Dam Busters ride reports

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whitestone
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Dam Busters ride reports

Post by whitestone »

The Winds of Change

So to the 2020 BB Winter Event. True to form Stu had rustled up some "interesting" weather for the weekend but it would have to do. A steady drive down to The Star on Friday night and Reg was already in character (and full flow) at the bar. Over the night a lot of familiar and new (to me) faces appeared. No-one seemed to be talking about the morrow. Hmmm. All too soon it was way past my bedtime. Tomorrow would have to wait.

Now being resident in a pub/hotel should give you a table at breakfast but all tables at the inn were full with the hoi-polloi from the camper vans so we just had to udge in where we could. "Doesn't look too bad over there" said someone hopefully as they looked out of the window. "Aye, but we're going over there." came the reply. Time to head off down the valley.

The community centre car park was already nearly full, maybe they'd not seen the forecast. There'd been talk of what trail food - we'd gone upmarket with homemade veg chilli wraps but since we'd failed to buy the wraps before heading down to Wales we'd had to stop to get some. Prior planning and all that. Coffee and toast courtesy of Stu and Dee along with cap and cuddly toy (I think Stu must have been watching The Generation Game on iPlayer), conversation courtesy of more familiar faces whom we hadn't seen for a while. It was as I was about to take a photo of Javi and his bike that I discovered that some pillock hadn't charged the camera! So no shots from the weekend. Then it was time to saddle up and pony on out of there.

I'd plotted a couple of routes but Cath didn't fancy the one back up past The Star so we turned right at Llan and headed up to Bwlch Glynmynedd. A couple of riders were heading up on the BW leading over to the Mountain Road which was my other alternative but the wind had been strong on the climb and neither of us really fancied a repeat of the 2018 BB200 grit your teeth and push into the wind so we headed down the road and began to work our way round to Hengwm.

Look at this part of Mid-Wales on the map and there's lots of little valleys. When you are in them they are all pretty similar with lots of very similar road junctions. We were now following the same route that we'd taken on last year's winter event. "Don't turn right to go to the farm. Go straight on!" a short while later we came to the junction we needed. "Whoops! We need the other road." It was only when I turned round that I recognised the junction as being part of the Trans Cambrian and the aforementioned BB200 route. The two junctions were just 200 metres apart but I'd never realised it.

The Afon Hengwm was fordable but it was too early to get wet feet so we avoided the Indian Jones log bridge and took the new footbridge. Heading up Hengwm we were treated to a strong headwind as the storm crested the ridge ahead and then plunged into the valley, strong enough to blow Cath off her bike. Once under the ridge it was more sheltered and just the big forest road climb out. A choice: either follow the planned route round by Angler's Retreat and Nant y Arian or down Hyddgen. We chose the latter. Now I've yet to visit Hyddgen when it's nice and today was no exception - the rain started in earnest about halfway down the valley. We got to the big river and it was as low as I've ever seen it, almost fordable but we went round by the bog, footbridge and "that" side stream which I managed to cross dryshod. It wasn't pleasant now and by the time we got to the junction at the end of the road it was time for another decision and we headed straight for Ponterwyd and the promise of somewhere warm to sit and eat.

We ended up in the George Borrow. They had a lovely fire going - so lovely it burnt a hole in one of Cath's gloves. Coffee and a baguette each, crikey! Baguettes in Wales? Who'd have thought it? By 4pm it was time to drag ourselves out and to the bothy. "It'll take about an hour" I promised Cath, "I'll have to kill you if it's longer". Easy road, turn left and up the track. This got particularly muddy and needed a bit of pushing and then we were in the forest. With the gloom and trees lights were needed and we arrived at the bothy just before it got dark. We only took 45mins so I'd live.

There were four others already there, two having come the same route we had - we'd seen one at the filling station in Pontwerwyd and the other had briefly popped into the pub - the other two had come in via Nant Rhys. It turned out that we'd be the only people stopping there. Food, whisky and a somewhat recalcitrant fire occupied the evening until the middle-aged throng decided that burning the candle at one end was a bit much and we turned in for the night.

The following morning was just as horrid, the weather had been forecast to blow through by morning but it was taking its time. Another route choice, up The Chute or round through the woods. One went for the wood, the other five of us for The Chute. Straight away there was a river crossing so my dry socks weren't. They'd only have been dry for another few minutes though as a river was heading down the path. Lots of pushing and diversions due to trees lying in the path we reached the wind farm at the top.

Having got thoroughly soaked in the rain that should have long since gone we'd now a big descent down the other side on which to get rather cold. My body wasn't so bad but my hands were pretty numb. Buff over my face and spinning away in low gear in an attempt to generate heat we rode along the main road until a short steep side road led us to the BW that gets into the back of Hafren Forest. Sheltered here so we took the opportunity to grab some grub.

