Mountain Biking the Hill Boundary of Powys - Day 6

25 years ago today I set off with a good friend; Mark, on the sixth day of our attempt to circumnavigate by bicycle Wales’ largest county; Powys.  To add interest to the venture we planned on visiting the highest point of each of the eight 2,000ft hill ranges within the county, which are all situated around its periphery, bikes included.  We were backed up by Hazel and Barry; without whom our little adventure would not have taken place.  Prior to setting off and during our trip we raised money for the British Heart Foundation and the Ystradgynlais Mountain Rescue team.

The following is an account of this ten day expedition with each day’s journey appearing on the Mapping Mountains blog 25 years after it had taken place.

The county of Powys with the eight 2,000ft hill ranges positioned around its periphery

Day 6

31.07.90 – Mynydd Du – Fforest Fawr – below the Brecon Beacons     

As we arrived at the camp site yesterday the sun had broken through the blanket of cloud and gave us a beautiful evening, the skies had remained clear overnight and when Mark unzipped the door of the tent this morning the warmth of the sun greeted us.  We were soon up and having breakfast and getting the bikes ready for another day on the hill.  Today’s hill range was Mynydd Du with its high point being Fan Brycheiniog.

After setting off we nearly overshot our intended junction and almost ended up in a dingle as we headed toward the hills, we stopped and examined the map and happy that we were on the right route carried on toward the track that approaches Llyn y Fan Fach.  This track would give us good access toward our intended hill.

We rode as far as the filter beds where a small fish hatchery is placed, the sun beat down which was a welcome addition when compared to our crossing of the Berwyn and Pumlumon, but the heat was unrelenting and slowed our progress.

We cycled as far up the track as we could and then contoured around the hillside aiming for the small path that climbs steeply up to Bwlch Blaen Twrch which is positioned between Picws Du and Fan Brycheiniog.  The slopes ahead of us seemed never ending and the bikes were slung over our shoulders as we edged our way up toward the bwlch.

Taking a rest below Picws Du

The heat starts to take its toll

Steep ground on the way up toward Bwlch Blaen Twrch

Beyond the bwlch we carried and pushed the bikes up the final slopes to the summit of Fan Brycheiniog where we rested, ate some food and took a couple of photos next to the trig pillar.  We had now reached the summit of four out of the eight hill ranges we planned on visiting and the next three high points of Fforest Fawr, the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains lay tantalisingly in view to our east.

Beyond the bwlch we pushed and carried the bikes to the summit of Fan Brycheiniog

Beside the trig pillar on Fan Brycheiniog.  Four down, four more to go

Our onward route headed south over Fan Hir and proved quite stunning as we cycled down from the summit of Fan Brycheiniog, up the slopes of Fan Hir, over its high point and down its extended southerly ridge.  Except for occasionally stopping to take photographs we cycled this entire route to within a couple of hundred metres of the road where we were met by Barry.

Cycling over Fan Hir was exhilarating

Open and free and all the way down to Glyntawe

We met Barry just north of Glyntawe and stopped off for a welcome drink in the local pub, before cycling the four miles up the A 4067.  At the top of this road we found a quiet spot to have a late lunch before heading east on a minor road toward Heol Senni.  This minor road skirts the northern flank of the Fforest Fawr hills and reaches its high point at around 420m, it then plunges down to Heal Senni loosing almost 180m in height as it does so.  Much of this section is on open land and has sheep wandering from their hillside grazing onto and over the minor road to find juicy morsels of grass on the opposing grass verge.  This section of road is almost 2km in length and has no significant corners on it, with much of it being completely straight, we both put our heads down and our backsides over the back of the seat and hurtled down the road with Mark overtaking a car and me almost wiping out a sheep, having reached 52mph we pulled on the brakes as we entered Heol Senni, this would prove the fastest time recorded during the ten day expedition.

