Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

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Verena
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Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by Verena »

With John being a shy man of few words, I’ll help him out by getting started on a report from our Brecon Beacons bikepackrafting trip this weekend, and I’m sure he’ll add more and better pictures in the coming days…

Where do you start, and how do you decide, when you have just two days to show someone the best riding in your area?? The fact that packrafts were going to feature as well as bikes kind of made the choice a bit, ok a lot, easier, and I decided on The Gap and Llangorse Lake for day 1, and a loop round the hills above the lake, and the canal, for day 2.

ImageIMG_20220806_091319 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
Being well prepared as usual, I packed that morning before John arrived at my house with his camper van, and the day started with some emergency sewing on my front lawn while John faffed getting bags, rafts and paddles onto bikes. Even with my expert stitching, we would later need to enlist the help of the friendly bike shop in Talybont for some gaffa tape to hold my seat pack seams together, and between us we decided it’s time to retire it after some very good use for a good few years…
ImageIMG_20220808_080649 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

It's funny isn’t it, playing tourist in your own town? We started off by hunting down somewhere nice for breakfast in town, and I genuinely had no idea what would be open, nice, and bike friendly on a Saturday morning…. but we managed.

ImageIMG_20220806_095752 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

The Gap ride never disappoints, and especially not on a glorious sunny day.

ImageIMG_20220806_114057 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220806_114105 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220806_121250 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220806_121843 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220806_121838 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG-20220806-WA0011 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

On the other side it was time for some lunch, which we had at the very pleasant but somewhat pricey Old Barn Tearooms at Torpantau (mentioned it before, tap just inside the gate, on the right, handy water refill stop).

ImageIMG_20220806_130116 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

I think it’s fair to say John rather enjoyed the seemingly endless descent town to Talybont.
Quick guided tour of the bike hub there, ice creams and Hi! to Keith at Bikes n Hikes, and by the way have you got any gaffer tape… then popped into the Star beer garden for a swift pint of lager shandy – has to be done when in Talybont, right? We decided to head quickest way to Llangorse Lake for a later afternoon paddle, and just to illustrate how much I’m not used to daytime drinking, I got so pleasantly disorientated after that shandy that we somehow lost (!) the canal towpath and ended up on the road instead…
Contemplated some potential bivvy spot options on the way, and got kind of stuck in a small herd of incredibly cute, incredibly small, incredibly inquisitive ponies, who came right up to us and were fascinated by the yellow paddles and voile straps.

ImageIMG-20220807-WA0027 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220806_161827 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220808_061659 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

We then decided on our bivvy spot, closest to the lake and grub/ beer, goes without saying, and headed over to the lakeside, where John commenced the faffing to get ourselves ready to go on the water, briefly accompanied by heard of much bigger, hot and thirsty horses…

ImageIMG_20220806_171506 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Gorgeous paddle on the lake.

ImageIMG_20220806_173518 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220806_173424 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG-20220807-WA0029 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220806_175036 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

At some point, John started to feel somewhat deflated, so he asked me to pull up alongside him and blow into his tube. Needless to say, the hills were alive with the sound of uncontrollable giggles, punctuated by something like the sound of a strangled bagpipe everytime I blew into the tube.

ImageIMG_20220806_181512 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

After we had returned safely to shore, we went in search of food to the nearby Lakeside campsite bar, stereotypically tacky, with bingo followed by a live act…. The menu, which we had previously scouted and much to our delight looked alright and included lasagne with chips and garlic bread, had miraculous shrunk to either burger or pizza, both served in a cardboard box in the covered area round the back. We went in there complete with bikes and both rafts still inflated, and when John later folded them up, he was being watched by a toddler with a misapproving expression which reminded him of his mother-in-law.

ImageIMG_20220806_204233 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG-20220806-WA0022 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Headed over to our bivvy spot just in time for sunset, complete with fairy lights, and then we were treated for ages to groups of Canada geese circling right above us.

ImageIMG-20220807-WA0039 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

After a beautifully clear starry night, with dawn the geese were back, circling the opposite way!

ImageIMG_20220807_070908 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Morning shenanigans with haybales, obligatory, apparently.

ImageIMG-20220807-WA0025 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr


Before what we hoped would be a proper breakfast, we headed up and over our first hill, the Allt. The path up was very overgrown with nettles and brambles, which somehow only I caught. All the effort was worth it for the views from the top.

ImageIMG-20220807-WA0044 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220808_184457 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

I caught a snakebite puncture on the way down, a new one to me, and I felt rather sheepish for not having an inner tube with me…. We stopped at a corner shop which did not as google had told us contain a cute American style diner as well…. Instead sausage rolls and cold cans for breakfast, served by an old lady who had absolutely no idea what anything cost, so we made some helpful suggestions which she duly tallied up with her pencil and paper…

On to the steepest but shortish and totally worth it climb up to Mynydd Llangorse, up and over and then rolled down all the way back to The Star in Talybont for a pub lunch of that lasagne which by now we had our hearts firmly set on….

