Day
1: Thursday 26.07.90 Welshpool – Long Mountain – below the Berwyn
The big journey has started,
three weeks non-stop sunshine and we’ve just picked the week that the weather
is supposed to break, roll on the thunder!
Met up with Baz and Ma for a start at 6.10pm, first thing to happen was
a 48 mph sprint down the Long Mountain, the backup vehicle then had an
encounter with a very large combine harvester, followed by going the wrong way
by Trewern. Mind you, the occupant is a
mighty fine cook and without Barry and the mighty fine cook none of this would
be taking place. Baz dropped behind at
Criggion and later took over the controls at Llansanffraid. The beautiful evening saw Mark and I set a
good pace all the way to Llanrhaeadr, a 10min wait and away. The next, and last four miles proved quite
exhausting, by the end my legs were wobbling.
Camp was made by a fantastic small brook which can now be heard smoothly
flowing by Mark’s left shoulder. Lots of
tea, hot dogs, cake and more and we’re on the sleeping bags. Tomorrows the Berwyn, the first big hills and
the weather seems stormy. God this is
bliss!!
Day 1 Stats:
Mileage: 30.56 miles.
Ascent Cycling: 862m
/ 2,828ft.
Time Taken: 2hrs 51mins 45secs.
Average Speed: 10.4
mph.
Maximum Speed: 48
mph.
Day
2: Friday 27.07.90 The Berwyn – Bwlch y Groes – Dinas Mawddwy
Made it over the Berwyn and
Bwlch y Groes and into Dinas Mawddwy, the last five miles took their toll – I
nearly threw a wobbly, even now I feel a bit dodgy – more later. Up at 7.00am, met the local farmer before our
stream wash and brek. The arrangement
was for Baz and Mum to meet us on top of the Llangynog – Bala road at about
12.30pm. We set off at 9.00am for a
cycle ride into the mist, the rain soon started – a pleasant change from the
last three weeks. Through the forest
with bikes on shoulders for a very knackering slog up to the ridge. Thoughts of what lay ahead darted through my
mind, I felt shattered and we had nine days of the same and worse ahead. The mists ran up past us just enough for us
to spot the way onto the ridge, one mountain done, seven to go. The downward progress was haphazard; wind,
rain, mist, peat bogs and compass readings.
An hour to do three miles in some wild scenery, brilliant when the bikes
were going, in some places torturous when they weren’t. Eventually we hit the road with yelps of joy
to be met with mug after mug of tea, butties and cakes. 45 mins later and the elements hit us again
for a spectacular four mile run downhill towards Bala, left by the lake for a
great couple of photos with some cycling comrades, then Wales’ second highest
public road, which took a bit of doing.
More rain but still brilliant, down and onwards to Dinas Mawddwy feeling
decidedly wobbly with the few very minor up hills that were left. Food was wanted and quickly, the camp site was
reached with everything in place. I felt
wrecked and took hours to recover, tomorrows probably the easiest full day;
Mach for bike lock and the County Times for a camp at the base of Pumlumon. If the rest goes like today it should
physically and mentally take its toll, but of course be worthwhile.
Day 2 Stats:
Mileage: 31.67
miles. (Overall mileage: 62.23 miles).
Ascent Cycling: 498m
/ 1,634ft. (Overall cycling ascent: 1,360m / 4,462ft).
Ascent Bikes on Hill:
462m / 1,516ft.
Time Taken: 5hrs 31mins
46secs. (Overall time: 8hrs 23mins 31secs).
Average Speed: 5.6
mph.
Maximum Speed: 39
mph.
Day
3: Saturday 28.07.90 Dinas Mawddwy – Machynlleth – below Pumlumon
Today has been bliss, sun and
superb scenery; we’re camping at the base of Pumlumon, what could be
better. Snuggled up in the sleeping bag
with a most beautiful half-moon shining over Nant y Moch, this really is just
about perfect; the back-up is beyond belief.
Started off rather late due to my map holder, I sped off in pursuit of Mark
and Barry only to find them behind me.
