Welsh Ride Thing

Score:

95 miles (65% pushing)
11 dead sheep
1 dead frog
1 bollocking off a farmer
3 Bacon rolls
Lots of pints of beer
13600ft of ups
2 Slug attacks!

So weeks obsessing about kit, pouring over maps, buying stuff I didn’t need and faffing on the internet came to a head on Saturday morning for my inaugural Welsh Ride Thing.

The weather looked dirty but I didn’t care I’d been looking forward to this for weeks.

Day 1



Arrived just about on time after a fairy brisk 40 min drive. (We set off late as we couldn't get the routes onto the GPS) Saw a couple of familiar faces, won some socks, yay! and then off we went.

Stage 1 Map
So out of the gate an off to get the 1st checkpoint(A6), bagged it, photo's it and off we went.

Stage 2 Map
In our eagerness to get to A10 we went a bit wrong, so we had to double back up the hill. Met DNF at the gate who’d had 2 mechanicals already.

Stage 3 Map
Next up A9, a few brutal hills but with fresh legs we were up them in no time and doing okay.

Stage 4 Map
Over to Machynlleth and then up "The big one" up Tarren Hendre.

Now it should be noted at this point (being a WRT virgin) when planning the route if I could avoid tarmac by bridleway I did. I thought that why ride on road when you don't have to. This was to be a very bad idea and after a nice bit bridleway we ended up on a very crappy muddy track, the gate was bail twined shut with knot and after a push we found 4 dead sheep.

Eventually we rolled into Machynlleth only to see riders we had passed ages ago just finishing their Fish & Chips. Looking at the queue for Fish & Chips we decided stock up with water and a pasty at the SPA before attacking Tarren Hendreand (B1).

We took the shorter steeper route to the top, this proved to be very hard work and it was starting to get late, 8pm (ish), knowing we risked running out of light we were in two minds whether to stop or just get our heads down and go for it. The lure of The Railway at Abergynolwyn was too strong though, to the top we headed.

On the way up at about 550m we passed some nutters setting up camp on the side of the hill.

We topped Tarren Hendre at about 9pm with failing light. Not a great patch.



Stage 5 Map
Right, now to get down? Well that was fun! and a bit scary in the dark but we got to the pub at Abergynolwyn with a 1000yard stare and into the pub.

A bit of local knowledge and quick ride along the tracks and we set up camp in Nant Gwernol station, which if we ignore the organised pincer movement Slug attack, proved to be a most comfortable spot.



Day 2
Up nice a early, bit of porridge, bit of faffing and we were off. Up over the hill to the back of Bird Rock and now in bit a Wales I know pretty well but sticking too my rule that if there is a bridleway we should use it rather than tarmac.

What a massive balls up! We we’re on Sustrans route 8, the next check point was on route 8 but for some reason I thought that deviating off it would be a good idea. It wasn’t, it was a proper dumb idea. If Sustrans deem it not good enough for a bike it isn’t. 2-3km push and a lesson learnt.

Next up though was the highlight of the weekend, a massive wind (SSW) blowing us all the way to B2 and onto B3. (2 quick Bacon butties in Dolgellau first though)

Stage 6 Map
Just before B3 we saw 2 guys who celebrated getting the checkpoint with a Pasty and can of Cider. Totally the right idea.

Stage 7 Map
Didn’t like the cars! Too fast, too close.

Stage 8 Map
Then over the tops to Corris. At the top of Corris met a fellow northern chap with a bevy of women in tow (good odds if it got cold) chatted for a minute or two about clown bikes and we headed off for cakes at Corris craft centre.
Thinking I knew where we were like the back of my hand of course I took us the wrong way down the hill, by the time I realised my error we at the foot of the Cli-machx trail and figured it would rude not to while we were there.

Due to our (my) navigation cock up we then skipped A7 and bagged 2,4,16 and headed to the pub in Cemmaes. Seemed to be a popular spot. A few opted for the beer garden, a couple in a camp-site and we headed for the Children’s playground.

Stage 9 - Skipped

Stage 10 Map

Stage 11 Map
Washed our legs in a stream, passed some Tipis and Yurts, very tired.

Day 3
A rainy night but kept warm and dry and back to the pub for breakfast rolls, ablutions and coffee!



Stage 12 Map

Off we set and we soon had a bit of gathering at A1 although many opted to use the post at the bottom as the checkpoint rather than this tree.


Stage 13 Map

Just one more checkpoint to go and sod's law we got a right bollocking off a farmer. (even though we were on a bridleway-ish) “Bloody hundreds of bikes this weekend, I’m sick of it! All my sheep are getting mixed up!” not sure what he meant but we apologised, said sorry and went on our way. Down a track made of the slippyest rock know to science and all that was left was to yomp back down a nice back road on tarmac.

Legs empty we rolled back for tea and cakes.

Had a fantastic time, the weather didn’t bother us. Will plan it better next time but will definitely do it again.