Bikepacking through Wales April 2019: Taff to Mersey Ride

At Cardiff Bay

I like a challenging ride in the Spring. The Forest of Bowland Sportive in 2017 and the Heart of England (HOE) 300km Audax in 2018 had served that purpose the previous two years. I fancied having another go at the HOE ride out of Cirencester,  but the timing of Easter didn't fit that year so I was looking for something else.

Then, a couple of weeks before the holidays, my cycling buddy Marcia put a call out for replacements, after cry-offs for the cycling weekend she had organised in the Brecon Beacons. A cycle tour of the coastline of Wales is high on my to do list, but that is a ride for the summer time. A plan hatched for a Taff to Mersey ride with the first stop to be in the B&B Marcia had booked at Cefn Coed , near Merthyr Tydfil.

Day 1: Cardiff to Cefn Coed

Outside the Parliament of Wales (The Senned)
The jacket in the web netting didn't make it to Cefn Coed!

          

I arrived in Cardiff early on the Friday afternoon and rode down to Cardiff Bay in front of The Senned. I wanted to begin from the beginning. The beginning of route NCN 8  that is (aka The Taff Trail).

River Taff in Cardiff

Riding North following the NCN 8 signs led me through the surprisingly beautiful, yet-still-urban, River Taff valley. The cycle track was  easy to follow and tarmac-surfaced all the way to Cardiff Castle on the outskirts of the city.

A steep wooded embankment had me pushing my bike up onto a gravel track that descended gradually from the hill behind the castle. Sensibly, I dismounted to negotiate the short gnarly slope at the exit point. I was now in The Valleys.

The route unfurled through the tightly-knit streets of Pontypridd, then settled onto a rail trail for most of the remaining leg to Cefn Coed. The trail surface varied; from tarmac, to fine loose gravel, to boulder strewn and pocked with watery potholes. A dry period meant the flooded areas were not too severe and I could comfortably pass on my road bike (25mm tyres).

The route passed through the former mining village of Aberfan, site of one of the worst disasters in industrialised Britain. In October 1966 a slag heap collapsed onto Pantglas Junior School and surrounding buildings.118 children and 28 adults died in the tragic event.

On arriving in  Cefn Coed I became disoriented so I stopped at a junction close to the village centre. I was just considering asking for directions when a friendly local approached me, unsolicited, and offered accurate advice. How did he know? 

The Grange is a warm and welcoming place to stay. The proprietors are cyclists too and have a garage well set up with a pump, some basic tools and storage racks. The evening meal of beef Wellington was as superb as the company, and we were served beers around the cosy  fireplace afterwards.

Route: Day 1

Day 2: Cefn Coed to Dolfor

The deep valley that pockets Cefn Coed trapped sunlight like a black box as we gathered for the get-go next morning. Out on the open road the chill north-easterly breeze was more noticeable. We rode together as a group past Pontsticill Reservoir taking advantage of a photo opportunity there.

Pontsticill Reservoir

Approaching Tal-y-bont I parted company with The Pedal Pushers as I made a  left turn up a road that headed North. I should not have done! The turn off was too soon. Doubts about the route soon came to me but, as I had plenty of time, I decided to explore it anyway. It was gorgeous through there.

Lots of hikers, some in military uniform, were on their way up Pen-y-Fan, I guessed. The tarmac gave way to a gravel path but I kept on going. At Upper Neuadd Reservoir the track ran out. I looked at the mountains in front of me and was seriously considering it. Looking down to the ground at my clip-ins I thought "In these shoes?".

The road back to the Tal-y-bont junction was mostly downhill. I had made the right decision! After a  period of climbing, a sweeping and very speedy descent through the stunning valley, past the lake, had me making up some lost time. 

The scenery through here rivals anything the UK has to offer. Many cyclists were out on the road that morning, and I was not surprised considering the high quality of the riding on offer. 

In Brecon I called into Biped Cycles to get a jacket to replace the one I had lost the day before. The shopkeeper also helped me with directions for the B-road to Builth Wells. Handily, I had to take the lane that ran right along the side of the shop, off the main street.

Unofficial bike racks outside a bank in Brecon

The B4520 took me to Upper Chapel and I then followed that road over the moors to Builth Wells. Up on top, a herd of Welsh Ponies were more wary of me in my Hi-Viz gilet than they were of the occasional passing motor vehicle, but I just grabbed my camera in time as they scattered from the road.

Snapped before they got away.

