Mountains of the Merfynion

Mid May found me at the finish line of the Wild West Country event, pleased and happy at my first attempt of a multiday self-supported cycle across ~800km of some of the hilliest roads in the southwest of England. (And most of it with just one brake). One ‘ultra’ cycle done and wanting to do more….

Wild West Country is one of three ultra rides organised by the Perfidious Albion - so named as a reflection of the often duplicitous nature of UK riding, with sunny vistas mixed with steep gradients and changing weathers. Perfidious Albion routes can be relied on to provide an intense cycling experience!

With all this in mind I signed up for the Mountains of the Merfynion - described by Perfidious Albion as “a mixed surface extravaganza, tackling some of the best Welsh gravel and hardest paved climbs”. Although by the end I was thinking of it as a quite challenging walk interspersed with some excellent cycling….roughly two thirds on road.

Mountains of the Merfynion parcours

Fifteen riders started from Llanthony valley (near Abergavenny), and straight onto an ascent of the Tumble, with the novelty of no cars, and fans starting to gather for the penultimate Tour of Britain stage. From the top, the hills and descents kept coming thick and fast as the route led west across the grain of the Welsh Valleys with a mix of tarmac, singletrack through bracken, baby-head sized gravel, forest gravel roads and churned up dirt bike tracks. The traverse of Rhigos mountain after climbing the tarmac hairpins out of Aberdare was a particular challenge as the light faded.

Traffic free up the Tumble

One of the muddier sections across Rhigos Mountain

I’d targeted just north of Ystradfeltte for the first night stop, but given the good weather and forecast of wetter conditions to come, I decided to push on through an off road section of Sarn Helen to leave me closer to Llandovery for breakfast. As I’d been reminded the week before - walking in the dark is no slower than in the light - and some of that Sarn Helen section was definitely a walk!!

Sarn Helen - this section was clear enough to ride

Sunrise Day 2

West End cafe in Llandovery is highly recommended, and for me a great stop before a lengthy off road section from Llyn Brianne to Rhayader via Strata Florida and Claerwen Reservoir. The forecast rain for day2 caught me properly on the road climb to Claerwen Reservoir, and then again over the mountain road north of Rhayader. By this point I was forcing my pace to make a planned stop, and dinner, at the Star Inn, Staylittle. Or at least trying to push on, but it was still very slow going, I almost fell over in a ford, and the Star is at Dylite and not Staylittle. Fortunately I made it in the end, and there was still dinner available. And as the landlord said - I looked like I needed the food!!

The climb out of the Cymystwyth valley - the ‘Mohican Road’

The next section, and morning, round to Nant y Moch reservoir and Machynleth was excellent - blue sky and a great mix of surfaces. Machynlleth to Twywn was a new path via the Panorama Path, and an almost successful attempt to sneak down to the coast between two heavy showers. The sky cleared again for the stunning gravel track across to Cregganon Lakes, and from there to Dolgellau, Penmaenpool and Coed y Brenin. Not long after that my luck in avoiding the jet black skies around me ran out, and the rain and lightning came crashing down…I was marooned on the hillside - not able to risk leaving the semi shelter of some trees for the open hills until the lightning moved away, but also needing more miles completing that evening. In the end the storm and sky cleared and a rather colder me continued into the night with a full moon lighting the way - except it wasn’t that bright to illuminate the black cow stood motionless on the road. Somehow I saw it in time, and relieved it seemed quite non plussed.

Enjoying the early morning sunshine Day3. Rain clouds to the north.

Descending towards Nant y Moch reservoir

A novelty of flat terrain - around Nant y Moch reservoir

Black skies above Twywn - I couldn’t escape them forever!

But excellent sunshine until the rain caught me - descending to Cregganon Lakes

Moonshine after the storm (and before the cow)

I finally stopped at 2am in a picnic site by Llyn Vyrnwy, having got myself up and over the Hirnant Pass (with some extra gravel climbing). The lakeside views and short grass proved an excellent camp spot.

The aim the next day (day4) was to finish that day (190km remaining) - but the combination of more steep hills and sections of bridleway that had never heard of a horse (or any other user), took so much longer than expected, and left me in the Burger King at Builth Wells at 10pm with ~70km still remaining. I still had 24 hours to complete the event and decided to find somewhere to stop on the next off road section rather than keep pushing on.

One of the better off road sections on Day4 - there was a path at least!

Stopping proved an excellent decision with stunning sunshine the next morning, and semi-views across Hay Bluff, plus the benefit? of seeing where I was going in the clambering rock garden descent off Hay Bluff - how my rear mech survived I don’t know! Then it was just 25km of road to the finish, and no more climbing to add to the 16,000m already done.

Awesome sunshine on Day5 before Painscastle

Hay Bluff beckoned, after leaving the Gospel Pass road

Some of the rock garden descent!

Mountains of the Merfynion had been an excellent route round Wales and a really good 4+ days of riding. I’d really enjoyed it (except for maybe so many gates on day 3). Looking forward to the next one….

End of an excellent ride