What I had still wanted to do was to go out on my own again, just to check whether I've still got the bottle to fly solo, after having had so many fun trips with boner company of late.... and I fancied a two nights away trip, because that does feel quite different doesn't it? On the first day, you kind of get going, and on the last day I find myself mostly thinking of getting back home, and it's really the middle day(s), when there is literally nothing to do or think about other than riding, eating and sleeping, that I often find the best.
So, in keeping with the "one weekend a month" rule I have with the family, I booked a Friday off work fairly randomly for last weekend, hoping that the weather might be reasonable for a little trip I've been meaning to do, basically a loop taking in Llyn Brianne and Elan Valley, with one night at each. I cut the whole thing short already and decided to take the car to Newbridge and ride from there for a swift getaway on Sunday morning, as I had plans for the afternoon, and that would leave the mileage just right for a very leisurely pace, with the whole thing more about the being out, than about trying to ride particularly far.
The weather forecast had been mixed, changeable but reasonable, but I woke Friday morning to the sound of very heavy rain, and I spent much longer than planned on faffing and having to give myself a right old talking to get myself out of the door... weird, felt more, well, anxious I guess, than I ever remember, not even sure completely why - probably the prospect of riding in the rain much of the time and sleeping out two nights, and going somewhere quite remote with very few bailout or shortcut options (doh, even that was exactly what I was looking to do!). Fortunately, Mr Z, bless him, found just the right words to say, a nice mix of encouragement (you'll love it, and if you don't go you'll be so miserable), and reverse psychology (what so you buy all the gear and then you'll quit because there's a cloud in the sky?), and off I went, and, surprise surprise, I had a brilliant time, and absolutely loved it! (you can stop reading here to be honest and just look at the pics - or carry on if you're really interested in the whole story...).
An early rainbow was a good omen, and within the first ten minutes or so the fun started, when I came across a loose cow on the lane, and stopped at the nearest farm to try and tell someone - no answer, but hey I tried.
IMG_20221021_121626 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrThe most athletic aspect of the afternoon was the fairly regular stopping for a downpour, putting on all waterproofs, ride for a minute, then stopping to take it all off again as the sun was back and I was boiling.
Small detour to have a look at the cute tiny train station at Cynghordy.
IMG_20221021_150129 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrOf course these days I am always on the lookout for interesting sights not just for me but for others, like this nice combo of post box for John, right next to a promising looking bivvy shed for Reg, both in Rhandirmwyn.
IMG_20221021_153951 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221021_154756 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrI stopped to look at a nice little church a little further up the valley, which turned out to be well timed for a flapjack break under cover while there was another downpour.
IMG_20221021_164022 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrIt got really pretty then with the autumn colours, I always love that valley up to the Llyn Brianne dam.
IMG_20221023_195149 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrCongratulated myself at this point for impeccable timing, I think it was about 5 now, and I was getting off the tarmac, knowing I had just the right amount of time left to enjoy a leisurely ride round the reservoir and look for a nice bivvy spot somewhere towards the far end.
IMG_20221023_195204 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrJust after the first of the three locked gates, I knew I had found my spot for the night (and, for once, still thought as much in the morning as I rode on, realising that I had indeed slept at the highest point and a very nice one too) - just up and away from the track, nice and flat, as much of a nice view as there was going to be, and sort of nicely edged by two fences with gates and the track, for swift exit options in case of any nightly cow visitors... I felt really happy there, with a very satisfying sense of both being somewhere gloriously remote, yet at the same time knowing exactly where I was, and that there really would be close to zero chance of being disturbed by anyone at all, and if I was, it would be another bikepacker...
Tent up, very badly
, as the pole started off straight but ended up very wonky and off to one side - sod it I thought, I can't be asked, and besides it gave me more space inside.
IMG_20221021_181837 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrA bit of dinner, it got dark, and as if on cue at around 7 it started raining, so I started closing up the tent... Wait a minute, is that a, o yes it's a great big red light just over there where the track is....
(remembers what she just said, it can only be another bikepacker...). Swiftly followed by bright white light sweeping the skies like a search light. Then darkness, then the same again... Then I realise, of course, it's just a car, on the very windy road on the other side of the valley! Heartbeat slowly returning to normal, followed by a very warm and comfy night of cosiness while it rained outside, I reckon I got about ten hours really good sleep, wonderful.By the morning it had dried up, and this was the view that greeted me when I opened the tent, crescent moon and sunrise, beautiful!
IMG_20221022_071418 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrIn the best of moods and pretty much sunshine, I rolled down the hill, for a visit to the lovely Soar Y Mynydd chapel, complete with yet another potential bivvy barn, and the actual proper toilet I had heard about. Not before passing some friendly cows and lifting the bike over the other two locked gates though...
