An overnight cycling adventure with the Kingfishers
UPDATED!
- 2012 -
It was during my first year cycling with the Kingfishers when they invited me to join them on three-day cycle adventure up through Mid-Wales and across the Brecon Beacons National Park to the land of Welsh Kings.
OVERVIEW
Land of Discovery: Llandovery
Date: August 19th, 20th, & 21st, 2012
Distance: 167.1 mi. / 268.92 km
Elevation: + 10,924 / - 9,425 ft
Distance: 167.1 mi. / 268.92 km
Elevation: + 10,924 / - 9,425 ft
Our plan was simple; we'd meet in Pontypool on the morning of the first day and cycle to Llandovery. We'd spend the second day cycle touring the area of Llandovery, and then on the third day, we'd simply cycle back home.
We'd booked rooms in the Castle Hotel in Llandovery where we'd also have our breakfasts and dinners. Coffees, lunches, and snacks we'd have on the road. There was no need for tents or cooking gear; all we needed to carry was our clothes. Easy-peazy.
We'd booked rooms in the Castle Hotel in Llandovery where we'd also have our breakfasts and dinners. Coffees, lunches, and snacks we'd have on the road. There was no need for tents or cooking gear; all we needed to carry was our clothes. Easy-peazy.
2026 UPDATE: This is an updated version of a previously posted Ride Report. As part of my ongoing redesign of this website, each feature from "Rides to Remember" will be re-formatted to accomodate the new larger page layout.
At the time of this ride, I was using a first generation Samsung Smartphone/camera. I set the lens at wide-angle and let the camera do the rest automatically. Considering it was a "point-and-click" event, I am quite surprisied at how many of the images came out. However, I have since gone back and re-edited the originals for exposure and size. Additionally, the text has been re-edited for context and clarity where needed.
At the time of this ride, I was using a first generation Samsung Smartphone/camera. I set the lens at wide-angle and let the camera do the rest automatically. Considering it was a "point-and-click" event, I am quite surprisied at how many of the images came out. However, I have since gone back and re-edited the originals for exposure and size. Additionally, the text has been re-edited for context and clarity where needed.
In 2012 I was using Map My Ride to manually create maps to document the routes I had cycled. At that time there was no practical method to actually embed those maps into a website/blog. (I could only provide links to the external application.) However, I soon discovered Ride w/ GPS along with the Garmin Edge and the rest is history. For this updated report, I've used Ride w/ GPS to re-create those earlier map(s) and subsequently embed them here.
DAY ONE
Pontypool to Llandovery
Distance: 64.3 mi. / 103.48 km
Elevation: +3,381 ft / -3,922 ft
Elevation: +3,381 ft / -3,922 ft
On Tuesday, August 21st, John, Brian, Graham, and I met just outside Pontypool Park in New Inn. Then with all our panniers loaded, and excitment in our hearts, we set out for adventure to the small town north-west of Brecon along the River Tywi in the county of Carmarthenshire.
Having only cycled with these fellas for a few months, I was still learning their ways. Stopping for photographs and/or having their picture taken was something new for them and I found myself having to make a conserted effort to get them to stop.
Case in point; we had cycled 30 miles to the town of Brecon before I got another photo!
Soon after leaving Brecon it began to rain, so we all stopped to put on our rain gear and have our first snack of the day. My wife had made us some of her famous cycling treats... "How ya like them cookie bars, boys?"
It rained on and off for the remainder of the day, (also hindering my photography!), but by the time we finally pulled into Llandovery, the skies were beginning to clear. And after ±50 miles, these guys were still chipper too! I, on the otherhand, was completely wiped out.
We checked into the hotel, cleaned ourselves up in time for dinner and then crashed out. No one even felt like having a pint in the pub. It had me a long wet day.
DAY TWO
Llandovery to Llnwrtyd Wells Loop
Distance: 40.3 mi. / 64.85 km
Elevation: +3,268 ft / -3,267 ft
Elevation: +3,268 ft / -3,267 ft
We awoke on the next day bright-eyed and excited again. We didn't have nearly as big of a day planned with only cycling ±40 miles (and without our heavy panniers!) Unfortunately though, the weather did not look too promising.
