-roading - something sat-nav loves to do to me and something which Sharon DOES NOT appreciate. Oh poop it's getting narrower.
Even with looking at maps later there's no name or number for this road. It does indeed go up hill and down dale, between the farm and the field, over the crest and down into the valley. Every moment I fear grass will appear in the centre, the tarmac will become gravel, or we'll need to cross a algae slimed ford. I can sense Sharon's judgement from 30 feet behind.
Save for a few gravelly bits, a pothole here and there, maybe some slurry from a farm, the road remains mostly road. In fact it is probably quite a lovely road, winding between hedgerows, through a foresty bit, deep in a valley, around a rocky outcrop, and all this in verdant foliage and wonderful Welsh hills. I'm not noticing it as I can sense Sharon's judgement from 30 feet behind.
The route is lovely, I'm just scared of Sharon.
I'm being stalked!!
Aha! We rejoin the main A493 at a place called Cwrt. I relax and up the pace a little. These are fat rolling hills with a lot of trees and fields. We get to swoop the bends and fly the straights for a while till we catch up with a truck. Not to worry, we're nearly at the turn and slowing down allows us to enjoy our surroundings. There's even a hint of sunshine from time to time.
I've passed by Machynlleth several times, I don't think I've been into the town before. The layout suggests like countless other small towns in the UK this was once a market town. It looks and feels like many other small Welsh towns - and that's not a bad thing. A handful of familiar brand shops, another handful of independent retailers, a pub or 4, some buildings old but well maintained, a few looking worse for wear, a jarring 60's monstrosity is a must, you know the score.
We lock the bikes and take a stroll. The people are much as you'd expect too - 99.99% of folk are regular folk going about their business politely and peacefully. However the local stoner spots we're not quite "regular" emmets, giving him the excuse required to engage with us. He's fine, no trouble, just rather over friendly - espousing how he loves this town - and the motorcyclists that come through here. I give him the thumbs up as we politely yet swiftly pass on by.
Dyfi Diner is on the A489 5 miles east of Machynlleth. At the time of writing if you look on Google Street View it's dilapidated - dated June 2024. Well today, October 2025, it's open, clean, fresh and welcoming customers. Dagnammit! It's 1230 and we appear to be eating sausage egg and chips outside on the veranda in warm(ish) dry conditions. The food is good, the tea is hot and strong, the weather is behaving and we're having a good time. You know I can't abide having a good time.
We'll be having a light tea then.
With food in our bellies we're back on "The Mach Loop". I'm sure countless riders have been around this loop at speeds far in excess of ours today - non-the-less we're flowing swiftly and smoothly along the roads. We're enjoying the bends and the scenery as well as a fortuitous lack of traffic, the odd cars we come across aren't really holding us up. Sharon seems to be at ease with the Z500 and my aging CB500X is behaving itself.
It would be nice to insert some images from The Mach Loop here but we're too busy enjoying the ride. If you want to know what we're seeing come and have a look for yourselves.
We turn off the loop to head west back along the A493 towards Aberdyfi. Rather than take the narrow lane we came in on I stick with the main road into Aberdyfi. Aberdyfi (Aberdovey) is as I remember, a small coastal town with a handful of shops, a beach, and not much else. It's a nice enough place although today under these grey skies it's not exactly sparkling. We grab a drink and a choccie and take a short break beside the seaside - beside the sea.
Aberdyfi and chill.
We're back at the static before teatime - we've covered the whole ride without rain! We've a little energy left too so we take a stroll around "Sunbeach Holiday Park". There is nothing here that I would call remarkable, no USP (Unique Selling Point), nothing amazing. However it would be fair to say the site is clean, well maintained, and located in an attractive area. Yip, we're quite happy with it, especially as we got such a good deal with being out of season.
It's a bunch of statics by the sea - nothing new there - but it feels cared for.
Tea, TV, then bed. Personally today's been a little easier because I haven't had to deal with mother's ashes and their mysterious disappearances. I've just been out for a ride rather than riding with a purpose. The better weather always helps make any day easier too doesn't it. To paraphrase Henry Cole - is The Mach Loop one of the world's greatest motorcycle rides? No - I mean it's only about 32 miles long anyhow. But it's worth a ride if you're in the area, there's 32 miles of lovely scenery and fun bends, I know of one good cafe - there's probably more, and you might -MIGHT- get overtaken by a fighter jet.
Advertise here - contact ren@bikesandtravels.com
The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
They're off back to Wales. The reasons this time are unusual and some might say quite sad. Fear not, Ren's prudence will make a mockery out of respect.
Getting To The Static
There's the odd minor hiccup but the first day's ride to Llwyngwri (I have no idea how to say that...) is an easy one. Ren is struggling with parking.
Choo Choos And The Yorkie Disaster
Today is mostly steam powered with a little motorcycling to one side. Sharon experiences another personal loss, a terrible tragedy.