Arranging to meet the back-up vehicle at the Storey Arms at the top of the A 470 we continued out of Heol Senni and onto a short section of the A 4215 before turning right onto a minor road that took us to the busy A road.  This road is the major north – south trunk road in Wales and thankfully we were only cycling on it for about 3 miles.  Our fitness levels were now attuned to the rigours of each day and we set a good pace cycling up the road, it was good to see Hazel and Barry pulled up off the road opposite the Storey Arms and we rested for a few minutes happy in the knowledge that our next hill; Fan Fawr, was straight above us and could be tackled in the evening.

As Hazel and Barry drove down the road to a large lay-by next to forestry which would be our camp for the night, Mark and I sped up Fan Fawr.  It took us 30 minutes to get to the top from the Storey Arms, we only stopped once and I quickly took a photo for posterity as we did so.

On our way up Fan Fawr

The view from the top was stunning with beautiful evening summer light, and Mark stood next to the small summit cairn with his bike raised above his head.  We spent a number of minutes on the summit soaking in the view, another hill had been completed and it had only taken us 30 minutes to do so! 

At the summit of Fan Fawr.  Five down, three more to go

Just before setting off on our 12 minute ride down Fan Fawr

Looking out from the summit of Fforest Fawr the days seemed to be merging into one another with Fan Brycheiniog and Fan Fawr visited today, Pen y Fan planned for tomorrow and Drygarn Fawr visited yesterday, we were making excellent progress and celebrated by whizzing down from the summit of Fan Fawr back to the Storey Arms in 12 minutes.

After cycling down the road we joined Barry and Hazel in the back-up vehicle as the local midges plagued us, they really were quite evil during the night.  Tomorrow we were heading up to Pen y Fan, the highest summit in the Brecon Beacons and also the highest point that we would reach during our ten day adventure.

Tomorrow:  Brecon Beacons – Crickhowell – below the Black Mountains     

The History of Welsh Hill Lists

The History of Welsh Hill Lists – Part 10

The Early Years

1950-1962

1952 – Ted Moss

By this time the small disperse community of Welsh hill list compilers only numbered seven – Corbett, Carr and Lister, Parker, Moss, Walsh and, most recently, Rowland.  Two of these, Walsh and Moss, were now in correspondence with one another swapping information and ideas.  This, in time, had a direct result on the next instalment of our story.

The year is now 1952.  Ted Moss had recently become the first person to complete his and Simpson’s combined lists to the Two-thousands of England and Wales.  But further studies of the maps proved that certain qualifying tops to his 1940 list had been missed.  I will let the father of the 2,000 foot published hill list take up the story; “My object is to tidy up the published lists of two-thousands.  In going over the whole of the ground I have found F.H.F. Simpson’s list for the Lake District to be extremely accurate and there appears to be only one omission from it.  My own lists for the Rest of England and Wales are somewhat less complete and several tops, mostly small, but all conforming to the 50 foot contour ring definition have come to light”.

The update was published in the 1952 edition of the Rucksack Club Journal. It consisted of a four page article entitled ‘All Those Two-Thousands’ – although the main purpose of the article is to list the newly found tops, it is much more than just an update to an existing list and is more of an introductory text to Moss’s thoughts on the two-thousands, and proved by far the most expansive text Moss wrote in conjunction with his hill lists.  For this reason it is worthwhile quoting in detail from it:

Front cover to the 1952 Rucksack Club Journal

“It can be argued that to every man there are as many Snowdons as he has made ascents, but the fastnesses of the Black Mountains or the shy secrets of Radnor Forest can give him something more that Snowdon can never give, however many ways he climbs it.  It is true that the pursuit of the unknown becomes a habit and one has to beware of a tendency to reject even the finest peak with a curt ‘Not likely, I’ve done it’, or ‘Going up Cross Fell?’ – ‘No, I did it in 1933’; or ‘What about including Moel Meirch?’ – ‘No, it’s not in the list (thank God for two odd feet!)”.

“It must be admitted that some two-thousands are dull.  Many of the Pennine tops are likely to satisfy only those who have acquired a taste for that type of country.  It is a taste worth cultivating, if only for the solitude.  To some two-thousands one would not wish to return.  But in this game, and it is only a game, one must take the rough with the smooth, the great with the small, and the obvious with the obscure. The Rhinogs nowhere reach 2,500 feet but they provide the roughest and toughest walking in Wales, and the rarely visited tops round the Hirnant Valley near Bala are a close second.  The two thousands are of that middle height from which the distant views look their best”.

