Dams, Wales and Audi’s Holiday snaps

[Isimmo]

We’ve just returned from a family holiday in Wales with the S3 Sportback. 4 people up, with a border collie, for a fortnight. I was apprehensive as to whether it (or indeed us!) could cope. I shouldn’t have worried.

I’m bit of a sucker for industry and industrial heritage, so the plethora of dams, mining and old railways make it a fantastic location.

The first week we were between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth at Tal-y-Bont. There’s some great drivers roads to the east up towards Nant-y-moch reservoir.





This is the old Bwlch Glas lead mine workings including evidence of the loading docks for the Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway.



The roads suited the S3, as did the colour of the sky...



More coming.

[Isimmo]

We indulged ourselves on the Vale of Rheidol Railway. Another old mining railway that survived mine closures by swapping to moving timber.



We tried donuts on the sand at Borth.



And dolphin spotting at New Quay.
There were no dolphins, so I took a picture of the car instead.



Week two, we swapped cottages - this in Llanafan.



More coming

[Isimmo]

Highlight of the week for me was the Elan Valley. We were staying about 10 miles south east of Aberystwyth and the mountain road to Rhayader via Cwmystwyth and Pontrhydygroes is something else. Some fantastic drivers roads, stunning scenery, amazing industrial heritage and the weather was kind too.
We saw all 6 Elan Dams.
Craig Goch




Pen y Garreg







On both these dams the foundation depth in slightly scary.

Hang on, Tesco delivery, I’ll be back

[Isimmo]

Next we visited Caban Coch.



Then headed up to Claerwen, probably the most spectacular.





Took a couple of sneaky S3 pictures too.





Then it was back down to Del y Mynach (the unfinished dam)



And finally Garreg Ddu, the flooded dam.


This is where the brummy tap water is siphoned off from.

Finally, one more of Craig Goch.

[Isimmo]

Finally, and I’ll add these as a separate thread.

It did turn out to be Quattro country.

This one at Devils Bridge.


And this one at Pontrhydygroes




Did a bit of detective work, it’s F440JVS

[tractor Dave]

Nice pics.
There are a few Ur,s tucked away down here. I'm aware of 6 local to me.
Next time you are down this way, call in for a chat

[Minty]

Great pics Ian, thx for posting

[vorsprung durch technik]

Originally Posted by Isimmo

Highlight of the week for me was the Elan Valley. We were staying about 10 miles south east of Aberystwyth and the mountain road to Rhayader via Cwmystwyth and Pontrhydygroes is something else. Some fantastic drivers roads, stunning scenery, amazing industrial heritage and the weather was kind too.
We saw all 6 Elan Dams.
Craig Goch




Hang on, Tesco delivery, I’ll be back

Great pics.

Ha, your not wrong there Ian, the Elan valley is a beautiful place and the roads around the dams are something else.
We we there last May in the A2 on tour and the road between Rhayadar and Cwmystwyth is a superb drivers road.
No pics along this road? We went onto Devils falls and Aberystwyth that way. For me probably one of the best
parts of wales as it's so much quieter than the north or south during the summer months.

[slacky]

Cracking photos as ever
However I can’t help thinking , I wish the s2 was in those pictures

[Isimmo]

Originally Posted by slacky

Cracking photos as ever
However I can’t help thinking , I wish the s2 was in those pictures

Oooo, now you’re making mischief... Fancy a road test report? it nearly was the S2. Last year it did the Cotswolds holiday with ease. You clearly remember the photos, but the temptation of taking the 265bhp “new kid on the block” with functional air conditioning (rather than broke) and a semi automatic stronic Gearbox won the day.

Incidentally, and interestingly for those who have never driven an stronic Gearbox here’s a quick review.

It’s a complex character.... excellent but also overly complex.

Competent but sometimes dim witted.

Put simply, you cannot let it get on with it.

In “D” it’s great for bumbling about in stop go traffic or bugger all effort motorway stuff, in town it’s okay in D but sometimes needs a quick intervention of manual with the paddles. This is great but locks it in “M” for several seconds. So, in “D” flip down on paddles and accelerate to merge then ease off (in a manual, where you’d boot it out of a junction in 1st and 2nd and probably go straight to 4th in a 40 limit) ... the stronic thinks it is at Brands Hatch and holds 2nd either until you manually change up or it gets bored with your incompetence.

Sport mode is the same but worse. A turgid seam of hanging revs and gestimated next step road conditions.

So, I’ve spent a fortnight in “M” ...

And it is utter bliss. A fantastic Gearbox, once you work out the throttle position for seamless changes and preselection it just serves up hours of twisting A and B road delight.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still thinking for you in manual, floor it and it’ll still kick down, which is annoying, as it can’t see why you’re flooring it. (e.g. high gear approaching a short steep rising gradient- of which there’s many in Wales).

It is complex and I’d guess most owners just put it in “D” and live with its occasional dim-wittedness, but I’d like to think I’ve learned to “play” the stronic box a bit better than that after 1500 miles of playing.

Is it as good as a manual box... nah, it cannot see what you see so cannot adapt... But, in today’s world of congestion, long motorway slogs and stop start town driving, it’s fine. Full bore, brain and licence in a cell overnight driving its also fine... But mixed traffic, hills and “interactive driving “ there’s only one position. Manual.

But if we were in the S2 the long tailbacks and heavy traffic around the A/M27 A34 and M4 around Newport would have been miserable with the S2’s man size clutch and Victorian signal box gear selection.

It really is horses for courses.

One day, I’d love to do the Elan Valley and the mountain road in the Ur or the rally car... One day....