Across the Beacons

If you have got 2 days to spare and are looking for a cycle ride on undulating quiet roads. cycle paths and a  canal tow path, all with spectacular views,  then this route is for you.

The route starts in Carmarthen and ends in Abergavenny and follows a well marked route to the north of the Beacons and is a 120 km long.

With the rain beating on the bedroom window at 4am on Tuesday morning,  I decided that I would take the train to Bridgend rather than cycle from home to catch the onward connection to Carmarthen. I figured getting wet for 5 minutes was probably better than getting soaked for 50 minutes. 

Llantwit Major station in the rain 0600

Taking a fully packed Ebike on a train can be an adventure in itself so when the doors failed to open to the designated bike carriage on the 0710 to Milford Haven, my heart missed a few beats. I limped my way up Platform 1 pushing Bentley (my Riese & Muller Superdelite 5) whilst trying to attract the attention of the train guard. During the resulting conversation I was dutifully informed that there was a fault with some of the carriage doors so I was told to park Bentley by one of the carriage doors that was functioning - fortunately the train was not busy but the hour and a half journey west to Carmarthen did have me up and down like a bride's nightie, moving the bike from one side to the other as people got on and off the train.

By the time I reached Carmarthen the rain had stopped so I headed to Stacey's kitchen for a pot of tea and a bacon roll and to check my route prior to to the 60km ride to my overnight stop in Trecastle. Stacey's Kitchen is conveniently placed at the start of the traffic free Towy Cycle path, which runs to Llandeilo along the disused railway branch line. 21 km of smooth flat cycling following the river and passing the ruins of the 13th Century Dryslwyn Castle on one side of the valley and Paxton's Tower, a neo Gothic folly built in the 19th Century, on the other side were just two of the many sites on this section of the ride.

Dryslwyn Castle

Paxton's Tower

I detoured into Llandeilo to seek sustenance in Flows Cafe and then rejoined the route heading for Trap.  The trap being an uphill climb of 4km and a 7% gradient that sapped the batteries. The climb up to the ridge was well worth it though, being rewarded with great views to the Cambrian mountains to the north and the Black  Mountain to the south. A few more undulations and I was passing the Red Kite Centre where they feed the birds every day around 2 to 3 pm. The next few kilometres was  a road over open moorland  and almost perfectly straight. Avoiding the sheep grazing by the side of the road made concentrating a must. 

Red Kites feeding

North to the Beacons

Moorland road

I arrived in Trecastle which was to be my overnight stop. The Coaching Inn had been closed the last time I had visited the area but has since been refurbished and  offers very comfortable rooms and great food. 

Overnight in Trecastle

Part two of my journey was quite a contrast to the first - much flatter but still with some great views up to the central Beacons and over the Usk Valley. Passing through Sennybridge and crossing over the busy A40, I followed the back roads into Brecon, home to the famous Brecon Jazz Festival held every August. Brecon lies to the north of the Brecon Beacons National Park which was established in 1957. It has now been renamed Bannau Brycheiniog, presumably in deference to the Welsh language ?

Brecon Jazz... Nice!

I now picked up part of the Taff Trail cycle way which follows the Brecon & Monmouth Canal tow path eastwards out of the town towards Llanfrynach and then back onto quiet lanes through Talybont, where , for old times sake, I had to stop at the White Hart for a pint. The Star Inn would have been my pub of choice but it was closed! To be fair, both pubs have a few stories that I could bore you with.

Canal side view

Has Dabby got a pint ?

A little further on and I was back on the tow path, easy cycling but not the most interesting of views, and arrived in Abergavenny having bypassed Crickhowell  and the site on the Usk Valley Estate of the Green Man Festival. 

120kms completed in two days with no punctures or mechanical issues and TfW came up trumps the following day for my journey back to Bridgend with a spacious carriage for Bentley.

Premier Inn aperitif

Bentley on his way home