Walsh had instigated the correspondence between himself and Moss of which Ted Moss states: “I am indebted to A. St. G. Walsh for drawing my attention to two of the additional tops in Wales.  He is a mine of information on two-thousands and has recently published an account of his researches”.  After this public thank you, Moss comments on Walsh’s article : “Unfortunately Walsh gives only a specimen list and does not indicate to what extent he depends on objective measurement or on subjective judgement in deciding whether the drop is more or less than 50 ft”.  This is the first of only two published comments made between the only people to have compiled a comprehensive list to the Welsh 2,000 ft mountains.

The first page to Ted's article in the 1952 Rucksack Club Journal; page 67

The last page to Ted's article in the 1952 Rucksack Club Journal; page 70

The update to Moss’s list appears on the last page of his article.  Nine new two-thousands are listed, two being in England with the remaining seven being in Wales.  The combined total of English and Welsh two-thousands now stood at 621, with Wales’s total being 244.  None of the seven new Welsh two-thousands had appeared in a hill list before.  Moss was correct when he described them as “mostly small”, as none are significant.

Perhaps because of this, Moss explains his and Simpson’s use of the single ring contour criterion:

Simpson’s and my own lists are all based on the 50 ft contour ring definition, which is admittedly arbitrary; but they include also a number of tops without a contour ring, tops which were included originally for sentimental, local or other reasons.  The collector who wishes to be arbitrary in a consistent manner will exclude these tops and reduce the number to 216 for the Lakes, 150 for the Rest of England, and 243 for Wales.  On the other hand there are a number of worthy tops over 2,000 ft with very distinct rises all round which nevertheless do not figure in the lists because their rises occur between adjacent 50 ft map contours.  Examples are Tewit How, Crag Hill, and Craig Ysgafn (all contours are missing on the map hereabouts).  The identification of all the ringless tops in and out of the lists is left to the initiative of the collector”.

Next instalment due on the 30^th September 2015

For the Preface please click {here}

For Part 1 please click {here}

For Part 2 please click {here}

For Part 3 please click {here}

For Part 4 please click {here}

For Part 5 please click {here}

For Part 6 please click {here}

For Part 7 please click {here}

For Part 8 please click {here}

For Part 9 please click {here}

Mountain Biking the Hill Boundary of Powys - Day 5

25 years ago today I set off with a good friend; Mark, on the fifth day of our attempt to circumnavigate by bicycle Wales’ largest county; Powys.  To add interest to the venture we planned on visiting the highest point of each of the eight 2,000ft hill ranges within the county, which are all situated around its periphery, bikes included.  We were backed up by Hazel and Barry; without whom our little adventure would not have taken place.  Prior to setting off and during our trip we raised money for the British Heart Foundation and the Ystradgynlais Mountain Rescue team.

The following is an account of this ten day expedition with each day’s journey appearing on the Mapping Mountains blog 25 years after it had taken place.

The county of Powys with the eight 2,000ft hill ranges positioned around its periphery

Day 5

30.07.90 – Drygarn Fawr – Llanwrtyd Wells – below Mynydd Du     

It rained during the night and I hoped that this would stop by the morning as the prospect of navigating in mist and rain whilst carrying bikes to the top of Drygarn Fawr did not excite me.  We were awake by 7.15am and heading uphill 75 minutes later, thankfully the tops were clear of mist and cloud.

This was the one hill that I had serious worries about as there were few options for an easy and convenient ascent route up the hill.  We opted to use an old path to an abandoned small mine that gained height above the Rhiwnant which was below us just to the south.

Mark heading up the track to the old mine with the Rhiwnant below

Beyond the small mine we carried the bikes for three miles through a wilderness of wet fern and grass, with a multitude of tussocks, bogs and mayhem to contend with.  The underfoot conditions were not easy and progress was slow, but ahead of us we could see the beehive cairn on top of Drygarn Fawr and bit by bit we got closer to its summit.

