Beicwyr y Coleg yn Goresgyn Tywydd Poeth a Stormydd i Gyrraedd Paris!
Mae dwsinau o staff Grŵp Llandrillo Menai - ynghyd â chyn-aelodau o staff a myfyrwyr - yn dathlu ar ôl cwblhau taith feicio 200 milltir o Lundain i Baris. Dros gyfnod o dri diwrnod, bu rhaid iddynt ymdrechu yn erbyn tywydd poeth iawn, stormydd a blinder difrifol... a'r cyfan er mwyn codi arian i elusennau.
Hyd yn hyn, mae'r 32 o feicwyr brwd wedi codi dros £21,000 ar gyfer ystod o elusennau, ac mae'r swm yn parhau i godi! Gohiriwyd yr her hir ddisgwyliedig am rai blynyddoedd oherwydd y pandemig: trefnwyd i'w chwblhau'n wreiddiol yn 2018. Roedd y beicwyr yn cynrychioli tri choleg y Grŵp - Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai a Choleg Meirion-Dwyfor.
Cychwynnodd y grŵp dewr o Landrillo-yn-Rhos gan deithio i Lundain mewn bws (gydag ôl-gerbyd yn llawn beiciau ac offer angenrheidiol). Ar ôl cyrraedd, aethant i dynnu llun o'r holl griw o flaen Big Ben.
Gadawodd y beicwyr Lundain drannoeth am 6am gan feicio i Newheaven drwy draffig trwm ac mewn tywydd poeth iawn! Roedd rhai anafiadau cynnar ar y ffordd i'r arfordir, ond fe gyrhaeddodd pawb y fferi a gorffen y diwrnod yn Dieppe.
Roedd y diwrnod cyntaf o feicio yn Ffrainc yn cynnwys taith 70 milltir o Dieppe i Beauvais ar hyd hen drac rheilffordd - a oedd, diolch byth, wedi'i drawsnewid yn llwybr beicio - gan fynd heibio sawl hen orsaf reilffordd sydd wedi’u trawsnewid yn gaffis. Ar ôl cwblhau'r ail gymal, gorffwysodd y tîm yn Beauvais dros nos.
Daeth y daith i ben y diwrnod canlynol, wrth iddynt feicio o Beauvais i Baris. Cyrhaeddodd y beicwyr Dŵr Eiffel ac yna'r Champs Elysees - man gorffen y Tour de France - yng nghanol cyfres o stormydd mellt a tharanau ffyrnig. Dychwelodd y tîm i Ogledd Cymru drannoeth, gyda sawl aelod yn teimlo'n "yn gyffrous ond wedi blino'n lân”.
Disgrifiodd y trefnydd allweddol Eifion Owen y foment y cyrhaeddon nhw Baris: "Roedd cyrraedd Paris yn gyffrous iawn yn union fel ro'n i wedi'i rhagweld. Roedd curiad fy nghalon yn cynyddu wrth i’r holl safleoedd adnabyddus ddod i’r golwg yn araf bach gyda chipolygon o’r adeiladau eiconig yn eich pryfocio i mewn. Ro'n i'n wên o glust i glust wrth weld yr Arc de Triomphe. Mae'n llawer mwy na fyddwch yn ei ddisgwyl, ac mae'n rhaid i chi frwydro eich ffordd drwy'r ceir a'r bysus sy'n gwibio heibio er mwyn ei gyrraedd - yn bendant nid ar gyfer y gwangalon.
“Ar ôl cael cyfle i dynnu lluniau ohonom yn ‘codi’r beics i’r awyr’, aethom ar hyd Avenue des Champs Elysees i La Place de la Concorde, a thros yr Afon Seine tuag at Dŵr Eiffel.”
Crynhodd Tim Peel, Rheolwr Rhaglen Alwedigaethol Y Rhyl, ei deimladau hefyd: "Cefais gyfle i feddwl wrth i ni eistedd mewn bwyty bwyd brys ym Mharis. Roedd yn brofiad gwych ar y cyfan: cafodd sawl cyfeillgarwch newydd eu ffurfio a llwyddwyd i ailafael mewn hen rai. Codwyd arian y mae mawr ei angen ar gyfer nifer o elusennau gwerth chweil. Roedd y daith yn gyfle i feddwl a chwestiynu beth sy'n bosibl. Nid defnyddio'r gêr hawdd yw'r opsiwn gorau bob amser. Gwthia dy hun yn y gêr uchaf posibl tan mae dy goesau a dy ysgyfaint yn llosgi, ac yna gwthia dy hun yn galetach." Rhannodd Tim ddiweddariadau rheolaidd ar grŵp Facebook y staff gan bostio cyfweliadau byw a negeseuon.
