At the bottom we only had a mile or
so of road left before our return
so of road left before our return
| |||||||||
I was just about to leave my house when the phone rang. It was Lee. Being very keen he’d turned up in
Glyn Ceiriog early and found our usual car park fenced off because of building work. It could have caused
a problem but he’d found a car park at the community centre, which to be honest was much better than the
old one. There was even a little café in the community centre. The owner told us we could order tea and
bacon sandwiches next time if we phoned up before hand.
Glyn Ceiriog early and found our usual car park fenced off because of building work. It could have caused
a problem but he’d found a car park at the community centre, which to be honest was much better than the
old one. There was even a little café in the community centre. The owner told us we could order tea and
bacon sandwiches next time if we phoned up before hand.
The start of the ride soon stopped
when I checked my camera pocket
and found it empty, which meant a
quick dash back to the car. After
that brief interlude I did my usual
and took everyone up a long
climb. Getting the climb out of the
way early had its benefits, as the
sun hadn’t burned the mist off the
temperature hadn’t risen too
much. Near the top we regrouped
and I got the camera out. I took a
photo of Annwen and Sabine, who
when I checked my camera pocket
and found it empty, which meant a
quick dash back to the car. After
that brief interlude I did my usual
and took everyone up a long
climb. Getting the climb out of the
way early had its benefits, as the
sun hadn’t burned the mist off the
temperature hadn’t risen too
much. Near the top we regrouped
and I got the camera out. I took a
photo of Annwen and Sabine, who
| Colin & Dave on the climb from Glyn Ceiriog, with Sabine & Annwen arriving some time afterwards, not last.....honestly |
were the last to arrive, so Annwen asked me not to put a caption on it saying anything like ‘bringing up the
rear’. As you can see I was nice and I didn’t.
At the top we had a little breather before descending down to Pandy, in the bottom of the valley. It was a
great descent that started muddy and rutted, becoming looser and rockier the lower we got. Thankfully,
unlike the last Ceiriog Valley ride, I had plenty of time to stop for the 4x4’s coming up the track, so no panic
braking this time. I even had time to radio back so everyone else could wait and get an uninterrupted run
down the second half of the trail.
rear’. As you can see I was nice and I didn’t.
At the top we had a little breather before descending down to Pandy, in the bottom of the valley. It was a
great descent that started muddy and rutted, becoming looser and rockier the lower we got. Thankfully,
unlike the last Ceiriog Valley ride, I had plenty of time to stop for the 4x4’s coming up the track, so no panic
braking this time. I even had time to radio back so everyone else could wait and get an uninterrupted run
down the second half of the trail.
| Tim, Dave & Annwen, top part of the descent to Pandy |
| Simon flying down the rocks on the top part of the descent to Pandy |
| Colin riding the larger rocks on the bottom half of the descent to Pandy |
| Neal, Sabine and Ken, bottom half of the Pandy descent |
After Pandy and a spin through the valley we reached the bottom of the hardest climb of the ride. The sun
was fully out by now which, combined with the humidity, had us dripping with sweat on the way up. At the
summit I was hallucinating about of beer. Well I thought I was, but I wasn’t. The unopened bottle of Bud,
sitting on a gatepost, turned out to be very real. As it was warm I couldn’t drink it there and then so I asked
Darren to stick it in my pack. As he couldn’t find any room for it he gallantly offered to carry it in his own
backpack......hmm.
was fully out by now which, combined with the humidity, had us dripping with sweat on the way up. At the
summit I was hallucinating about of beer. Well I thought I was, but I wasn’t. The unopened bottle of Bud,
sitting on a gatepost, turned out to be very real. As it was warm I couldn’t drink it there and then so I asked
Darren to stick it in my pack. As he couldn’t find any room for it he gallantly offered to carry it in his own
backpack......hmm.
| (above/right) Neal, Lee, John & Colin climbing from Tregeiriog |
(left) Ken & (above)
Jason climbing from
Tregieriog
Jason climbing from
Tregieriog
| (right) Simon & (below) John, Darren & Lee at the top of the Tregeiriog climb |
The descent that followed was a great pay
back for the climb we had just endured. As it
was dry the off camber slate gave as much
grip as it ever would. This led to higher
speeds so it was still sketchy, especially for
Darren and Neal, who reached the drop at the
bottom going a bit too fast. By shouting
back for the climb we had just endured. As it
was dry the off camber slate gave as much
grip as it ever would. This led to higher
speeds so it was still sketchy, especially for
Darren and Neal, who reached the drop at the
bottom going a bit too fast. By shouting
expletives and pulling faces they managed to
get their bikes pointing away from the drop and
saved themselves from a nasty crash.
Up the next climb Lee showed off his skills by
riding the steep grassy field where the rest of
us were pushing. He got much further than
expected, especially given the heat. His
exploits tired us all out so we stopped for a
break at the top of the fields. It was here we met
two riders coming down the track we still had to
climb. They turned out to be Dutch and on
get their bikes pointing away from the drop and
saved themselves from a nasty crash.