The tussock grasslands of the Elenydd seemed never ending

Only another two miles to go

When we arrived Mark celebrated by climbing to the top of the cairn with his bike and posed for a couple of photographs.  We had been lucky as the cloud base was only just above these hills with the higher ones to our south under clag.

Mark celebrating at the top of Drygarn Fawr.  Three down, five more to go

We now headed south for the continuation of our trip, I’d never done this from the summit of Drygarn Fawr before, and although I knew a route existed through a forest down to a narrow road that led to Abergwesyn, we had to find our entrance into this forest and hope that the track existed on the ground.  We left the beehive cairn behind us and cycled down the hill toward the forest and found the entrance and the track, thankfully it did exist and we hurtled down it to the narrow lane below.

We were met by Hazel and Barry with delicious mugs of tea, and proceeded to collapse onto the road.  It had been a pure slog to the top of Drygarn Fawr and although I felt knackered I also felt content as the cycle ride was proving great fun and I now knew that the most difficult hill had been overcome.

Out for the count, and I felt in a similar way

Before continuing we had bacon and egg baps at Llanwrtyd Wells and then it was back on the bikes heading south on minor roads toward Mynydd Epynt.  The crossing of the Epynt would take us to our next hill range; Mynydd Du, but to get there we were reliant upon the road over the Epynt being open.  The whole northern and western area of these hills is part of a military artillery range and the road can be closed at short notice.  We found the red flag flying, but the road open and continued cycling south.

Entering the Epynt

Cycling through the Epynt

We crossed Mynydd Bwlch-y-groes with views back north to where we had come from earlier in the day and views south to where we hoped to be tomorrow and the following day.  We dropped down onto the A 40 for a short distance into Trecastle and continued on a minor road heading west that took us toward the Usk Reservoir. 

Couldn't resist the temptation of cycling on part of the Usk Reservoir

Beyond the reservoir we followed the narrow road parallel to the grassy slopes of the northern escarpment of the high Mynydd Du peaks, all were now clear of cloud.  After a few more miles we turned into the camp site which was to be our luxury for the night and the first one visited on the trip.

Tomorrow's objective - Mynydd Du

Wondering if I'm ever going to make it to the top of the pointy thing in the background

A bit of luxury with the tent pitched at a campsite

It had been another great day and the high peaks of south Wales lay ahead of us over the next three days.  Three hills were behind us but we still had five to go.

Tomorrow:  Mynydd Du – Fforest Fawr – below the Brecon Beacons     

Mountain Biking the Hill Boundary of Powys - Day 4

25 years ago today I set off with a good friend; Mark, on the fourth day of our attempt to circumnavigate by bicycle Wales’ largest county; Powys.  To add interest to the venture we planned on visiting the highest point of each of the eight 2,000ft hill ranges within the county, which are all situated around its periphery, bikes included.  We were backed up by Hazel and Barry; without whom our little adventure would not have taken place.  Prior to setting off and during our trip we raised money for the British Heart Foundation and the Ystradgynlais Mountain Rescue team.

The following is an account of this ten day expedition with each day’s journey appearing on the Mapping Mountains blog 25 years after it had taken place.

The county of Powys with the eight 2,000ft hill ranges positioned around its periphery

Day 4

29.07.90 – Pumlumon – Devil’s Bridge – below Drygarn Fawr     

It proved a struggle to get out of the comfort of the sleeping bag this morning, and when I did the previous evening’s beauty of clear skies had been replaced by mist and wind.  This was the third morning of our trip and the routine was beginning to be set in place as it took an hour from waking up to get going on the bikes, the same time as it had taken us yesterday morning.

The route we had opted for up Pumlumon followed the access track toward Llyn Llygad Rheidol, we’d walked this route earlier in the year and met fierce winds as we crested the ridge near to the summit of Pumlumon Fach, on that occasion the winds were so strong that they blew us over and the only way to reach the high point of the hill was to crawl.  We had also walked an alternate route up through forestry from the south-west, but it was this track that gave best access for bikes.