The BW was pretty muddy but mostly rideable apart for one puddle that began to devour my front wheel. Once in the forest it was all easy riding over the top and down to the car park at the ford over the Severn. No way were we attempting that with the amount of water flowing so across the footbridge for us. Just road left down to Staylittle and back to the centre. Of course as we got back the sun came out!

So of my planned route(s) I think we rode all of ten miles! Everything else was made up as we went along.

Thanks to Dee and Stu for putting up with us all again and thanks to those in the bothy for the company.
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garydavies44
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Re: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by garydavies44 »

A great weekend!

Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/3006053869

After my first bikepacking trip in October (BB200) I had planned a route which would collect all the CPs that Stu had provided. I started at ~0930 on Saturday and got back to the finish at ~1230 on Sunday.

The winds were very high southerlies on Saturday which ended up being headwinds for the majority of the anti-clockwise route that I had planned. Rain was pretty high at times too which meant that I got very wet and cold!

I stopped at Cwmbach bothy at ~2030 Sat night and delighted to see the fire going. There were another 5 BBers in there and ~6 hikers. I was glad to get into some dry clothes and have a warm rehydrated meal before bunking down for the night.

Thanks for organising Stu. I like this bikepacking lark!

Gary
PS Thanks for changing the wind direction on Sunday which meant I had to cycle into headwind again to get to the finish. Much appreciated!
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psling
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Re: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by psling »

Good read that Bob - made me smile because of the references to the fords. Kevin (Raggedstone) and I went about it the other way round, comfortably riding through the ford at Hafren middayish Saturday and arriving at Hyddgen early afternoon Sunday. We spent probably a good 30 minutes umming and arrring about the best way across before stripping off socks and leggings and wading through "that" side stream. Mid-thigh and with a fair current but even with the effort of getting to and from the foot bridge was definitely better than attempting the main ford itself :shock:
Must have just missed you at the George Borrow too, we arrived there about 4.30ish! Have to say how accomodating they were there, welcoming us in dripping wet and allowing us to strip off in front of the fire, feeding us and hanging wet jackets and leggings in the boiler room. Soon after us Reg, Frog at t'farriers, Pickers and BigDummySteve arrived and a while later IntrepidExplorer checked-in for food before heading out to ride through the night.
Character-forming weekend all in all and many thanks again to Dee & Stu for the effort they put into organising and running the event :cool:
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: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by JohnClimber »

Yeh, great read Bob. :-bd

Anyone else have to google "recalcitrant"? :oops:
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TrepidExplorer
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Re: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by TrepidExplorer »

All check points attained (first time ever) except for one that I got within 500m of before bailing at a locked gate. I'm not really bothered whether it counts or not as I thought I saw a Nightjar on the way up there so got very excited. Too excited to carry my bike over a locked gate. Nightjars are summer visitors so not likely but who knows? The climate is weird right now.

Anyway, great company in the pub, Reg, Steve, Kev, Froggy, Psling. I kept off the beers so I'd eventually get back out and do some more before the long slog home in the morning.

It was touch-and-go and I really missed out on the Elan valley for breakfast with Karl and Javi & Co.

The beef roast at Llanguirig didn't really make up for it, necessary as it was. Nobody stole my unlocked bike whilst I was in there so I had to ride it back. I'll never make the mistake of taking that B-road to Staylittle again. What was I thinking? (I was not thinking). I did enjoy this descent in to Wye valley though. :-bd
Image

Full write up https://trepidexplorer.blogspot.com/202 ... inter.html

Thanks to everyone who chatted, showed me the way, shared a meal and gave me dots and cake.
Trepid Explorer: Warmth with less bulk
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

For some reason I can't place that descent. A GR of somewhere near please, pretty please :wink:
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RIP
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Re: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by RIP »

Feb's competition entry!? Interested too. Can't believe we haven't twigged it.
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Rich3rd
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Re: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by Rich3rd »

You should read that fabulous blog writeup it looks to me like 52°21.023' N, 3°36.410' W
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psling
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Re: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by psling »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 5:47 pm For some reason I can't place that descent. A GR of somewhere near please, pretty please :wink:
I reckon it's the bridleway from just north of Pont ar Elan heading NE into the Wye Valley (Cefn Bach) - starting SN 899 720 - or maybe the one a bit further east starting at SN 914 715
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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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Dam Busters ride reports

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

You're right Peter. As soon as Andrea said where it was the memory of it came hurtling back. Gets a but vague in the middle and you do have to go straight through a farm at the bottom but it does cut out quite a chunk of back road if heading towards Llangurig.
May the bridges you burn light your way
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