We cycled through Aberangell towards Mach next to hawks, hedgerows and
the sun. Found Mum in Mach, as well as a
bicycle repair shop who’d read about our little venture in today’s County
Times. Mark’s Spitfire had a service
while we roamed around the town, most odd coming in to what seemed a big city
with its thriving population and we’ve only been away a couple of days. A brilliant dinner followed by a quick spurt
to Tal-y-bont, here we turned off and up the mountain road aiming for Nant y
Moch and our next mountain Pumlumon.
Barry joined us for the spectacular ride up and up with the Cambrian
coast stretching out as far as what I think were the Preseli hills way out over
there somewhere. The ride towards our camp
site was very, very nice. Bare chested
feeling content for magical four or five hours with lots of food, photos, a
paddle, music, more photos and a perfect moon, this just seems to get better
and better.
Day 3 Stats:
Mileage: 37.7
miles. (Overall mileage: 99.93 miles).
Ascent Cycling: 694m
/ 2,277ft. (Overall cycling
ascent: 2,054m / 6,739ft).
Ascent Bikes on Hill: None.
(Overall bikes on hill ascent:
462m / 1,516ft).
Time Taken: 5hrs
23mins 19secs. (Overall time: 13hrs 46mins 50secs).
Average Speed: 6.8
mph.
Maximum Speed: 35
mph.
Day
4: Sunday 29.07.90 Pumlumon – Devil’s Bridge – below Drygarn
Fawr
The
evening has been spent bathing in the local river, followed by extinguishing
the local midge pest. Took a bit of
doing getting up this morning, but when we did, it only took about an hour to
set off. Up the track for a steady plod
towards Pumlumon, first cycling and secondly carrying, more mist, rain and
wind, seems to be our norm for the mountains.
Met Kevin Dawsom on top who very kindly sponsored us £2.00, one wind
swept photo before a quick compass reading and away for a 25min dash to
Eisteddfa Gurig, superb with Mark leading the way and the mists clearing, the
back end flipped a couple of times giving me the immediate prospect of being
sent into orbit over the handle bars.
The back-up moved towards Devil’s Bridge where we joined them for
refreshments. We carried on in showers
towards Cwmystwyth and the mountain road for the splendour of the Elan
valley. Barry joined us at the top for
the last 12 miles to the Rhiwnant, past the dams, another day of Wales’
grandeur with more brilliant none A roads.
The unsure thought of the daily mileage and hills has gone; we’ve now
done three full days each over 30 miles, with two of the eight mountain ranges
done in quite miserable conditions. The
cycling is OK, the back-up is very excellent, the hills seem OK and so far the
bikes are sticking the bumps. I think
between the four of us we may pull it off.
It’s even pouring down with rain at the moment and it’s the one I wasn’t
looking forward to tomorrow – Drygarn Fawr – and I’m not nervous / apprehensive
at all, 41 miles tomorrow – the biggest / longest day of the trip.
Day
4 Stats:
Mileage: 37 miles.
(Overall mileage: 136.93
miles).
Ascent
Cycling: 577m / 1,893ft. (Overall cycling ascent: 2,631m / 8,632ft).
Ascent
Bikes on Hill: 402m / 1,319ft. (Overall bikes on hill ascent: 864m / 2,835ft).
Time
Taken: 5hrs 07mins 15secs. (Overall time: 18hrs 54mins 05secs).
Average
Speed: 6.6mph
Maximum
Speed: 37mph.
Day 5:
Monday 30.07.90 Drygarn Fawr –
Llanwrtyd Wells – below Mynydd Du
Beautiful
camp site, beautiful evening, Mynydd Du with the setting sun on it, it rivals
the moon over Nant y Moch. The midges
killed us last night. Up at 7.15am, away
at 8.30am, we pushed the bikes until some old mines and then just headed up,
all through wet ferns and grass – due to another wet night. We then carried the bikes for at least three
miles through some quite disgusting wet, massive grass tussocks, peat, bogs and
more of the same, quite horrible. The
top was reached for Mark to celebrate by pulling a wheelie on top of the bee
hive cairn. Down to hit the forest on
the right track for a quick whizz down, hit the road for another one of those
wild cycles – this time to Abergwesyn.
