2020 Welsh Marches and Cotswolds, July
Friday 10th July 2020 Mid Wales
UKD 243 Bakers Hill 09.30 – 10.30. Leaving home at 07.45 and arriving in Oswestry at 09.30through Middlewich, Nantwich, Whitchurch, Ellesmere to Oswestry 40 miles then cycled B4580 Llansilin Road with junction B4579, up and over the other side to Selatynn. No indications at the top but road is interesting, steeper on the north side.
Along road A483 Welshpool to A495 junction for Llanyblodwel. Llansantsfraid Ym Mechian and parked near Llanfyllin on B4391 Bala road 20 miles. An interesting circular from Llanfyllin. Car left in lay-by at entrance to the lane on B4391. The northern section follows the valley route and a gradual up with a short rise near the end to the pass. The southern section is more interesting as its steeper from near the start by Llanfyllin with views from a ridge along to the pass. Rhyalgwan Pass from New Road west of Abernaint B4391 4.3km at 384 metres follow round to left (south) to top and continue over to a point south of the tart of the climb and further south of Abernaint where New Road meets B4391 also near junction with B4392 coming from the west, west of Llanfyllin. UKD 388 Rhyalgwan Pass 11.00 – 12.00
A490 to Welshpool 14 miles South of Powys Castle steep road from Belem. First of all up from the road passing the castle south of the town at Whitehouse Nature Reserve. Near Powis Castle a left turn off route 81, Second left leads to the castle and top ‘Top of Belan’5.1km and a cycle up through the grounds to near the castle then back down and continued on up the lane to Belan height. Back down and drove further south along main road south to Belan then up a steeper section to Belem height. Powis Castle. Start on A458 south of Welshpool, right turn (west) on national cycling route number 81 then later a left turn to Top of Belan UKD 389 Powis Castle 12.00 – 13.00
Drive A483 Welshpool, Newtown, Caersws, Carno 36 miles. Parked up on main road in Carno then cycled UKD 390 Hendre Leave A489 heading north east opposite Penial Chapel and Afon Cledan bridge just north of Carno. Signposted Llanfair Caereinion. Continues to open moorland at top 5.5km
UKD 390 Hendre 14.00-14.45
A489 Carno to Machynlleth 24 miles. Only last 4km steep Machynlleth (Dylife Panorama) From north west heading south east at Machynlleth on Forge road off A489 opposite big sign ‘fish and chips’ on side of white building. Signposted Forge and Dylife 10.5km or from the south east heading north west from Staylittle (NW of Llawryglyn) B4518 then off to the left indicated Dylife and Machynlleth 7.1km UKD391 Dylife Panorama 16.00-17.00
Discovering Machynlleth for the evening. Fish and chips from the road at the foot of the climb then later drove on for Newtown along road A489 then A470 to Caersws then A492 to Newtown 37 miles. .
Slept in car overnight on lane to Pentre south of Newtown.
Saturday 11th July 2020 Mid Wales
Waking early and at 07.00 cycled the quiet tracks to reach the windfarm on the ridge. A great many huge turbines creating a windrush in the otherwise quiet approach to the ridge. The car was left just north of Pentre at start of the track. The route wasn’t easy to find UKD 392 Llandinam Wind Farm 07.00 – 08.30
A488 Newtown to Rhayadr 38 miles. First a take a ride down to the reservoirs and return. Free parking at the foot of the climb on the edge of the town then cycling a gradual up with the fast flowing stream off to
the left. Soon the stream falls away and a deeper valley is followed. The road becomes steeper and eventually the top is reached at an open clearing. The views back down the valley on the return back to the reservoirs road are extensive. UKD 394 Elan Valley 09.30 – 10.00
B4355 south from Knighton, B4372 New Radnor, A481 Builth Wells to Garth on A483 38 miles Car left on the main road at a lay-by then cycled the road indicated for Pentre Dolau. Slighly down at first under the railway bridge then crossing over the river for the start of the climb. Eventually the road reaches a steeper section in a clearing and two really steep sections to reach the top at wind turbines on both sides of the road. These are gated off to the public. The views back down over the country to the west over to the large Llyn Brianne reservoir made the descent more interesting UKD397 Pennau 12.30 to 13.30
Garth, Builth Wells then N.E. to Hundred House UKD 398 Glascwm 14.15 to 15.30
The car was left just a short distance down the lane from Hundred House to Glascwn before the actual climb. After the twisty road through Vron I took a left rather than stay on the wider route as the narrow lane was more of a climb and followed the wider road parallel but higher up the hillside, opening farm gates and passed through Gellidywyll then descended into Glascwm to rejoin the main route. The real reason for the challenge was the road east of the village and the steep 25% climb to Glascwm Hill and a youth hostel at the top. So many youth hostels present a challenge to reach them! Back down to the car along the wider road but the road I took earlier was higher and more of a challenge.
