A bit of an exploration

(Kelly, Claire and Me)

''Its gunna be an interesting ride, a bit of an exploration''

Claire avoiding the bog

A pretty good way to sell a ride.
All I really knew was that we would ride up past Carreg Alltrem and then join a bridleway to take us up onto open access land. From there I guessed it would be good to head over to the top of Rhiwbach Mine and ride down through the workings and from there head back to the car, which was about 7km away as the crow flies, through the forest and trails of Penmachno.

Steady option out the valley

As we left Dolwyddelan, heading up the forestry roads we climbed most of the height to exit the back of the valley but to do so would require a small push up a bridleway which is probably wet and greasy in all but the driest periods of weather. It was a few hundred metres of pushing but it did me we had wet feet fairly early on in the ride. Once on the top we exited onto open access land and tried to find a vague track leading over to Cwt Y Bugail mine. We must have missed the proper track and made our own way over until we found the right route which lead straight to the huge hole in the ground (Cwt Y Bugail). Back on fast double track for a brief descent before turning East towards the mines Manod and Rhiwbach. the double track leads straight to the top of the incline leading down to and through the rhiwbach workings. above the forest is straight forward, beyond that the double track is fast and full of little drops, ruts and a couple of gates to watch out for. once past the third (i think) gate it becomes much more exciting with the riding on a mix of loose stone and bed rock. If its wet it is slippy and will keep you on your toes in all weathers.just follow your nose down through the workings and stay on the double track, don't ride the incline, it will end badly.

Once you have joined the road its up to you we road along the road toward Penmachno, and took a path through a farm and up into the forest, it happened to lead to bottom of  the last but one descent on the Penmachno trail. From here we used the forest roads to cut across to join the 4th piece of single track. following the trail to the road and heading up and over to a crossroads, turning right onto a forest road leads all the way down to the bottom of the Lledr Valley and Claires van. Claire and Kelly say that its one they wont be doing again. I will be giving it another go when the ground is not so water logged.

Descending through the top sections of Rhiwbach mine workings

A natural shot following butties and Hoola hoops

Does my bum look big in this!

Double track across to Rhibach from Cwt Y Bugail

From the top incline down to the forest, if there
 were no gates you wouldn't need to pedal

Looking back up at Rhiwbach

Testing out the new Llandegla trails

(Kelly, Claire and Me) There are no photos due to a dead battery, nice one Claire

An excellent decision by Claire to go and test out the new trails opened this month at Llandegla Trail Centre. They have done lots of work on the trails throughout, repairing, adapting and building some excellent sections. It is still quite bumpy to start but once you start on the new trails they are smoothed out but still jam packed full of features, drops, jumps, high banked berms, north shore and of course some steep climbs.

It is well worth a visit!!!

www.coedllandegla.com

Beicio Mynydd - Wet, Muddy and Sunny - Is it really November!!!

(Kelly, Claire and Jess)

During September I got out riding 2/3 times a week with these guys but since then, the weather has changed, Kelly and Jess have been busy on PGCE placements and Claire has been swanning around in Nepal.

The Girls; View over Castell Dolwyddelan

Leaving the A470



Jess with Siabod in the background

 We started just off the summit of the Crimea pass and took the double track around and down to the Roman Road. It was warm with lots of mud and puddles which meant we were soaked and filfthy straight away, an excellent start.

Me covered in mud

After continuing on down to Dolwyddelan we headed up over on the Sarn Helen back into Betws

Lady Claire demonstrating why she
will not become the cover girl of Cosmo

Jess enjoying the final descent into Betws

Kelly enjoying the leafy, slippy and rocky descent.

Cheers for a good day, looking foward to next time already!!!