Yesterday was my big ride of the week. I’d decided to nail a couple of cycling numbers I occasionally aspire to achieve on my rides. 100km + 2000m elevation. A decent day out wherever you ride.
I set out just before 9.30am and there was a real chill in the air. Under 10 degs. The roads were damp. Wet in places from overnight rain and a quick sprinkle while I was getting ready. Gilet + arm warmers were definitely required and Iooking at the weather forecast it was due to improve later on so I opted to not take a cape this time. Something I almost regretted.
The ride up the valley to Abergewsyn was familiar now. A decent height gain with a couple of downhills to keep things interesting. The village is 5 miles from where I’m staying but it just doesn’t feel that far.
I retraced my route to the foot of the Devil’s staircase. I’ve wanted to ride it for 25+ years and then I climb it twice in 3 days. The headwind up the valley was pretty strong and was easy to push on a bit too hard and burn some matches so I had to temper my effort.
The climb was no easier. It felt steeper if anything and a car speeding past near the top just inches from my arm didn’t help. I hoped they’d be stopped further on admiring the views so I could have a ‘chat’ but no luck.
The descent was steep and fast. Great vision ahead here right to the bottom so you can let the brakes go if nothing is coming and then it was onto the mountain road to Tregaron. The descent continued to the foot of the valley crossing a stream that feeds Llyn Brianne. This gave way to another climb on a par with the staircase. Steep, hairpins but no trees so you had great views behind. As the road snaked it’s way up on top I noticed how cold it was. Even working hard on the climb wasn’t enough to feel warm. Moody clouds were rolling in from the NW. A bit further on the climb opens up across moorland, open to the elements and drops to a junction with a random, old school red phone box. The climb from here was another super steep one. First hairpin done and then a couple of white pellets rolled across the tarmac in front of me. Hail! I looked up and a dirty cloud was just off to my right. I was cold. I had no cape and I had no choice but to just keep going just hoping it didn’t rain or hail or if it did I didn’t have far before I began the decsent to Tregaron. Luckily it did hold off and the sun came out but I did think I’d dodged a bullet.
On the descent to Tregaron you could physically feel the air warm up helped by a bit of sunshine on my back. On one fast section I approached a house and a car poked it’s nose out of the driveway and then just pulled out on me. I was staggered. I think the lady driving was a bit surprised to see me up her chuff out of nowhere. I suspect she just didn’t look and despite me muttering some naughty words under my breath she did pull over and let me pass a little further on.
Tregaron is a nice little village with an imposing church that sits in an elevated position but I was in and out in the blink of an eye. Onto a flattish part of the route now to Llandewi Breffi. Who remembers that from Little Britain? The village was eerily quiet. Nobody about apart from a couple of dogs barking.
The next climb back over the mountains starts straight out of the village. A nice gentle gradient to a left turn and then I was treated to carpet-like tarmac all the way to the top. Quite a long climb. A steady gradient peppered with the odd steep pitch it was a gem of a find. With a tailwing helping me, it topped out through forest before dropping down the other side on a road that wasn’t as good a surface but still pretty straight and fast. An awesome climb + the sun was out taking the chill off over the top.
It was a faster ride down the valley now along a sinuey narrow lane only spoiled by a couple of speeding drivers around blind bends. It seems to be a thing here fuelled by a lack of traffic and complacency.
I eventually ended up in a place called Ffarmers. Ironic given that’s almost the only thing arounds. A left here gave way to an unexpected steep climb up over a hill with a testing 25% descent the other side, riding through a couple of quiet farmyards en route too.
At Cwrt -y-cadno, I hit an unexpected T-junction on a steep downhill just as a logging truck came thundering past. They don’t hang about. I assume the elevated driver position giving them a good view ahead. Or they’re just reckless lol. I had to stop so it could pass but when I squeezed my brakes a bit harder my rear wheel locked up. I checked my tyre because GP5000’s aren’t too heavy on rubber but all seemed ok, just a mark. I think it was just a bit of loose gravel.
Left I followed a valley road which was clearly infrequently used. The surface varied and tracked a small river before climbing away and then dropping down a tree covered lane to a junction by a pub and cool bridge over the River Towi.
Across the bridge, it was a short climb to the main Llyn Brianne road and the long steady climb back upto the dam. I was tracking north again now and back into the stiff headwind. The climb was much longer than the descent I’d done on Monday. It’s quite open too and the sun actually made me quite hot for the first time on the ride. As I topped out a convoy of motorcyclists caught me up but I was just about to ride the long descent so I pushed on here and used all the road to enjoy a traffic-free descent. The motorbikes passed me on the next climb while I slogged back up the valley to the head of the reservoir. The wind was pretty strong and, for the first time, saw a couple of cyclists going the other way.
My last big test was the Devil’s Staircase from the other side. The barman in the pub had said people say it’s harder from that side so I was inrigued to see. The legs felt ok but my back was complaining a bit. When you hit the wide junction at the bottom (so logging lorries can turn wide left) the road literally just kicks up straight in front of you. You pass a 25% sign then you hit the first ramp. Steep but it does level off a touch for a few yards and a breather but then its straight up and unrelenting with no real bends to break it up. It’s 50/50 whether it’s harder from that side. I had 50 miles and lots of climbing in my legs by now so it was hard but it’s a different type of climb so hard to say.
I took it easy down the staircase as the bends have loose gravel but with a nice big tailwind down the valley I pushed on pretty hard and covered that section in no time.
At Abergwesyn all I had was a short, final 15% kicker then a descent down the valley to finish.
All done I’d bagged a shade over 100km and 2100m of climbing in all weathers. Job done.
Last night Sally and I went to the pub for some food and it turned out to be bingo night! The barman advised to sit somewhere else before all the locals pile in. So we sat in the corner out of the way. Food done, the bingo crowd piled in as predicted. We didn’t have any cash for the game so the barman stood us a tenner for a game. I’d forgotten how much fun bingo was and Sally won twice. A line and full house enabling us to pay the barman back! Then as quick as they came in the local bingo posse left at the end. No hanging around.
We went home and Sally tried out her firestarting skills in the log burner before bed.
Another day off off today.
Adios.