John was the only one of us who was familiar with the area and as usual, he was our leader. We left Llandovery heading north up the old drovers road toward Cil-y-cwm, a quaint little community dating back to the Roman Era. However, Bronze Age cairns and standing stones dating back 5,000 years, can be found on nearby hills.
This area of Wales is sparcely populated and the countryside remains mostly agricultural. The road was exceptionally quiet and relatively flat as it followed the River Towy to our next stop in Rhandirmwyn.
Graham offers his infallible advice, whilst Brian listens skeptically.
We crossed over the River Towy on the historic bridge in Rhandirmwyn, turned north again toward the Gwenffrwd-Dinas Nature Reserve and then the rain began.
And not long after the rain had started, so did the climbing...
The roads remained quiet and despite the hard and very wet cycling, the views were lovely. Up and down, and up and down; we climbed and climbed.
I was relatively new to this rolling Welsh countryside and the other fellas were much better climbers. I often found myself getting left far behind.
Nearing the top of massive hill, the rain stopped and it looked as if the weather was going to improve. When I finally caught up with them again at the bottom of the next hill, I found them wrestling our of their rain gear.
We had cycled roughly 15 miles since leaving Llandovery, slowly snaking our way north-easterly toward the Llyn Brianne Reservoir, when we stumbled upon a small picnic area along the roadside. As the unofficial leader, John declared this to be the perfect place and time for a lunch break (image below). Wet and hungry; no one argued.
Brian inspects his bike (image above) whilst Graham misunderstands me when I ask him to turnaround so that I can take his picture (image below)... "No, ya crazy knucklehead... I want to take YOUR picture." Urgh.
We got back on the road after a short lunch break, refueled and excited to be cycling again. "Innocence is bliss"; for we had no idea what laid ahead.
The road climbed and we pedaled on. The rain came down and we pedaled on. We came to a massive hill, which at a 16% incline, nearly broke me, but we continued on.
Nearing the top of the next hill, I stopped to look back and was awestruck.
Nearing the top of the next hill, I stopped to look back and was awestruck.
Then through the rain and mist we finally got our first glimpse of the reservoir itself... and it was mind-blowing.
The rain was slashing. The other fellas were nowhere in sight, but I had to stop to take a photo of where we had cycled along the hillside overlooking the reservoir. I had never seen anything like it.
Then there was a sharp turn followed by a couple of extremely steep switchbacks heading downhill that I simply could not ride. I later learned that these "zig-zags" are in fact the legendary hill climb called "The Devil's Staircase". And at 25% incline, I have no issue with admitting that it was too steep for me to cycle down. (I have no idea how anyone could cycle up the damn thing!)
However, once I was safely down, the rain stopped and the valley that stretched out before me was magnificent. There was still no sign of my compadres, which was somewhat concerning. (They had to be further ahead... there was no where else to go!)
However, once I was safely down, the rain stopped and the valley that stretched out before me was magnificent. There was still no sign of my compadres, which was somewhat concerning. (They had to be further ahead... there was no where else to go!)
Riding on, I soon caught up with them a couple of miles further down at Abergwesyn and after a few superlatives of wonder and amazement, we pedaled away again.
The 10 miles we had just cycled from the bridge at Rhandirmwyn, up past Llyn Brianne Reservoir, then around to Abergwesyn had been some of the hardest cycling I had ever done... and too, it had been some of the most spectacular.
We left Abergwesyn for Llanwrtyd Wells 5 miles further south. Then from Llanwrtyd Wells back to Llandovery was another 10... and it poured down rain the entire way.
We left Abergwesyn for Llanwrtyd Wells 5 miles further south. Then from Llanwrtyd Wells back to Llandovery was another 10... and it poured down rain the entire way.
The roads were busy and uninteresting. All we could really do was hunker down and just pedal. Communicating was nearly impossible with the relentless swish of car tyres and the unrelenting downpour. Photography was simply out of the question. We were completely miserable and drenched by the time we pulled back into Llandovery. Graham's expression above says it all.
The rain stopped soon after we got back to the hotel and I took some time before dinner to clean up my bike. The hotel had provided us with an excellent space to store our bikes overnight, but since my Dawes was less than nine months old, I was pretty concerned about taking care of her. And of course, I couldn't resist one more gratuitous bike shot!