Barry came out to meet us for bacon and egg baps at Llanwrtyd Wells,
next was the outskirts of Mynydd Epynt for superb views back to the wilds of
mid Wales and on to the higher hills of south Wales – our next four mountain
ranges were all evident – Mynydd Du, Fforest Fawr, the Beacons and the Black
Mountains. Weird country – just one
through road with army personnel very evident, visited Trecastle for the first
time for all of five seconds and then onto our great camp site for tomorrows
hill – Mynydd Du to show itself. The
night is starry, hopefully clear skies, tomorrow for one of Wales’ most
beautiful mountains. We’re cracking it.
Day
5 Stats:
Mileage: 37.19 miles
(Overall mileage: 174.12 miles).
Ascent
Cycling: 608m / 1,995ft. (Overall cycling ascent: 3,239m / 10,627ft).
Ascent
Bikes on Hill: 395m / 1,296ft. (Overall bikes on hill ascent: 1,259m / 4,131ft).
Time
Taken: 8hrs 03mins 35secs. (Overall time: 26hrs 57mins 40secs).
Average
Speed: 4.5mph.
Maximum
Speed: 43mph.
Day 6:
Tuesday 31.07.90 Mynydd Du –
Fforest Fawr – below the Brecon Beacons
The
sun’s out and I’m getting burned, five days gone, three to go. More midges and the little swine’s are killers,
they are not pleasant. The days are
beginning to merge into one another, today Mynydd Du and Fforest Fawr, tomorrow
the Beacons, yesterday Drygarn Fawr. The
round circle is slowly, that should be quickly, being completed. Today we set off from the exquisite camp site
to nearly overshoot a corner and end up in a dingle. Boiling morning with us taking our time past
the filter beds, then a slog up to gain the ridge, Mynydd Du is beautiful,
cycling on the Fan Hir ridge was pretty spectacular as well, we cycled from the
top to within a few hundred yards of the road to be met by Barry. A great cycle down with arms and legs pumped
up. A quick drink in the pub and away in
the increasingly hot temperature, one big hill took us to our late dinner spot
and away again with the hills of Fforest Fawr on our right, the Black Mountains
ahead with Pen y Fan and Corn Du rising up in the distance. We set a good pace coming up the Storey Arms
road in very hot sunshine, a quick rest before an incredible 30 mins with bikes
to the top of Fan Fawr, only resting once for Mark to have a quick pee and me
to take one photo. On top was brilliant,
a stunner of a summers evening, brilliant views. We came down in 12 mins, it was a roller
coaster of a ride and then the midges hit us, they are quite unwanted. Another incredible day, our fitness and
stamina is by now pretty good, the Beacons tomorrow. Reached 52 mph from our dinner stop to the
Storey Arms ‘A’ road, Mark shot past a car while I nearly had a close encounter
with a sheep.
Day
6 Stats:
Mileage: 23.2 miles
(Overall mileage: 197.32 miles).
Ascent
Cycling: 580m / 1,903ft. (Overall cycling ascent: 3,819m / 12,529ft).
Ascent
Bikes on Hill: 893m / 2,930ft. (Overall bikes on hill ascent: 2,152m / 7,060ft).
Time
Taken: 4hrs 15mins 09secs. (Overall time: 31hrs 12mins 49secs).
Average
Speed: 4.4mph.
Maximum
Speed: 52mph.
Day 7:
Wednesday 01.08.90 Brecon
Beacons – Crickhowell – below the Black Mountains
I
feel exhausted; it’s getting to the stage when I can’t remember where I woke up
in the mornings. This morning we had a
burn up to Pen y Fan, hot sun, clear views and lots of sweat pushing, and on an
odd occasion riding the bikes for a slog up of 55mins, overtaking walkers with
none overtaking us. The ridge down was
quite spectacular, trying to keep to the bumpy ridge path with an awful long
drop off to the left. We hit the road
for a few sizzling hills – it was by now very hot; the van arrived for another
superb long stop in the sun. Barry
picked up a puncture on the way to Crickhowell, to go with the minor
adjustments to Mark’s brake block and my rear wobbling wheel (bad buckle
folks). Onward to our evening stop next
to a stream with a magical fire and bangers and beans, two hills to do.
Day
7 Stats:
Mileage: 34.1 miles
(Overall mileage: 231.42 miles).
