Twin Peaks: The Bwlch & Rhigos

I had to see for myself why they call these the Welsh Alps!
I have climbed both of these legendary mountain passes individually, but not back-to-back — on a single day. It just happened that the temperature maxed out at nearly 30°c (86°f), making it one of the hottest days of the year as well.
OVERVIEW
Twin Peaks: The Bwlch & Rhigos
Date: June 28, 2018
Distance: 83.0 mi. / 133.58 km
Elevation: +5,803 ft / -5,803 ft
Duration: 7 hrs, 36 mins.
Cyclists throughout Wales speak respectfully about these two beasts. They've been included on the Tour de France, the Tour of Britain, and currently make up a section of the Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales.

Folks often refer to this part of the Rhondda Valleys as "Little Switzerland" and it's a fair description. The landscapes are vast and the views are spectacular. It doesn't take long for any visitor to see why this part of the Welsh Valleys is so legendary.
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. All of the photographs have been re-edited and where needed, the text has been re-edited for context and clarity.
Thumbnail / Modal Viewer - Before I begin, I want to clarify that this site and most all of my reports are designed to be viewed on a computer or tablet screen, ie NOT on a mobile phone. Also, you will find that I've incorporated a new image viewer for this report. These "modal viewers" are a bit of experiment using javascript and CSS, but I hope they better showcase the large number of photos included in this report.
Time for a little break along the old road in Llantrisant...
This was a big day for me. I stopped often as you might glean from the amount of photos included in my report. I should have left the house earlier than seven, because it was 21°c. by the time I reached Blackmill. Then as I was climbing the Rhigos, my Garmin recorded the temp. at 33°c., making it officially the hottest day of the year.
Oakdale to Nantymoel
I began by riding down the Rhymney Valley to Pontypridd where I then continued across to Church Village and Llantrisant. It's an easy-breazy 25 mile warm-up ride along quiet lanes and traffic-free cycle paths. It's a great route to start the day. You may have read about this section previously in my post about cycling The Bwlch.
From Llantrisant the route becomes a bit rougher in places as it climbs to the Ogwr Fach River valley. This short section west of Thomastown leads to one of the most isolated sections of NCN Route 4... and one of my favourites.
It's a significant climb to the top, but it's shaded under a thick canopy of trees. It can be tricky if you encounter a car, but folks are friendly, always smile, and wave hello.
Then surprisingly, you just pop out of the woods onto a vast ridge. There's nothing much up here but sheep, a few wind turbines, and brilliant scenery. What more could a wandering cyclist ask for?
Note: At this point, having shot fewer than 100 photos, the battery died in my Sony camera. Pretty frustrating... I've not yet reached one of my destinations and I'm going to have to rely upon my Samsung camera phone... Urgh.
At Blackmill I left NCN Route 4 and joined NCN Route 883 heading north through Ogmore Vale to Nantymoel. This will be the last cycle path before the ride changes... in a big way.
By the time I reached sleepy Nantymoel I had cycled just under 40 miles. Folks smile and wave hello. Cyclists are a common site along here.
The Bwlch
There are three ways to climb the Bwlch and each has it's own character. This is the southern route; the shortest and perhaps the easiest. However, the first mile climbs nearly 600 feet at an average grade of 7%. That small achievement gets you half way.
This horseshoe bend (image above) is just the second turn of three you'll make to reach the summit. I stopped here to clamber along the hillside for the photo.
A short photo break is a well-deserved reward after reaching the bend. Of course, looking back to see how much you've climbed is pretty rewarding as well. But then, looking up the road is a rather sobering sight.
Yeah, I'm that guy standing along side the road risking life and limb to take a few pointless photos of rocks. Several cyclists have passed me now and I have to admit I'm impressed with their strength... not so much with mine.
Looking back down the Ogmore Valley... It is a fabulous day. I cycled all the way up here and you can too! It astounds me how easily it is see such vistas. I am so very lucky to live in Wales.
Then passing through a deep cut in the rocks near the summit, the Rhondda Valley just explodes before you... you could never had guessed. Stunning, breathtaking... gorgeous.

You can clearly see the how the lack of rain has affected the countryside. This valley is much more brown and dry. But now folks, it's time for a fast ride!
For more photos and an extensive write-up on cycling up the western side; be sure to check out my ride report at Ride with GPS: The Bwlch.
At the end of the road, I turned up into Cwmparc - just to see the mountains from within the village. I find these small villages nestled in such dramatic landscapes fascinating. It's surprisingly quiet and embodies the charm of living in "The Valleys".