River Wye at Builth Wells

Through Builth Wells I took the A481 towards Hundred House. Turning off up a small lane,  I followed signposts to Llansantffraed-in-Elwel, then climbed over another epic moorland route, dropping back onto the A483 just south of Llandrindod Wells.

Above Llandrindod Wells

Then, a brief tangential interlude occurred while I went on a wild goose chase to look at the Bicycle Museum (not open despite all the signs to the contrary!). Hopefully I will return in the future on a day when it is open.

Lies!

I decided to stay on the A483 and, after the A44 intersection, it became much quieter on there. A relaxed recovery pedal in the pleasant evening sunshine advanced me up towards Newtown. At Llanbadarn Fynydd I stopped to consider my options. As it was such a beautiful evening I decided to take the scenic route to Dolfor via the B4355. I wasn't to be disappointed, the recovery pedal was over!

It turned out to be a more epic moorland crossing (another one!) than my torn-out road map page let on, but in such incredible surroundings I was glad I decided on taking this route. Many false summits had me plodding upward forever. The icy north east wind made me glad I had bought that new jacket in Brecon. I'd have struggled without it. 

Bleak, windswept, unmissable. The moorland road to Dolfor

Eventually the road did take a permanent downward track and I pootled around to The Old Vicarage at Dolfor, my home for the night. The cold descent had started my extremities tingling; I was ready for warm shelter and hot food.

Belly-warming

Another cyclist-host-with-secure-storage showed me to the  large garage. After settling in I was treated to a hearty dinner and a bach Penderyn Whiskey (pardon my Welsh!) in front of another cosy fireplace.

Feet-warming

Cockle-warming

Route: Day 2

Day 3: Dolfor to Runcorn

Ready for the off on Sunday morning.

After a couple of hours riding up the A483 the traffic was becoming heavy. Unfortunately the good people of mid-Wales don't treat themselves to much of a lie in on a Sunday morning. Not when the sky is blue anyway. 

I had set off at ten past eight that morning, after eating as much as I could of the quality breakfast offerings at The Old Vicarage. In the biting north-easterly that was still blowing, I was glad I had.

I stopped for a rest in a gateway near Lynclys and decided it was time to leave the main road and navigate the small lanes north-west towards Runcorn, right into the teeth of the wind. 

Near Lynclys: My Ridgeback Platinum

They were terrific country lanes to ride and quiet with just an occasional tractor to avoid. I stopped for lunch at a crossroads in a patchwork of little lanes; the surrounding high hedgerows gave shelter from the still-biting wind.

Twilight Zone BEWARE!

Duddleston Heath. Duddleston Heath. Duddleston Heath. After lunch I went round in circles, lost in the matrix. I kept arriving at the same place over and over.  I've forgotten it's name now thankfully. I'm over it! 

I was frustrated and  more than a bit fed up, feeling as if I had been spliced into the best-ever episode of the Twilight Zone. The one where Patrick McGoohan always arrives back at the same place, whichever road he takes. (Note: idea for sci fi script!).

I should've known, if I was not riding into the teeth of the arctic breeze I was going the wrong way. It was starting to adversely affect my thinking.

Eventually I got myself back on track and things were about to take a turn for the better, for a while at least!

Two Mills (Wirral) CTC Early Spring Challenge is a 50 mile (or 50km option) ride that was awarded the title "Best Cycling Event for 2019" by Cycling UK. I quite agree, I took part in it. Well I took part in some of it. Approaching Bangor-on-Dee I became aware of a number of groups of cyclists on the road and I was naturally subsumed into the event. 

I locked onto a slower moving bunch and when a faster lot went by, I took the opportunity to make up for some lost time. The event riders finished at Farndon but I had to keep heading across towards Runcorn. I'm sure they would not have begrudged a fellow CTC member a slice of cake  and cup of coffee, but I decided against calling in to the hall.

My paper road map had worked well in the remote corners of The Brecon Beacons, where concrete is rare. As I entered the more urban environs I had problems. Not all villages with a road sign are named on the map. Not all places named on the map have a road sign for them. I got lost trying to find Frodsham, a confusing road-sign, that may have been misaligned, did not help. I was getting tired by then too.

Back on track

The A54 became my escape route and I then got back on track passing north through Delamere Forest. I arrived at Runcorn around 7pm only to find the old road bridge there all boarded up. I was intending to cross the Mersey and ride up to Liverpool. The new bridge further up river was an option, but when I got to Runcorn Station I called it a day. Ride over. Taff to Mersey 2019 (tick!).

Sigh!!!!!

Route: Day 3