After Saturday’s epic ride by name and by nature, I took yesterday off the bike feeling pretty sore, tight, chafed and any other complaint a cyclist can usually come up with after a hard ride. I did manage to clean my bike however, and go for a walk around the 2.5 acres of woodland on my doorstep.
I’m now enjoying a converted milk parlour for the rest of the week just inland from Cardigan and a base to explore the area on the bike. I think I’ve dropped lucky with the weather. Most of the UK will be bathing in the high 20’s sunshine this week which is nice for a holiday but not so fun for cycling so the tempered mid-20’s temps forecast for west Wales will suit me just fine.
I woke upto birdsong but it was overcast and bit too cool to sit outside with my morning coffee so I consumed a big breakfast instead. A trio of Weetabix with a side of banana and two rounds of thick, brown toast. Nom.
I did a bit of route-planning and as the morning dragged on the sunshine came out which was my cue to get changed and get out on the bike. I tried to keep things simple as I expected to have sore legs still from Saturday so I plotted a 36 mile route out to Cardigan and back tracking NCN 82 down the Teifi Valley.
I left just before 11am and after a downhill start realised the arm warmers were going to be coming off at some point as it was pretty warm in the direct sunshine. The traffic-free, single track lanes were great but I could see the verges were freshly cut so I expected to meet the culprit shortly and true to form, up a steep hill, after Newcastle Emlyn, the tractor was reversing back at me. Fair play to the driver though, he just went forward a few yards and pulled over on a tight corner so I could squeeze through. Farmers round my neck of the woods could learn a bit from that attitude to other road users.
After the first big climb of the day, where amazing views peaked through the trees, I shot down a steep descent to a main road where I stumbled on Cenarth Falls. I stopped to take some pics and made a mental note of the cafe for later in the week and carried on over the amazing old bridge.
I was tracking NCN Route 82 now which, in parts, runs aside the River Teifi. At Llechryd I took a minor detour over the old bridge to see the river and realised it was where I nearly booked an alternative cottage for the week. It was just over the road. Small world.
I continued to Track NCN Route 82 which eventually picked up a traffic-free shared path through a nature reserve that took me to the outskirts of Cardigan. There were a few pedestrians. I didn’t have a bell but my loud freehub from freewheeling was enough to alert them and give them time to make way.
My route through Cardigan town centre needed a minor detour as signs pointed out the road layout had changed. Looked like they’d made some streets one-way but it was simple enough to ride around and pick the route backup on the way out.
I crossed the main A487 and after a short stretch of quiet A484 I took the B-road to Newscastle Emlyn which delivered on elevation. Nothing super steep, just long draggy power climbs giving way to spectacular views across the Teifi Valley (and the odd superfast descent).
After a fast descent I was back in Newcastle Emlyn but progress was temporarily tempered as I followed a car for a stretch hellbent on not going over 15mph. If you can’t drive just don’t. It’s a simple fix. The B-road from here was a rare flatter section and in the shade which was welcomed and then the last, long climb of the day back upto my digs beckoned.
The climb seemed to go up in sections and I stopped when I saw a shetland pony in a small field. I called him (or her) and it just looked at me confused then as I was about to leave it made some horsey noise and trotted over to meet me.
I carried on climbing up to my last turn for home and enjoyed the last half-mile descent back to base to finish a testing 2.5 hrs + 60km.
The legs were tired but I hope it was enough to loosen them up for more later this week