After cleaning ourselves up and having a wonderful meal at the hotel, we decided to wander up to the castle. There's not much left, but there is a fabulous sculpture amoungst the ruins (see my sidebar below).
The Welsh Braveheart
Scupture by Toby & Gideon Peterson; standing on the hill by the ruins of Llandovery Castle
References:
I was feeling a little bleary-eyed (as my photos show...), but it was nice to relax and hangout with the fellas after such an exhausting day.
Goodnight brave knights of Wales... we shall ride again on the morrow!
DAY THREE
Llandovery to Oakdale
Distance: 62.5 mi. / 100.58 km
Elevation: +4,275 ft / -3,735 ft
Elevation: +4,275 ft / -3,735 ft
It was a bit of a mad scramble the next morning. Graham had somehow lost his cycling shoes and put the poor girls working at the hotel to task helping him locate them. He had set them out in the hall to dry and someone on the staff had picked them up... I don't recall all the details, but it was a typical "Graham Event" that had us all scratching our heads and laughing.
Soon enough everything was sorted, but the delay meant that we didn't get on the road until nearly 11am. One of the gals working at the hotel graciously took this photo of us before we left (image below). They were all very nice and our stay was wonderful. I highly recommend the Castle Hotel in Llandovery.
The journey home was to be pretty much the same route as we came. I decided to focus on just photographing the landscapes because keeping up with the fellas was often difficult, especially stopping as much as I did.
For the most part, I would simply stop and take a photo when I saw something I liked. These were entirely new landscapes for me and I was enthralled. I was using a first generation Samsung smartphone camera set to wide-angle and let the camera do the rest... point-and-click, just experimenting.
After a couple of hours, the fellas were nowhere in site. I was completely by myself and enjoyed going at my own relaxed pace.
There's something wonderful about loosing oneself whilst riding your bicycle. I had no real sense of time or even where I was exactly... I was just riding along looking at the world around me.
I finally caught up with the fellas in Brecon (actually, they waited for me!) We decided then to join the canal path back to Pontypool. It's a longer route than following the roads, but we were all feeling the mileage by this point.
Can ya spot Graham waiting for me by the hump bridge? (image below)
Can ya spot Graham waiting for me by the hump bridge? (image below)
We had cycled about of a third of the way back (just over 22 mi.) The day had been mostly overcast and mild, but we weren't really worried about rain at this point. It just felt good to be heading home.
I got one last shot of the fellas before they were gone again. Even on the canal path, they were racing like the wind (image above).
i finished the last few miles along the canal path on my own. Once in Pontypool, I cycled out Old Forge Road to Crumlin and made my way down to Crosskeys. From there I turned north up through Sirhowy Parc, Springfield, then Blackwood and across the Chartist Bridge.
I cycled along Coalyard Rise a short distance, but as I started to climb the hill, I got off and pushed my bike the last mile into Oakdale. I came through the back gate sometime around 9pm, dog tired. It had been an eventful trip.
I cycled along Coalyard Rise a short distance, but as I started to climb the hill, I got off and pushed my bike the last mile into Oakdale. I came through the back gate sometime around 9pm, dog tired. It had been an eventful trip.
SUMMARY
Land of Discovery: Llandovery
This was my first overnight cycling adventure with the Kingfishers and I learned a few things. First, I would need to be in better condition before our next adventure (they were in far better shape than I). And secondly, I don't enjoy cycling over 60 miles with a fully loaded touring bike — especially with all the hills we climbed.
John "kickin'-it" just before the rain hit on day two...
Overall, it was a great trip. The rain was intense at times, especially on our second day, but thankfully we stayed in a hotel where we could clean ourselves up properly afterwards. I loved cycling with the fellas (even though I was far behind most of the time), but either I will carry less gear or cycle shorter distances in the future.
The scenery was fantastic and John did a great job leading our small group. Wales is simply stunning. I cannot wait to see more.
I hope you enjoyed my report and thanks for reading!
Seeya down the road... Cheers! - cm
The scenery was fantastic and John did a great job leading our small group. Wales is simply stunning. I cannot wait to see more.
I hope you enjoyed my report and thanks for reading!
Seeya down the road... Cheers! - cm
