Planning to park at the visitor centre and cycle up to the bothy on Saturday afternoon if anyone fancies it. Slow pace, as I haven't been out for months. Probably just come back the same way on Sunday morning for second breakfast at the visitor centre, although open to suggestions.

I'll ring the Elan Valley Trust tomorrow to make sure the bothy is open and not booked.

What time you planning on getting to the bothy Paul?

I'm a maybe, at the moment.
She told me to ask again tomorrow when she's feeling a bit more generous.

Depends on what time I get away from Elan Valley. Factor in faffing, a cup of tea, maybe a scone, bit more faff, so 4ish??

Totally flexible tbh.

Would i be ok to tag along Paul?

Can confirm later in the week..

Yes, of course, the more the merrier. Just don't forget the crackers for the cheese!

Thanks Paul, PM sent!

I'll knock us some canapes up

Stu, i'll drop those forks off while i'm in the area (if i can find them!)..

Hmmmmmmm could be interested

All been well ... I'll see you there

Shall we say midday(ish) at the Elan Valley visitor centre, and that'll leave plenty of time for Stu to get the fire going up at the bothy....

Route will be more-or-less from the visitor centre up to the Claerwen Dam, round to the bothy and back the next day. Open to route deviations, suggestions etc etc

Hopefully it'll be a bit drier inside than it was last time I was there ... there was so much rain that a little stream was running out of the back wall, across the floor and out of the door.

I also have it on good authority that there will be a group of 18 year old DoE girls there on Sat night

s8tannorm wrote: I also have it on good authority that there will be a group of 18 year old DoE girls there on Sat night

Someone needs to let them know that the bikepacking equivilent of 1D are gonna rock their world on Sat eve!

Someone needs to let them know that the bikepacking equivilent of 1D are gonna rock their world on Sat eve!

Now you mention it .............. so long as I don't have to be the gurning tw*t in the middle. Obviously no one likes him as they've doodled on his arms with a blunt marker when he was asleep, maybe he snores?

If he snores then that one has to be Chew

......treks off to buy a vest & wig........

I'm in.
No idea what time I'll be there but my ticket has been stamped.

I've got a couple of different cheeses, biscuits and rum.

Shirley it sould be wine with cheese & biscuits

I can't leave brizzle until about 12.30 so it'll be a couple of hours until I'm at the visitors centre
and a couple of hours to the bothy so that should get me in around 5pm ish.

I can't leave brizzle until about 12.30 so it'll be a couple of hours until I'm at the visitors centre
and a couple of hours to the bothy so that should get me in around 5pm ish.

Just expect me when you see me.

Jase, do you want me to bring a stove over for you?

s8tannorm wrote:

Jase, do you want me to bring a stove over for you?

Up to you Stu, if you get chance but there's no panic..

Any more takers for a very civilised weekend in the Elan Valley??

Wine, cheese, hip flasks of dubious liquid, the telling of tall tales, the odd One Direction singalong....

If the ford half a mile from the bothy turn off is high (it was chest deep earlier in the year) head up stream 100 yds, it'll still be deep but the river breaks into two, so it's much easier to get across ... although you'll still get very wet

s8tannorm wrote:If the ford half a mile from the bothy turn off is high (it was chest deep earlier in the year)

If my bag is full of cheese & superstar brake pads wonder if we'll be able to use it as a buoyancy aid

If my bag is full of cheese & superstar brake pads wonder if we'll be able to use it as a buoyancy aid

You might need something ... below is the bit where I suggest crossing. I know it doesn't look too bad in the pic but that was just over waist deep and very fast flowing.

However, it was much better than the ford. There were 3 expedition Landrovers struggling when I got there, as I walked up the bank looking for a place to cross, one of the drivers who was Dutch came over on the other side of the banking and said he'd come back across for me. No need to worry says I, I'll be fine (thinking it would be knee deep at most), stepped off the bank only to discover that it was thigh deep. Obviously I couldn't back down so I took a second step, this time the water came up to my waist, the next step was somewhere between waist and chest. Not wanting to let the side down, I pulled myself out the other side, quickly emptied my shoes and jumped back on my bike and pedalled past the kind Dutch man making sure to whistle the theme music from The Great Escape as I did ... he just stood there shaking his head.

Some of these BB trips are beginning to feel like man versus nature..