Trans Cambrian Way?

Questions and answers about routes.

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ballibeg
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by ballibeg »

I'll put my paramedic hat on just briefly here...... Bang to head followed by vomiting worth a visit to A&E. Concussion is a form of Traumatic Brain Injury and it's always hard to triage the potentially serious from the not so. Vomiting is a red flag. Glad you're ok and enjoyed the rest of your day but for a tiny percentage that vomiting could the first sign of a time critical TBI that could have been much more serious and even deadly. I'd have taken you into hospital on that history and cause I'm nice I'd have taken your bike too!! 👍🏼👍🏼

Back to the thread........
Gregsie
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Gregsie »

Considering doing the Trans Cambrian in July, probably over a couple of days.

Is it possible on a gravel bike without too much swearing or is the route firmly in MTB territory ?
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

I'd happily ride it on a gravel bike but I'd prefer 40c or larger tyres. The more mountain bike bits are towards the western end and they've largely being smoothed out.
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Gregsie »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Fri May 10, 2019 8:22 am I'd happily ride it on a gravel bike but I'd prefer 40c or larger tyres. The more mountain bike bits are towards the western end and they've largely being smoothed out.
Cheers Stu. I'll give it a crack on that.
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Blue Wheeler
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Blue Wheeler »

Just completed this last week (for the second time as I did it in last years HOT summer). Carried camping gear again and stashed it in Rhyader as we stayed at The Bluebell Inn in LLangurig on the second night (far more civilised especially as it rained continuously for the last day).

This is a great ride with some tough climbs in places but he scenery changes almost at every turn and is stunning!

I never want to see another gate again though :lol:
tuskaloosa
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by tuskaloosa »

f you're going to do it over 4 days Stu, I could do you an extension if you like? Rather than finish at the anti-climax of Dyfi Junction, I could get you to the coast. Somewhere with a station still but other things too, like chips and ice cream. Wouldn't add too much mileage as you'd not be dropping down towards Mach'.
BB could I kindly ask for a gpx file on the extension contemplating doing this in July or Aug
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

You can - in fact MBUK asked for it a couple of weeks ago as they're planning a TCW feature, so as soon as I've finalised it, I'll email it across.
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middleagedmadness
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by middleagedmadness »

Me too please stu , youngfella has a taste for mid Wales now and is quite happy to spend 3-5 days plodding around it
tuskaloosa
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by tuskaloosa »

Thanks Stu
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

If anyone else would like a copy of the extension that will take you to the seaside proper and not just deposit you in the arse end of nowhere, let me know and I'll email it over. It adds about 21km to the route and generally points in a downhill direction.
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middleagedmadness
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by middleagedmadness »

Just overlaid it stu with the route me and Fionn took back to yours and he'll be quite happy as it's the same route from about mile 17 but in reverse so it won't be a constant climb for him :-bd
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Just tell him it goes from the mountains to the sea so it must be downhill, right? :wink:
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garydavies44
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by garydavies44 »

I did this on Saturday 14 March: https://www.strava.com/activities/3186204099.

Started at 0630 from Knighton and arrived in Dovey Junction Station at ~2200. I had intended to bivvy at/near the station but Network Rail were about to do some maintenance work overnight so I decided to head to Machynlleth. I managed to get a pizza there before finding a spot to sleep.

Ground was very wet after the wettest February on record which made rather going tough. Even some of the gravel roads were like tyre sucking sand! Other things to note included very slippery moss covered tarmac back roads and a farmer riding his quad bike and narrowly missing me by inches! Eventful day out.

Knee deep river crossing at Llanbadarn Fawr. Was there a bridge there before the storms in February?

Only stopped at Elan Valley Visitor Centre for some grub otherwise self-sufficient.

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whitestone
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by whitestone »

Well done.

I don't think there was ever a bridge at Llanbadarn Fynydd - the river was in spate when I did the TCW so I went round by the road bridge about 400m downstream.
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Dean
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Dean »

garydavies44 wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:31 pm I did this on Saturday 14 March: https://www.strava.com/activities/3186204099.

Ground was very wet after the wettest February on record which made rather going tough. Even some of the gravel roads were like tyre sucking sand! Other things to note included very slippery moss covered tarmac back roads and a farmer riding his quad bike and narrowly missing me by inches! Eventful day out.
I did the route on Fri 20th/Sat 21st (drove up from London after leaving work Fri lunchtime, bivvy tent went up on one of the hills after Rhayader). I got wet socks trying to navigate the LRT puddles across Newhouse Hill but otherwise it was quite reasonable. The wind was atrocious though, I suspect this dried things out a lot as I had very few wet sections. I looked like a MotoGP rider going across the top of Foel Fadian because of the sidewind! I suspect it would be even drier now because of the week of high pressure we have had.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

I suspect it would be even drier now because of the week of high pressure we have had.
Yep, the ground is drying out surprisingly quickly - but nobody wanted to know that did they? :wink:
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ZeroDarkBivi
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by ZeroDarkBivi »

A new record for the TCW East to West? I don't recall the first 5km being on roads, but then it was a long time ago.

Good effort doing it on a 'gravel bike' - although he acknowledges it wasn't the best idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ncg4dLO190&t=4s
slarge
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by slarge »

That is some time!! Sub 10 hours was always going to be the next milestone, but 9hr 33mins is rapid. The dry surface makes it a fast route, and line choice much less of an issue, so kudos!! I think that's Matt Page (reknowned rider from South Wales), who also has one of the fastest WC2C times (for Caernarvon to Cardiff I think)
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

That is some time!! Sub 10 hours was always going to be the next milestone, but 9hr 33mins is rapid. The dry surface makes it a fast route, and line choice much less of an issue, so kudos!! I think that's Matt Page (reknowned rider from South Wales), who also has one of the fastest WC2C times (for Caernarvon to Cardiff I think)
Yeah but if it's not on my list did it really happen?*





*Only joking. A cracking ride there from Matt.
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FLV
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by FLV »

Rather fast that isnt it. Makes it all look pretty easy, which I know its not.
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99percentchimp
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by 99percentchimp »

And an average of 10-11 gates per hour... it took me 9.5 hours to open all the gates! Really impressive time/ride :-bd :cool:
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faustus
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by faustus »

Stonking effort! I like it that he did day 1 51km in 2hrs 48mins :lol: He's a talented rider though, and saw that he had a lauf fork so that probably made it a bit better feeling than a rigid gravel bike
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

I happened to be speaking to Matt yesterday and he reckons under similar conditions but with a change of bike, he could likely shave another 30 minutes off his time, so potentially sub-9 hours.
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slarge
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by slarge »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 9:20 am I happened to be speaking to Matt yesterday and he reckons under similar conditions but with a change of bike, he could likely shave another 30 minutes off his time, so potentially sub-9 hours.
It'll be a ride people pop out to do after work at this rate :lol:
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Trans Cambrian Way?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

t'll be a ride people pop out to do after work at this rate
Only for a few of you. Rest of us might need to clock off a couple of hours early :wink:
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