Women stand in their front gardens hanging laundry and casually chat across the road. Doors and windows are open. Children hop the walls and dart between parked cars. They all pause as they see me coming; then smile and wave happily as only children do... the girls giggling and blushing, then the boys bold with bravado run along beside me and ask "where ya going mister?" One lad with bright clear eyes, just looks and says softly; "nice bike".
The Rhigos
Leaving Cwmparc, it's a short ride up through Treorchy and Treherbert to the base of Rhigos Mountain. I have to admit too that I love this area. It feels as if it's been lost to time. I wonder what has changed in the past twenty years?

It's quiet here. You can hear a car coming along the road from a surprising distance. Otherwise, it's just your tyres rolling over the tarmac and the wind. As I head for my next climb, I've cycled just over 50 miles now.
Looking across the valley toward the little village of Blaencwm. There's an old rail tunnel up there that's been buried for 40 years. A local group is working hard to have it re-opened for walking and cycling use. The tunnel was originally built for the coal industry as it connects the Rhondda Valley directly to the Afan Valley on the other side. It then runs down to Neath/Port Talbot and on to Swansea. Having it open again for tourism will bring a much needed boost to the local economy - for a mostly impoverished community. Read more about this exciting project at: The Rhondda Tunnel Society.
The A4061 is the only road north out of town. It's roughly eight miles from Treherbet over the Rhigos to the eastern valley; the Afon Cynon.
Meanwhile, I climb. It's much warmer now. I'm going slow enough to see sweat drip from my face, hit the road and make a short-lived wet spot. My tyres crunch across loose bits of gravel and I can read the print on a discarded candy wrapper. I've got 4 mph pegged.
But man, it's pretty. I look over my right shoulder and just soak it in. I think to myself; "I'm here... doing this now." And as I write this; I long to be there again.
Reaching the top is no mean feat. Averaging a grade of 5%, it's not terribly steep. Some sections however; hit more than 12%. It's not the grade that you really feel; it's the length that you suffer as it lasts over 4.3 miles. It just goes on and on. But once you reach the top, it's wonderful. Your eyes will thank you (as will your legs!)

Then I discovered something interesting. I'm a sucker for history and stop at road markers religiously. Just read this short bit: Iron Age Settlement in the Rhondda. Pretty darn cool.

At the top, just around a bend, there's a car park with picnic tables, and on this day; even an ice cream truck has pulled over in a lay-by. As I was wandering about taking photos, another cyclist rode up to me. He too was dripping with sweat, and clearly loving the day out. "Just gotta stay hydrated"; he exclaimed with a wide smile.

He then went on to explain that he was also riding both the Bwlch and Rhigos. His trick, however; was that once in Hirwaun, he was going to turn around and come back the other way. Essentially, riding the Bwlch and Rhigos twice in one day. Not only was he doubling what I had done, but to top it off, he casually added that then he was going into work... for an eight-hour night shift. Urgh!
But I was not going to let his friggin' super-human efforts diminish my ride! I was having a lovely day and had a exciting ride down the mountain ahead of me. Time for photos, time to reflect and enjoy the day. I ride for a different reason.
So with that thought, I was down the road, heading for home. I am a lucky boy indeed. This tiny little country is so cute and grand at the same time. Its landscape is rough and rugged and soft and quiet. What was once dominated by coal mining; perhaps the worst industry to put upon a landscape - now shows the power of nature and re-birth.
SUMMARY
Twin Peaks: The Bwlch & Rhigos
This was quite a day. Not only was the weather spectacular, but so was the scenery. I couldn't have asked for anything better and now I know why they call these two mountains the Welsh Alps. If you haven't cycled these two legendary climbs, I suggest you give it a go... they are well worth the effort.

This was not my biggest day of climbing, but it was certainly one of my hardest. It will take awhile for me to recover, but I'm sure I'll be back to cycle these again (maybe not both on the same day though?)
A great, great day of cycling. It was sunny all day with temperatures hovering around 25°c (77°f).
As I mentioned at the start of this report; this is an updated version with most all of the text and images re-edited to fit this larger layout.
I hope you enjoyed my report and thanks for reading!

Seeya down the road... Cheers! - cm
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