We cycled the lower part of the track past the small llynnau of Llyn Pen-cor-maen, and up towards the larger lake at the base of the cirque of cliffs below the summit of Pumlumon.

Cycling up the access track to Llyn Llygad Rheidol

The mist was down on the tops and it was now raining and quite windy, not an ideal day to take mountain bikes up a hill.  Reaching the lake a small path heads around its western side, we followed this and then carried the bikes up a grassy runnel toward the summit of Pumlumon Fach, if conditions had been better I would have dumped my bike and visited this hill’s summit but it was cold and wet and we needed to press on up toward the main summit.

Our route toward the summit of Pumlumon took us up a grassy runnel into the mist and rain

We reached the trig pillar on the summit of Pumlumon and met Kevin Dawson at the top, we had a chat with him for a few minutes and he kindly gave a donation toward our charities that we were raising money for, two hills completed, six more to go.  As the wind blew across the top we had time for one quick photograph and then we were away cycling down the hill on a compass bearing with Mark taking the lead. 

At the summit of Pumlumon Fawr.  Two down, six more to go.

Cycling from the summit was bliss as we hurtled downhill, the back end of my bike flipped on a couple of occasions which was quite scary as it gave the immediate prospect that I was going to be thrown head first over the handlebars, thankfully I remained intact and on board.

Heading down Pumlumon Fawr toward Eisteddfa Gurig

It took us 25 minutes from the summit of Pumlumon down to Eisteddfa Gurig, we now had 3 miles downhill on the A 44, this proved great when at the back slipstreaming Mark who was in front, but it proved tiring cycling in front as the wind blew against us.

We met Hazel and Barry in Devil’s Bridge for a welcome rest and refreshments, before pressing on toward Cwmystwyth.  This road would lead us into the heart of the mid-Walian wilderness and toward tomorrow’s slog upto Drygarn Fawr, which was the one hill during the whole trip that I had worries about.  Although the mist started to clear and the persistent rain had stopped, we still had intermittent showers as we cycled up the road. 

Feeding time in Cwmystwyth

I've had my feed, now it's time for Mark's

Beyond Cwmystwyth we stopped for a number of minutes as Mark felt decidedly wobbly, we rested and I encouraged him to take on food and water.  We continued at a slightly slower pace and were joined by Barry at the top of the road for the last 12 miles past the Elan Valley reservoirs of Craig Goch, Penygarreg, Garreg-ddu and Caban-coch toward the Rhiwnant where our camp for the night had been planned.

Mark feeling decidedly wobbly

This whole route was proving to be a wonderful experience and the road from Devil’s Bridge to the Rhiwnant was an ideal way to unwind after the exertions of getting the bikes up and over Pumlumon.  We’d now completed four days with each being over 30 miles, after washing in the river and trying to extinguish the local midges we set up camp, took on more food and settled down for the night.  As I lay in my sleeping bag I hoped that the hills were clear of mist for the miles of moorland bashing upto the summit of Drygarn Fawr that was in store for us tomorrow.     

Taking a dip in the Rhiwnant

Tomorrow:  Drygarn Fawr – Llanwrtyd Wells – below Mynydd Du     

Mountain Biking the Hill Boundary of Powys - Day 3

25 years ago today I set off with a good friend; Mark, on the third day of our attempt to circumnavigate by bicycle Wales’ largest county; Powys.  To add interest to the venture we planned on visiting the highest point of each of the eight 2,000ft hill ranges within the county, which are all situated around its periphery, bikes included.  We were backed up by Hazel and Barry; without whom our little adventure would not have taken place.  Prior to setting off and during our trip we raised money for the British Heart Foundation and the Ystradgynlais Mountain Rescue team.

The following is an account of this ten day expedition with each day’s journey appearing on the Mapping Mountains blog 25 years after it had taken place.

The county of Powys with the eight 2,000ft hill ranges positioned around its periphery

Day 3

28.07.90 – Dinas Mawddwy – Machynlleth – below Pumlumon

Today dawned fine with sun pouring out of a blue sky, this was a welcome contrast to the rain and mist of yesterday.  I set off cycling a little late and thinking that Mark and Barry were ahead of me I rode as quickly as I could, I only stopped when I couldn’t find them, I waited and a few minutes later they miraculously appeared behind me!

