Hello,

Not being a local, I'm relying on OS maps and aerial photos for plotting, so any thoughts on the day 1 outbound leg would be welcomed.

I've tried to keep some road in but I want to try and re-do the route to the first waypoint to avoid the double back. I was thinking about the overnight stop somewhere nearby the SN842772 waypoint as there is fresh water, trees and it's looks to be in a valley.

Also if anybody wants to ride this route with me let me know.

I'll post the return leg once it's finished.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6699684

Many thanks

Duncan

Bugeilyn
Theres probably only 3 days a year you're going to get through there without being up to your plums in bog. Depends on the weather for the next week and how lucky you are.

You've also got a HUGE push coming towards the end of your day.

Google earth and contours are your friend


Also its good to see people being ambitious with their routes. Depends if you've ridden in the area before, but as a guide we rode 75k this weekend and that was enough (you may/may not want to include snowy tussocks). I'd say you probably dont want to plan to go over 100k unless you're one of the fast guys. Bear in mind you may also end up riding an extra 10% over your planned mileage due to mapping inaccuracies, getting lost, small detours.

Try not to be too rigid with your route and not plan too much. You cant plan adventure.


[cough]Bearbones Ford Fiesta Day 1[/cough]

Just had a full look through

The climb (push) you have a 1/3 of the way in will make the other one look easy, and you've been very generous with the amount of Deathmarch.

Google earth and contours are your friend

Remember its mid Wales, so just because theres a bridleway on the map, doesnt mean theres one on the ground.

Bivi spot - there will be plenty of water down there, but i'd imagine it would be very cold, due to the cooling effect of the river and the likely temp inversion during the night with the cold air running off the hills into the valley

Day 2's route.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6700444

I don't mind the climbing too much, I live on the South Downs so hopefully it won't seem much worse than a normal ride round here, fingers crossed. I take you point about the bridle ways, I've plotted most of the route using sat photos as well, but obviously you can't really know what the ground will be like from them.

I was thinking about finishing day 1 a bit earlier to balance them up a bit, any suggestions of a good place to stop?

d

I don't mind the climbing too much, I live on the South Downs so hopefully it won't seem much worse than a normal ride round here,

You might be surprised, the valleys are generally deep, steep and unrelenting. Combine that with poor ground conditions and it can really start to tell on mind and body.

Chew's right about Bugeilyn, you really won't enjoy it ... in 10 years I've been able to ride it just the once. There's a route that loops above Bugeilyn that's 100% ridable and very pleasant but you'll need 1:25K mapping to see it as it isn't shown on any 1:50K. It pretty much starts and finishes where you want it to.

I would suggest taking the bridleway into Hafren forest, it leaves the road at SN755792.
It is rideable, but challenging but will get you into the forest without too much fuss.

Looking at the path you have picked, it looks too steep to be rideable and its barely visible on satalite images.

I would suggest taking the bridleway into Hafren forest, it leaves the road at SN755792

That GR is quite a way off Hafren, I'm not saying you can't reach Hafren by going that way but an awful lot could go wrong before you get there.

I'm tempted to see if Buguilyn would go on the fat bike. Especially after a few nights hard frost, you'd cruise it

Silly question of the day.

I'm guessing the answer is yes but if I didn't ask and I come up against a 20ft high fence with keep out signs I'll kick myself for not asking.

Are the fire roads and access roads open to the passing public through the wind farm area down around SN 815795?

Sorry for asking.

John YES no kicking required :)

EDIT: or it was the last time I was up there

No fences. You may find the odd locked gate, but nothing you cant lift your bike over

Any chance you can give me a grid ref of where the buglin detour starts, I've got an os subscription so have 25k maps. I'll then redo that bit of the route. Any other suggestions welcomed as I want to push myself but still enjoy the ride and the local scenery.

Cheers

Duncan

dlovett wrote:Any chance you can give me a grid ref of where the buglin detour starts

SN822929

Ok if the route down the valley or on the path above it isn't rideable , then I guess I'll have to back up and go along the North/West side of via Esgair y Fford and Mynydd Bychan then. Otherwise is it possible to follow the power lines over Croesau Hyddgen?

Not sure where you mean but theres a double track all the way from SN822929 to SN782924 then to SN783892

Powerlines???

yep that's the double back route I was thinking of as a backup plan. My mistake on the power lines, I thought it was a dotted black line, but it's a solid one going over Croesau Hyddgen.

You've still lost me. Google earth it. It'll be quite obvious.

Croesau Hyddgen

The track that Chew's listed isn't actually shown as a ROW on the map but you can treat it as one. If you use it, follow the obious track (on the ground and the map) rather than what the map shows to be bridleways. It's nicer to ride N-S but works fine S-N.

There really is no other option across / through that section.

Not sure where you mean but theres a double track all the way from SN822929 to SN782924 then to SN783892

Good tip, would like to use this on the basis it's rideable

What's it like North and East of 822929? Trying to link it up so I head down or across to it, would like to ride, not deathmarch!

benp1 wrote:What's it like North and East of 822929?

The track to the Mountain Road is a good one. Its called the mountain road for a reason. Its ok to ride up from the East, steep and nasty from the West.

Glydwr's way from the east is steady away and generally rideable, although its many years since i've been up there. The western side of the bridge at SN838931 is a bit of a scramble

The bridleway from SN850973 to SN853957 is a quick but slightly painful way to quickly get the height but requires a bit of pushing

Sorry, where's the mountain road?

You mentioned Bugeilyn is miserable, is that basically most of 8292? Want to make sure I miss it - I'm with 2 others who've never been before, would like to ease them in

Could take the bridleway to 853957, bear SE to Dylife following the bridleway

Then from Dylife to 822929 via the following points
851939
845934
832933
Past Cerrig Brithion

Haven't looked at satellite maps yet, didn't know anything about the bridge. What do you think of this section?

By section I mean the route via the grid refs (thanks in advance for your help!)

where's the mountain road?

The road that runs between the B4518 into Machynlleth

You mentioned Bugeilyn is miserable, is that basically most of 8292?

Yes the bridleway than runs south west from there.
The double track that runs east is great

Then from Dylife to 822929 via the following points
851939
845934
832933
Past Cerrig Brithion

All fine and you'll enjoy the bit around the bridge

Haven't looked at satellite maps yet

Make sure you do. I often ignore the maps and use the images more. 30 mins spent now will save you some death march later

Brilliant, thanks a lot Chew, that's really helpful

Earlier someone recommended http tp://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm and I have found it excellent for looking up grid references and comparing map and satellite.