Ascent
Cycling: 570m / 1,870ft. (Overall cycling ascent: 4,389m / 14,399ft).
Ascent
Bikes on Hill: 483m / 1,585ft. (Overall bikes on hill ascent: 2,635m / 8,645ft).
Time
Taken: (too exhausted to make a note –
5hrs approx). (Overall time: 36hrs 12mins 49secs).
Average
Speed: (too exhausted to make a note).
Maximum
Speed (too exhausted to make a note).
Day 8:
Thursday 02.08.90 Black Mountains
– Gospel Pass – Hay-on-Wye
Radio this morning said it was going
to be in the 90’s and this upcoming Saturday is being predicted as the warmest
day ever in Wales – a possible 95°. Wow,
and here’s us taking 2½ - 3 stone of gear over big hills and mountain passes. Out quick to feel kaput on the way to the
base of Waun Fach, sweat dripping temperature soaring. The hill didn’t look at all bad, I had
horrific thoughts of a carry up and down, past the wild horses and there we
were on top, 65mins with 15mins to come down – another magic ride. Met Barry at the bottom for a cycle back down
the road, and then a left for the last leg back to Welshpool – up the Gospel
Pass, Wales’ highest public road, this was sweated over after another
marvellous lunch stop – down into Hay overtaking the traffic, a quick drink,
shop and then to find yet another great camp site for another very relaxing
evening. One hill and two days to go.
Day 8 Stats:
Mileage: 34.85 miles. (Overall mileage: 266.27 miles).
Ascent Cycling: 485m /
1,591ft. (Overall cycling ascent: 4,874m / 15,991ft).
Ascent Bikes on Hill: 396m
/ 1,299ft. (Overall bikes on hill
ascent: 3,031m / 9,944ft).
Time Taken: 5hrs 44mins
01sec (Overall time: 41hrs 56mins 50secs).
Average Speed: 5.9mph.
Maximum Speed: 40mph.
Day 9: Friday 03.08.90 Hay-on-Wye – Radnor Forest – Llanfair
Waterdine
It’s been a little bit on the hot side
today. The first 16 miles out of Hay
took its toll; we sizzled in the increasingly hot temperature. Dinner was at Kinnerton, Barry joined us for
the last of the eight – the Radnor Forest, nearly six miles of forest tracks
took us to Great Rhos, coming down was fun.
The afternoon was again hot as we came through Knighton to our camp
site. I’m tired, the last leg tomorrow.
Day 9 Stats:
Mileage: 40.91 miles. (Overall mileage: 307.18 miles).
Ascent Cycling: 931m /
3,054ft. (Overall cycling ascent: 5,805m / 19,045ft).
Ascent Bikes on Hill: 405m
/ 1,329ft. (Overall bikes on hill
ascent: 3,436m / 11,273ft).
Time Taken: 6hrs 32mins
33secs. (Overall time: 48hrs 29mins 23secs).
Average Speed: 6.1mph.
Maximum Speed: 50mph.
Day 10: Saturday 04.08.90 Llanfair Waterdine – Kerry Ridgeway – Long
Mountain
It’s over, we did it.
Day 10 Stats:
Mileage: 58.24 miles. (Overall mileage: 365.42 miles).
Ascent Cycling: 1,152m /
3,779 ft. (Overall cycling ascent: 6,957m / 22,825ft).
Ascent Bikes on Hill:
None. (Overall bikes on hill
ascent: 3,436m / 11,273ft).
Time Taken: 7hrs 21mins
25secs. (Overall time: 55hrs 50mins 48secs).
Average Speed: 7.8mph.
Maximum Speed: 45mph.
Overall Ten Day Stats:
Mileage: 370 miles consisting of 322.75 miles cycling on roads and 47.25
miles with the bikes on the hill including approximately 5 miles carrying bikes
(not registered on their speedo).
Ascent: 10,393m / 34,098ft consisting of 6,957m / 22,825ft cycling on
roads and 3,436m / 11,273ft with the bikes on the hill.
Time Taken: 55hrs 50mins 48secs (time spent cycling on roads and with the
bikes on the hill was not separated).
Average Speed:
6.6mph.
Maximum Speed: 52mph (Day 6).
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