IMG_20221022_085006 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221023_195218 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221023_181441 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221022_090810 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221022_091415 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221022_091446 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221022_092212 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrReally enjoyed the ride then over and down towards Tregaron (change of plan from the off road track to Strata Florida, hadn't organised myself properly with the track on my etrex, and didn't fancy getting lost).
IMG_20221023_195244 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221023_195257 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221022_100004 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221022_094624 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrGot overtaken by a couple of friendly cyclists on the descent into Tregaron who had stayed at the nearby hostel, then met them again a few minutes later at this wonderful cafe, where there was a wonderful smell of coffee and freshly baked bread and pastries - rude not to! Quick chat and they were off, as they were after a cooked breakfast, whereas I was in Danish pastry and cappuchino heaven.
IMG_20221023_195311 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrOn my second coffee (rude not to) I was joined by another two friendly cyclists, Jim and Steve, we chatted for ages and then rode together for a bit to Fair Rhos, and they showed me the cycle track along the od railway line, which I would have missed otherwise. They were great, proper old school, retro bikes from the nineties, riding in woolly hats, paper map stuffed in back pockets, full of interesting stories... we said our farewells as they went on to the Cwmystwyth road, whereas I turned off towards the Teifi Pools.
IMG_20221023_195323 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrI had way too much time on my hands, so I made another (failed) attempt at finding the bothy...
Claerwen reservoir is very very low. But the ford was higher than I've seen it, met yet another pair of friendly cyclists there riding the WalesDuro route, and we all decided to take shoes and socks off to walk through...
IMG_20221022_134818 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221023_195339 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrElan Valley never fails as you know....
IMG_20221022_141011 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
IMG_20221022_142709 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrIt was still only mid afternoon, so I stopped to make a hot chocolate... by this time the weather was turning and the wind was up, so I actually found myself getting a bit cold.
IMG_20221022_145817 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrOh, and it was a bit like Picadilly Circus up there, with off roaders, but all friendly and considerate enough...
By now I knew that my friend was on his way riding up to meet me for the bivvy at Claerwen, it was by now raining quite hard and still way too early, so I rode down to the pretty dam, just to keep moving and get warm again on the ride back up.
IMG_20221022_171031 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrHe caught up with me along the way, perfect, and we made our way to the spot we had bivvied at back in May... bit exposed possibly we thought, but meh, whatever, it's nice views, flat, and it's not like it's windy....
IMG_20221023_100234 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrWe managed to put up my tent and his hooped bivvy bag in the dry. We attempted some sort of tarp style shelter in between us using rain ponchos, but the wind picked up and was starting to lift up and tip over the bikes we had tied it to, so we abandoned that idea....
Then, just as we were in the final stages of sorting out our stuff, the heavens opened, and we got caught literally with me with my pants down, so he had to wait outside in one of those downpours that has you soaked to the skin in about ten seconds, while I wrestled myself into my long johns just enough to be decent, before he dived into the tent head first for a bit of shelter....
What followed was a skilful session of human origami as we folded our respective limbs into some semi suitable shapes inside my DD pyramid tent for some dinner and a bit of socialising, until all said limbs had either gone to sleep or were in agony and we retired to our respective sleeping pods.... we somehow managed not to kill ourselves when cooking, despite the cunning combination of confined space, lots of flapping nyloney things, and the kind of little fireball you get when you can't quite get the gas cooker to light first time because everything is wet....
It was a long, wakeful but very enjoyable night of absolutely atrocious weather, with a bit of thunder and lightning thrown in, me sliding down and out of the tent getting my sleeping bag soaking wet (and remembering why I usually bring a bivvy bag...), and even a little dry spell at 4 am for a Wow! Milky Way! kind of starry pee break.
Morning was spent very pleasantly lazing about chatting and drinking coffee, before we said our farewells after topping up our water bottles at the toilet block there at Claerwen.
Another example of awful tent pitching skills, but to be fair, it had had a rough night by then...
IMG_20221024_081452 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrNearly there, thanks for reading on, last photo of the pretty dam in fine autumn colours
IMG_20221023_195354 by Verena Zimmer, on FlickrOne the lovely lane back towards Llanwrthwl, I made another stop for my morning porridge, just to make this lovely weekend last a little bit longer and ponder....so glad I went out depsite the rain, it was brilliant!
IMG_20221023_112800 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
It's an area I've only ridden through on the BB200/BB300s so it would have been raining/dark/I was in a hurry so I need to get up there an have a more leisurely explore. It certainly ticks the 'remote feel' box, nice trip 
.