A481 to New Radnor 12 miles 16.00 to 16.45
UKD 395 Mutton Dingle may be short but it’s a real challenge. Parking on the main road through the town, heading north then east at first I thought the climb was the B4379 heading for Whitton but then saw the road sign for the climb and the very steep rise up through the woods heading for Radnor Forest. It’s an uneven road and gravelly in places and is densely tree-covered the whole way. Eventually after a 20 to 25% struggle of a mile the top was reached. From that point its level for a while but the road is rougher. Returning back down it was brakes on all the way. Later, back down in New Radnor, there was an artists’ shop where I could pick up some free painting frames so bundled a couple of his unwanted material into the car before leaving New Radnor to Hexop west of Knucklas and Knighton
UKD 393 Cleobury Lane 17.45 – 18.30 Had some confusion in Knighton which is just over the English border in Wales. Knighton railway station and a small part of the town lies in England. I asked a local the way to Hexop. He directed me then asked where I was from. It was the Covid lockdown period and we were encouraged by the government to stay local and certainly not travel a distance and here was I in Wales. “I won’t tell the police”, he said but he wanted to know why I wanted to go to Hexop. “To cycle the hill up from the church”, I said. While I was there I was a little anxious in case the heddlu were waiting for me at the top of the hill. I was relieved to find I was alone at the top. I left the car by the chapel and farm at the bottom of the road and cycled the fairly steep open road to the clearing at the top.
Enough climbs of Wales for now. I wanted to go somewhere different tomorrow. I drove 30 miles via Ludlow and stayed overnight at The Bucks Head, 42 High Street, Church Stretton SY6 6BX £60. Arrived at 20.00. More fish and chips and took them to the room and asked for plate and cutlery then settled down for the night for a long drive south in the morning.
Sunday 12th July 2020 North Cotswolds
After a good English breakfast fry-up with covid restrictions in place so no buffet facilities I was ready for a long trip south and off to discover new ground. Drove 32 miles Ludlow to Hereford then 20 miles on A49 and on to A4137 to Whitchurch (Herefordshire) then to Goodrich north of Symonds Yat. Parked up on Symonds Yat approach road and tucked the car in to a small space by a farm at the foot of the climb Unloaded the bike and cycled through the woods, a steep rise then under a footbridge for the path that goes over road from the car park to the viewpoint over the Wye and continued to Hillersland and returned back and into the car park and wheeled the bike along the footpath to the viewpoint. From here back down the same way to the car, drove on through Goodrich village, heading for Gloucester.
UKD 274 Symonds Yat 10.30 to 12.00
Along the A40 past Ross on Wye to Gloucester then road B4172 for Harescombe, 25 miles Easier said than done as I got lost in Gloucester ! Even with the mobile online mapping it was confusing. Although on the correct road B4172 but heading in the wrong direction. Eventually escaping the busy city streets and came to Edge village and parked up at the end of a closed road, just off the main road to the right, heading south. I freewheeled down the steep narrow leafy lane into Harescombe village with its quaint church and thatched cottages then back up again. At the top, took right and cycled along for the hill down to Harescombe again on its southerly approach. This road is even more densely wooded than it northern neighbour but it’s not as steep. UKD 275 Haresfield Beacon 13.30 to 14.30
Through Stroud and its interesting large centre centuries old building and market cross, 7 miles on A46 south of Stroud to Woodchester area and parked the car up off the main road in a brambly disused driveway in front of a metal fenced off large building by the side of Bear Road. From here cycled up the winding road into a clearing and soon reached the Bear of Rodborough large public house at the top of the hill. It was no great effort to reach it. UKD 276 Bear of Rodborough 15.00 to 15.45
Drove back up the hill and took a right turn on to a wide open green area, a country common at Minchinhampton. 20 miles to Bourton on the Water through Cirencester and north east along Foss Way through Northleach. Parked up just off the main road and first left into a housing estate then cycled through the pretty large village and began the woody rise towards UKD 273 Wyke Beacon after passing through Little Rissington, another pretty village of old Cotswold stone cottages. Through the woods and at the top on to the main road, took a left to reach the beacon beside the road to the right on the way to Stow-on-the-Wold
Back down the hill and had some time in Bourton-on-the-Water, watching people paddling in the stream by the road while keeping distance. 16.30 to 17.30. Back to the car and set my sat-nav on the mobile for Winchcombe 14 miles to north east through Naunton and Guiting Power – two picturesque villages but didn’t stop off.
Parking in the town square surrounded by Georgian architecture I bundled the bike out of the car at 18.30 for the final climbs of the tour before going home. I cycled the Cheltenham road steeply up to Cleeve Hill then steeply – 25% - down to Woodmancote and began climbing back up to Cleeve Hill along UKD 272 Bushcombe Lane 18.30 to 20.00. I had a long cool cider in the pub later. There was no one else sitting or standing and chatted with the bar lady who told m that it would be difficult to keep the pub open as she wasn’t receiving any customers because of fear of the virus. People were keeping away. She made it clear that I must stand behind a marked line and was apologetic that seats were not available. We chatted but it was a sad note to finish the tour with. From here I drove home via Toddington to the east then the B4077 and A46 to junction 9 of the M5 then M6 from Birmingham, home at 22.00