Up the next climb Lee showed off his skills by
riding the steep grassy field where the rest of
us were pushing. He got much further than
expected, especially given the heat. His
exploits tired us all out so we stopped for a
break at the top of the fields. It was here we met
two riders coming down the track we still had to
climb. They turned out to be Dutch and on
holiday, which gave Sabine chance
to practice speaking in her native
tongue. Everyone was impressed
by how easily she switched
languages and how I, when finding
out they were following Bike Fax
routes, seamlessly got a plug in for
my own route guides. The rest of
the climb was trickier than usual,
as we had to negotiate dense
to practice speaking in her native
tongue. Everyone was impressed
by how easily she switched
languages and how I, when finding
out they were following Bike Fax
routes, seamlessly got a plug in for
my own route guides. The rest of
the climb was trickier than usual,
as we had to negotiate dense
Neal pulling faces on the Hen Graig descent
| (above) Darren, Huw & Dave on the Hen Graig descent |
| Colin, Tim & Ken on the Hen Graig descent |
so our lower legs were
spared a flaying on the
fast descent to Clyrun.
It was the first ride on my
new Evo8 frame after the
demise of my P7. Halfway
round I’d noticed my rear
mech wasn’t hanging
straight and had to bend
the cage away from the
wheel, while making a
mental note to order a
new one when I got
home. On the next climb
disaster struck. I went
spared a flaying on the
fast descent to Clyrun.
It was the first ride on my
new Evo8 frame after the
demise of my P7. Halfway
round I’d noticed my rear
mech wasn’t hanging
straight and had to bend
the cage away from the
wheel, while making a
mental note to order a
new one when I got
home. On the next climb
disaster struck. I went
patches of thistles. They were confined to the climb though,
| A Steep push up through the fields on Gryn Moelfre |
| Huw with no friends and Sabine with lots riding across Gryn Moelfre |
So that was a few spokes and a new mech hanger to
added to the shopping list. Having just bought the frame
I hadn’t had time to get a spare hanger, so I had to try and
cobble a singlespeed together. What ever I tried it just
didn’t work and I was reduced to pushing and ‘Like-a-
Biking’ my way up the climb. Tim, being a kind fellow, had
a double puncture on the next descent that gave me time
to catch up. After that there was a road section where I
could ride as the lack of bumps allowed the chain to stay
in place, most of the time.
The big piles of logs should have given us an indication
of what to expect next, as we made our way towards the
last descent. Instead of a loose rocky track the logging
equipment had turned it into a churned up muddy mess.
It didn’t stop us flying downhill though, it just meant we
added to the shopping list. Having just bought the frame
I hadn’t had time to get a spare hanger, so I had to try and
cobble a singlespeed together. What ever I tried it just
didn’t work and I was reduced to pushing and ‘Like-a-
Biking’ my way up the climb. Tim, being a kind fellow, had
a double puncture on the next descent that gave me time
to catch up. After that there was a road section where I
could ride as the lack of bumps allowed the chain to stay
in place, most of the time.
The big piles of logs should have given us an indication
of what to expect next, as we made our way towards the
last descent. Instead of a loose rocky track the logging
equipment had turned it into a churned up muddy mess.
It didn’t stop us flying downhill though, it just meant we
for a low gear and the mech caught the spokes, ripping the mech hanger off.
| Sabine & Lee, (above right) Darren & (below right) Jason, Gryn Moelfre descent |
received a good coating
of sludge for our efforts.
That was until were
stopped by a group out
pony trekking. Thinking
of the others I followed
the horses down until
they reached a point
where they felt
comfortable letting us
past, then radioed back
so everyone could enjoy
as much as the descent
as possible. I’m nice like
that.
of sludge for our efforts.
That was until were
stopped by a group out
pony trekking. Thinking
of the others I followed
the horses down until
they reached a point
where they felt
comfortable letting us
past, then radioed back
so everyone could enjoy
as much as the descent
as possible. I’m nice like
that.
| (left) Lee & Dave (right) Sabine, Annwen & John on the Bwlchydonge climb |
Lee arriving at Llechrydau Farm
| (above) Annwen (right) Ken on the Spring Hill descent |
(left) Huw on the
Spring Hill descent
Spring Hill descent
(below) Lee & Simon near the horses
| (above) Darren and Lee on the Spring Hill descent |
to Glyn Ceiriog. By this time I had was sick of my singlespeed jumping gears, so Lee kindly offered to tow
me back. I don’t think he felt the burden, there was a cold pint with his name on waiting in Glyn Valley Hotel.
Directions for this ride can be found in my route guides.
me back. I don’t think he felt the burden, there was a cold pint with his name on waiting in Glyn Valley Hotel.
Directions for this ride can be found in my route guides.
| A Oneplanet Adventure Shop Ride by www.flattyresmtbroutes.com |