SW over Esgair Geulin, west over Foel Fadien to Mach
South, back up forestry tracks (I hope) to Llyn Penrhaedr/New pool
Down to the old mines then east to Hafren forest for an overnight (hopefully)
Around Llyn Clywedog, over Esgair Hir and the wind farm to Carno
option 1 back home if ruined
option 2 up Cwm Llwyd over Nant Yr Eire and back if feeling good.

Lots of forestry tracks, only 2 spars,120 km, 3200m climbing,+ lots of options for bailing!

Very excited, and slightly terrified, never ridden quite that far before but have bags of time for a nice steady pace.

SW over Esgair Geulin, west over Foel Fadien to Mach
South, back up forestry tracks (I hope) to Llyn Penrhaedr/New pool
Down to the old mines then east to Hafren forest for an overnight (hopefully)
Around Llyn Clywedog, over Esgair Hir and the wind farm to Carno
option 1 back home if ruined
option 2 up Cwm Llwyd over Nant Yr Eire and back if feeling good.

Sounds like a nice route Paul ... Foel Fadian will be VERY slippery but If you continue on the road for 1/2 mile past the turn off for Foel Fadian / Glaslyn and take the BOAT at the memorial (through the gates in front of the memorial) you'll be very happy

crewlie wrote:Nowhere near as fit as you lot, so a very unambitious loop S then up to and through Carno. Then looping back N, sleep, and back for early tea and cake. Only 30 miles or so and only 1 Spar......I feel inadequate already :(

My/our plan is only to visit 1 Spar and about 55 miles in total. Longish first day, with a second shorter one. May do a bit more now the weathers looking good.
I doesn't matter how many miles you do, its all about the tea and cake :D

http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/W ... /long.html

s8tannorm wrote:

SW over Esgair Geulin, west over Foel Fadien to Mach
South, back up forestry tracks (I hope) to Llyn Penrhaedr/New pool
Down to the old mines then east to Hafren forest for an overnight (hopefully)
Around Llyn Clywedog, over Esgair Hir and the wind farm to Carno
option 1 back home if ruined
option 2 up Cwm Llwyd over Nant Yr Eire and back if feeling good.

Sounds like a nice route Paul ... Foel Fadian will be VERY slippery but If you continue on the road for 1/2 mile past the turn off for Foel Fadian / Glaslyn and take the BOAT at the memorial (through the gates in front of the memorial) you'll be very happy

Sounds Good, :D is it possible to cut across NW from the summit to the memorial?

Sounds Good, is it possible to cut across NW from the summit to the memorial?

No, after the vague, long push out of the forest you'll come to a good track. Turn left when you reach the sheep pens then just follow it to the road ... anything else is very unpleasant.

Fantasticmrmatt wrote:I'm not sure which way I'm going yet but welcome to tag along

Thanks Matt, some maps arrived today, so if whoever i'm with decide to 'shake me off' i should be able to make it back ok! :D

Great catalogue pose on the home page btw

Great catalogue pose on the home page btw

Why has he got sunglasses on? Was it to keep the hail out of his eyes?

s8tannorm wrote: Why has he got sunglasses on? Was it to keep the hail out of his eyes?

Revised plan. Might now take the Pegasus and try and pack some miles in northwards to get in Dolgellau and Barmouth, possibly through the Rhinnogs (get some HTR 560 training in early).
Would quite like to get that little stone bridge in the middle of nowhere in (Pont Scethin?). Haven't totted up the miles yet, but it looks like a good adventure.

Ian wrote:Revised plan. Might now take the Pegasus and try and pack some miles in northwards to get in Dolgellau and Barmouth, possibly through the Rhinnogs (get some HTR 560 training in early).
Would quite like to get that little stone bridge in the middle of nowhere in (Pont Scethin?). Haven't totted up the miles yet, but it looks like a good adventure.

We are heading to Dolgellau but that's as far north as we are going.

s8tannorm wrote:Why has he got sunglasses on? Was it to keep the hail out of his eyes?

Rockstar, that is all

Fantasticmrmatt wrote:

s8tannorm wrote:Why has he got sunglasses on? Was it to keep the hail out of his eyes?

Rockstar, that is all

Who are you talking about?

Who are you talking about?

Fantastic on the BB homepage*

*although it might be easy to confuse him with Bonio

Further to the talk about Esgair Geulin and Foel Fadien below is how our route looks at that bit. Are you suggesting Stu to go to the monument and the summit and down the other side to use that bridle way going north west as opposed to the one the route is on currently?

Further to the talk about Esgair Geulin and Foel Fadien below is how our route looks at that bit. Are you suggesting Stu to go to the monument and the summit and down the other side to use that bridle way going north west as opposed to the one the route is on currently?

It sort of looks okay Neil but which way are you going? I can't quite work it out.

If you're heading east(ish) (homeward) the BOAT from Aberhosan gets very steep/lose near the top but in the main is rideable. You could save yourself some pain by simply going up the road and picking up the BW into the forest.

If you're heading west(ish) (outward) the road climb up the mountain features as a top 3 in 'The best cycling climbs in the UK' book. Another option would be to use the BW out of the forest that you descended near the finish of the BB 200. It'll pop you out on top of the mountain road ... you will be pushing but you'll miss out the road climb that's on your route.

We would be going west.

So either push up the bridle way or push up the road. :?
Or just skirt round Esgair Graflwyn altogether.

No doubt as we wouldn't have been going that long by then we'll choose attempting strong arm it over the mountain. :D :?

I reckon ride the road climb up to Foel Fadien, then get to the summit, then BW down to Aberhosan.

What's the track the other side of Foel Fadian, heading West, like? Can't remember if I've ever done it (done the one from the Monument a couple of times)

Ahhh, just read Stu's note above, very slippy... found this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgjb7jVF ... page#t=173

Ahhh, just read Stu's note above, very slippy... found this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgjb7jVF ... page#t=173

Well they made hard work of that

In fairness the video doesn't really show how much rock there is ... apart from the big off-camber section they chose to fall off on rather than picking the upper (very obvious) top line

Still haven't made my mind up! Want to do a long ride though and will be on a cx bike to see what chance I have of getting up some steep hills on gravel.

In brighter news I am just waiting for my quinoa and chia seed flapjacks to cool. Just hope they last me till the start.

I'm guessing that the BW running from SN 904995 to 898954, with precious little evidence showing in Google Earth, will not be a lovely ribbon of dry singletrack....

I'm guessing that the BW running from SN 904995 to 898954, with precious little evidence showing in Google Earth, will not be a lovely ribbon of dry singletrack....

Rearrange the following into a well known phrase or sentence.

THIGH BOG DEATH DEEP MARCH

I might work out what the mileage would be to visit all the Spar shops on the road bike, would make a good DIY audax.

Just to clarify Stu, the track going from the monument to Aberhosen is the one to use? Not the one just to the south that runs parallel to it?

That's the one that is in the Youtube link I posted, wet slick rock, slippy