ImageIMG-20220807-WA0013 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG-20220807-WA0012 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220807_111227 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

We rode on to Pencelli with its ideal launch point, for another round of faffing to get back on the water to paddle back to Brecon. We launched, turned the first corner, and – one of the little bridges farmers use was lowered, with no space to go under. After a bit of cursing and deciding it was my fault, we enlisted the help of a couple of unsuspecting walkers to help us lift the rafts complete with bikes and luggage out and around the bridge to relaunch. As we did this, the farmer went past on his quadbike and gave us a look that said “you morons”, shortly followed by a nice lady who was in possession of the winding handle thingy the canal boats use, and she raised the bridge ready for their boat to go through….

ImageIMG_20220807_142341 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220807_143800 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220807_145436 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20220807_152044 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

We carried on to Brynich lock just outside Brecon, my arms were aching and tired by the time we got there. We unfaffed with speed, focus and determination (to make it to the ice cream shop before they closed), so much so that one passer by asked us what we were doing, as in they thought we were in some sort of race or event “you’re an inspiration!”! Err, no, we were just desperate for an ice cream, which should be at the end of every good trip, right?

Thanks to John for letting me try out packrafting, for the laughs, and for putting up with my never ending promises of “that’s the last hill/ nearly at the top”.
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psling
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by psling »

Lovely read that V, looks like a great trip. I like the idea of incorporating a paddle along the canal into the route :-bd
We go out into the hills to lose ourselves, not to get lost. You are only lost if you need to be somewhere else and if you really need to be somewhere else then you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.
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JohnClimber
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by JohnClimber »

And what an absolutely brilliant guide you are to such a stunning and outdoor friendly area on the Uk that I've never ridden.

Some random photos will come tomorrow
Rob S
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by Rob S »

Never done any paddling, but if the opportunity comes along I think I'd have a crack based on your words and photos. Looks like a great trip.
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RIP
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by RIP »

What a great trip there folks! Such a lot of variety jammed into a weekend.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
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JohnClimber
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by JohnClimber »

The quest for Lasagne and Ice Cream

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Friday night

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My view from the campervan on the Saturday morning high above Brecon

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When in Brecon

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The Gap

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Slumming it, but no lasagne

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Not the best photo and not the best ice cream of the trip

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Faffing complete

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Chilling in the sun

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No Lasagne on day one, they had sold out :-(

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Bivi spot hunting

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Stealth mode turned off

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Image

Image

Image

Image

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At last and at The Star too

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Mission complete with perfect ice cream

Cheers Verena :-bd
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

A lovely time had by all. Glad I wasn't there to ruin it :wink:
May the bridges you burn light your way
redefined_cycles
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by redefined_cycles »

JohnClimber wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 1:01 pm The quest for Lasagne and Ice Cream

Image
John (or Verena). :o wow... How did you capture that pls?? Phone or or specialist camera :smile:
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Dave Barter
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by Dave Barter »

Sorry but the ice cream looks minging
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Verena
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by Verena »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:05 pm A lovely time had by all. Glad I wasn't there to ruin it :wink:
Aw don't say that, we missed you! :X
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Verena
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by Verena »

Dave Barter wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 9:29 pm Sorry but the ice cream looks minging
Only because JC had shoved his face into it :lol: , it's the best!! Llanfaes Dairy in Brecon, it's a must!
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thenorthwind
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by thenorthwind »

Yup, that's got all the good things! Like! :-bd
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JohnClimber
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by JohnClimber »

redefined_cycles wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:17 pm John (or Verena). :o wow... How did you capture that pls?? Phone or or specialist camera :smile:
Camera phone photo
phone on tripod
aperture open for 30 seconds
wave a head torch across the van for a split second
Edited in the Snapseed app
redefined_cycles
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by redefined_cycles »

JohnClimber wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:05 pm
redefined_cycles wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:17 pm John (or Verena). :o wow... How did you capture that pls?? Phone or or specialist camera :smile:
Camera phone photo
phone on tripod
aperture open for 30 seconds
wave a head torch across the van for a split second
Edited in the Snapseed app
Thanks John. Well worth it as I always assumed it's almost impossible to capture them stars with the camera phone (as you just did). Get it on the lovely photos thread :-bd
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Verena
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by Verena »

thenorthwind wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:47 pm Yup, that's got all the good things! Like! :-bd
:cool:
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fatbikephil
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by fatbikephil »

I read the title as 'Bikerafting the Brecon Beacons' which led me to think I was about to read a tale of epic whitewater descents down narrow gorges and people calling each other 'dude!' :grin:
Instead it was a tale of sunshine, bike riding, messing about in boats, more bike riding, ice cream, lasagna and ice cream :-bd
Good effort both, I'm fed up of epic tales of daring do, lets have some more ice cream :grin:
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JohnClimber
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Re: Bikepackrafting in the Brecon Beacons

Post by JohnClimber »

At long last the film from the weekend is out.
Click this link to view, change the resolution to high
https://youtu.be/Xp232sKwaDQ
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