Today was probably going to be the easiest of the trip as we weren’t heading over any mountains, our aim was to reach the base of Pumlumon and to get there we left Dinas Mawddwy on the minor road that runs parallel with the Afon Dyfi on its western side, this narrow road was perfect as we spent the remainder of the morning on it and hardly saw a car.

Mark on the road heading toward Machynlleth

We passed through Aberangell and continued toward Machynlleth with Hazel going ahead driving the back-up vehicle.  The lane led onto the B 4404 which again was quiet, after four miles this road met the A 487 and we joined a multitude of cars heading into Machynlleth.

We soon met Hazel and then hunted out the local bike shop for running repairs; here we found a copy of the County Times which had run an article entitled ‘Cyclists set sights high for charity’ all about the journey we were now on.  Mark left his Spitfire at the bike shop for a service whilst we visited the town.  Wandering around Machynlleth felt surreal as there were so many people who were all busying themselves with their daily routines, we had only been cycling for under two full days and yet we were already in tune with a quieter way of life, and one that had very little association with that of a busy, albeit small, mid-Walian town.

Outside the bike shop with a copy of the local newspaper

We had a great dinner before getting back on our bikes, this next part of the journey consisted of the longest continuous stretch on an A road throughout the whole trip, when including the mile or so into Machynlleth we were on the A 487 for 12 continuous miles, it was like another world with an almost constant hum of fast moving vehicles passing in both directions.  We stopped occasionally to look out over the Afon Dyfi to the Tarennydd beyond.  The great majority of these 12 miles were cycled in single file with each of us swapping the lead every couple of miles or so.  When we entered Tal-y-bont and left this road it was a relief.

Barry joined us for the cycle up the mountain road from Tal-y-bont, this road marches confidently above the Afon Ceulan, which was down on our left.  It felt exhilarating to be away from the busy A 487 and back amongst the hills.  The narrow road gained height at a good gradient with Mark showing off his cycling skills as he pulled wheelies going uphill.

I've never been able to pull a wheelie, let alone doing it when cycling uphill

Toward the top of the road Hazel had found a small lay-by and we stopped for a few minutes, admiring the view as we did so, with the Cambrian coast stretching southward to what I thought to be the Preseli hills far off in the distance.  It was proving a blissful afternoon.

Mark taking a brief rest beside the back-up vehicle

As we crested the top of the road we left the coastal views behind and swung around the northern flank of Bryn Mawr, and shortly afterward we entered part of the conifer plantation that stretches in a south – north orientation and which is on the far western tip of Nant-y-moch Reservoir.  It was this reservoir that we planned to set up camp beside.

Nant -y-moch Reservoir with tomorrow's objective; Pumlumon, in the distance

We continued around the western and southern part of the reservoir, passing over its dam and finding an ideal spot for the night’s camp close to where the track, which we planned on taking tomorrow morning, led off from this narrow road up into the hills.

The next four hours was magical as we sorted our gear and relaxed in the evening sun with copious amounts of food and mugs of tea appearing from the camper van.  We aired a lot of the gear in the sun before finally setting the tent up.

Setting up camp beside Nant-y-moch Reservoir

A wonderful place to spend the night

Before the sun set in the western sky we washed ourselves in the reservoir as a herd of cattle visited the camp.  We needed this time to relax and enjoy the setting as tomorrow’s planned route took us over Pumlumon and into the wilds of the Elenydd.

They took a bit of a battering during the trip and remarkably withstood everything that we threw at them

Hazel being visited by a herd of friendly cows

Taking a dip as the evening light fades

Before bedding down for the night I stood outside with not a breath of evening breeze and watched the moon rise over Nant-y-moch as the sky turned a darkening deep blue.  It had been a magical day and hopefully tomorrow would be more of the same. 

Tomorrow:  Pumlumon – Devil’s Bridge – below Drygarn Fawr