Braving Barmouth Bridge
Our brave and heroic editor is bravely and heroically doing something many many riders have easily done before. There's also a lot of reminiscing, oh and some chips.
Mooching Around The Mach Loop
The Dynamic Muppets take on the Mach Loop! OK, it's far less impressive than it sounds. There's some countryside, a cafe, and all the things you'd expect.
Easy Home And Epilogue
An easy ride home today - and a few notes from Ren regarding ashes, Wales and... The Ikea Effect? Maybe Ren needs (another) holiday.
Reader's Comments
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Mach Loop, never heard ov it.
Looks nice enough, but, there's always a but, I don't like grey sea. Could you please photoshop the images to reveal a blue azure beauty.
Thank you.
09/02/2026 09:10:37 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Many years ago I decided to ride round the Welsh coast on the Commando, and a great trip it was. I visited the Machynlleth alternative enrgy centre which was really interesting. Also fascinating was the pumped storage power station at Dinorwig. This is a system where excess power in the elctricty grid - eg at night - is used to pump water from the valley bottom to an artificial lake up in the mountain. Then when there's a sudden need for power - like at half time in a cup final - this is released and drives the turbines, taking but a few seconds to reach full power.
It was a somewhat bitter-sweet visit as the station had loads of posters etc extolling the current private owners. Not a mention of the fact that it was designed and built by the now extinct Central Electricity Generating Board - which was owned by the people and with whom I did most of a "student apprenticeship". It's a tribute to that organisation that it's still up and running.
09/02/2026 10:46:08 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I forgot the links:
this ia the CAT.
https://cat.org.uk/graduate-school/studying/experience/site-and-facilities/...
09/02/2026 10:51:17 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
And this Dinorwig.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station...
09/02/2026 10:51:41 UTC
Bogger said :-
You've ruined the egg, chips and sausage with all that ketchup.
Also where are the images of the F22 Raptors and F35's and the like, that you took?
I'm very disappointed.
Again.
Bogger
09/02/2026 12:09:20 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Bogger, we thought it you said it.
He is indeed a big wet lummox.
But we love him.......in a manly back slapping sort of way of course.
09/02/2026 12:28:54 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
It's not ketchup it's brown sauce - heathen. I am aware that those stunning and impressive images taken by serious plane nerds take A LOT of time and patience to acquire. I wasn't about to spend an hour climbing a mountain to then spend all day there in the hope that perchance an F35 may, possibly, perhaps, fly by. If that's your thing then go for it, but it's not for me.
Upt' - if you want azure blue seas I can provide that - subject to you funding said trip. I reckon a couple of grand might cover it, should see me somewhere a bit warmer.
Been to Dinorwig Ian. I know all about "The Electric Mountain". It's effectively a mahusive battery used as a "peaker" plant to give our grid a boost when it's half time during an England match in the world cup. 5 million kettles all going on at the same time takes a bit of bant to cover, dropping a lake (llyn) through a turbine provides that bant.
09/02/2026 13:55:51 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , I'm a little concerned for your health , there's always lots of greenery in your photos of the countryside but never any (greenery) in the food photos!
Nigel
09/02/2026 16:49:07 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
You're quite right nab301 - my diet is frankly appalling. Green stuff is for rabbits in my world. Sharon occasionally manages to hide the odd piece of lettuce on a burger and perhaps a piece of onion might be found there too. I'll eat coleslaw happily because they've hidden the green bits in mayo.
Baked beans are veg? Spuds are veg? Peanut Butter is veg? Let's face it bread is from wheat which is a vegetable? Orange juice is veg? I do eat soup usually lentil or carrot and coriander. Oooh ooh my "butter" is olive spread and that's a veg?
Yes yes yes... there's no hope.
09/02/2026 17:01:20 UTC
Occasional Lurker said :-
There is nothing wrong with your diet Ren .... A little fruit may be added now and again ... This can be achieved by the consumption of a "Terry's" Chocolate Orange ... Apparently they are one of your "Five a day" ..!!!
Regards, Tony ...
10/02/2026 09:08:48 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Thanks Occasional Lurker - you're talking my kinda language there. Ooooh I forgot - brown sauce contains tomato and dates - that's another 2 items on the 5-a-day. I didn't realise I was so healthy!
10/02/2026 16:04:46 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Re another conversation - of course red wine is very vegetal and contains lots of those good polyphenols as well! Better than brown sauce any day although I don't put it on my chips.
11/02/2026 15:43:04 UTC
Andy G said :-
That lane is Happy Valley, I recognise the barrier at the top. Just posted about it on your post for the previous day.
I like Machynlleth. Bernard, Francis Gypsy and I spent a weekend camped in the field behind the coop when Nick Sanders ran his first Mach Festival. May well be popping in there and part of the Mach loop tomorrow on my way to me you.
The Parliament House building on the right as you’re heading to the T junction houses Caffi Glyndŵr which does nice food. Very interesting as most people in there are speaking Welsh.
19/03/2026 21:15:43 UTC
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