To date, the 32 keen cyclists have raised over £21,000 for a variety of charities, and this figure is still rising! The much-anticipated challenge had to be postponed for a few years due to the pandemic: it was initially planned for 2018. The cyclists were representing the group’s three colleges – Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.
The intrepid group set off from Rhos-on-Sea in a coach (with an attached trailer on the back laden with bikes and accessories) for London. On arrival, they had a planned team photo by Big Ben.
The following day at 6am, the cyclists left London for Newhaven, navigating heavy traffic and a heatwave! There were a couple of early casualties en-route to the coast, but they all made it to the ferry, and finally to Dieppe.
The first day of cycling in France consisted of a 70-mile trek from Dieppe to Beauvais on an old railway track - which had thankfully been converted into a cycle path - passing several old railway stations that are now cafes. On completion, the team bedded down in Beauvais for the night.
The following day’s itinerary consisted of the final ride from Beauvais to Paris, eventually reaching the Eifel Tower and the Champs Elysees – as the latter is the Tour de France finish – during a series of violent thunderstorms. The next day was a rather muted return to North Wales, with the team members feeling “exhilarated yet exhausted”.
Key organiser Eifion Owen described the moment they arrived in Paris: “Arriving in Paris was as exciting as I had expected: the heart rate was increasing as all the sites slowly revealed themselves, with tantalising glimpses of the iconic buildings teasing you in. The biggest grin I had was seeing the Arc de Triomphe coming into view. It is bigger than you expect, and yes, you do have to boss your way through the high-speed cars and buses. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
“After the obligatory ‘raising of the bikes into the air' photo opportunity, it was down the Avenue des Champs Elysees, onto the La Place de la Concorde, and over the River Seine towards the Eiffel Tower.”
Tim Peel, Rhyl College vocational & campus lead summed up his feelings too: “Whilst relaxing in a fast-food outlet in Paris, I had time to think. It was a fantastic experience overall: new friendships were made, and old ones rekindled. Much-needed monies raised for many worthwhile charities. Time to think and question about what is possible. Using the easy gear is not always the best option. Push in the highest gear possible until your legs and lungs burn, then push harder.” Tim kept people who are in the staff Facebook group up-to-date with live interviews and regular posts.
To date, the 32 keen cyclists have raised over £21,000 for a variety of charities, and this figure is still rising! The much-anticipated challenge had to be postponed for a few years due to the pandemic: it was initially planned for 2018. The cyclists were representing the group’s three colleges – Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.
The intrepid group set off from Rhos-on-Sea in a coach (with an attached trailer on the back laden with bikes and accessories) for London. On arrival, they had a planned team photo by Big Ben.
The following day at 6am, the cyclists left London for Newhaven, navigating heavy traffic and a heatwave! There were a couple of early casualties en-route to the coast, but they all made it to the ferry, and finally to Dieppe.
The first day of cycling in France consisted of a 70-mile trek from Dieppe to Beauvais on an old railway track - which had thankfully been converted into a cycle path - passing several old railway stations that are now cafes. On completion, the team bedded down in Beauvais for the night.
The following day’s itinerary consisted of the final ride from Beauvais to Paris, eventually reaching the Eifel Tower and the Champs Elysees – as the latter is the Tour de France finish – during a series of violent thunderstorms. The next day was a rather muted return to North Wales, with the team members feeling “exhilarated yet exhausted”.
Key organiser Eifion Owen described the moment they arrived in Paris: “Arriving in Paris was as exciting as I had expected: the heart rate was increasing as all the sites slowly revealed themselves, with tantalising glimpses of the iconic buildings teasing you in. The biggest grin I had was seeing the Arc de Triomphe coming into view. It is bigger than you expect, and yes, you do have to boss your way through the high-speed cars and buses. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
“After the obligatory ‘raising of the bikes into the air' photo opportunity, it was down the Avenue des Champs Elysees, onto the La Place de la Concorde, and over the River Seine towards the Eiffel Tower.”
Tim Peel, Rhyl College vocational & campus lead summed up his feelings too: “Whilst relaxing in a fast-food outlet in Paris, I had time to think. It was a fantastic experience overall: new friendships were made, and old ones rekindled. Much-needed monies raised for many worthwhile charities. Time to think and question about what is possible. Using the easy gear is not always the best option. Push in the highest gear possible until your legs and lungs burn, then push harder.” Tim kept people who are in the staff Facebook group up-to-date with live interviews and regular posts.
