It was cold.......

[david a hall]

Have just had 3 days in Wales in January with Mark Hato (Melings1200) on here, we met in Élan vilage on Thursday morning and left the vans there. As many will know there has been a bit of snow lately and the high moors it was quite deep..

 

[david a hall]

Day 1

 

[david a hall]

On Thursday night we stayed in the bunk house attached to the canoe Center in Hay on Wye which was beyond lovely.

 

[Nutty]

That's making me cold just looking at that!

 

[david a hall]

On day 2 we headed back up north retracing some of our previous trails, there had been quite a thaw overnight so the snow was slushy and the ground under neath very slippery, a couple of the guys on KTMs690s on TKC80s were heroes on those machines. After a long period of erosion it looks like Poyws council are repairing some of the lanes, this nice guy was moving some of the mud for us....

 

[david a hall]

Dat 2

 

[david a hall]

We stayed at the Talbot in Tregaron on Friday night, an excellent pub hotel that don't seem to mind wet dirty bikers.....

 

[david a hall]

Day 3 dawned with the prospect of sunshine, a lazy full Welsh breakfast followed by a bit of bike checking, the only problem was a flat fron on one of the KTMS, a quick pump and it was fine.... We had aimed to do strata Florida but recent melt water and much rain and freezing water and and and meant we didn't..... But we headed north and did some truly amazing trails up towards Aberystwyth. The sun came out and the firm packed tracks were a tonic after the mud and snow....., only problem that day was a broken chain...

 

[david a hall]

Day 3

 

[david a hall]

So if you guys are looking for a break that won't break the bank, any month of the year then this will do you, if your man enough

 

[david a hall]

Here is Birmingham water supply, should be a while before there is a hose pipe ban.....

 

[PDiddy]

Still pissed that I missed out on this -

 

[merlings1200]

Hi Dave
I've just got back to the Cottage after another day out on the trails of Mid Wales sun shine all day, will post all my pic and more detail of our route when I'm back home tomorrow.
Great 3 days riding with you guys.
Here's a pic to keep you going

 

[Toddmeister]

We stayed at the Talbot in Tregaron on Friday night, an excellent pub hotel that don't seem to mind wet dirty bikers.....

Fabulous place! Ten of us stayed there last year and they couldn't have been more welcoming.

Highly recommended!

 

[david a hall]

Great thanks Mark, look forward to them.

 

[merlings1200]

Fabulous place! Ten of us stayed there last year and they couldn't have been more welcoming.

Highly recommended!

Yes the Y Talbot is a fantastic place to stay, I have stayed there a few time when guiding long trail rides.
Always arrive with about 10 riders coverd in mud from Welsh smelly bog and boots full of dirty water this is never a problem just put all you kit in the boiler room.
All the room are very good great showers, and beds.
Fantastic food & beer.
Normally pay £40.00 for B&B

 

[Ash]

Looked a tad parky
I used to enjoy going out offroad in the snow....

 

[merlings1200]

As Dave said It was cold.......
We all met up in the Elan Valley near Rhayader in Mid Wales last Thursday morning.
We had a bit of a late start as some of guys had traveled up from London that morning.
We finally set of at 1oclock, the first trail we took takes you from the Elan Valley down to New Bridge, this is a quite easy lane that follows the river Wye.
From New Bridge we hit the main roads across to Llandod, the wind chill was bloody cold on the hands and we could see the snow on hills we were heading for.

From Llandod we road up into the hills for the first of two lane that takes you across to Peny Y Bont lots of snow on the hills.

From Peny Y Bont we head towards Knighton to a byway that takes you to the northern end of Water Breaks it Neck this trail gets it's names from the water fall at the southern end, it's a nice long lane that goes high up into the hills of Mid Wales lots of snow up here!

 

[merlings1200]

From the Southen End of Water Breaks It's Neck we cross the A44 to the next trail heading south east towards Paincastle the first lane was very rutted and deep mud.

The ice was 3" or 4" thick in a number of the deep ruts( 50 to 60 foot long and up to 3 feet of very dirty cold water deep) we had to break the ice before you could ride through the ruts.

When we finally hit the Tarmac again the road was coverd in snow and ice and very cold, it was now dark so we headed for the bunk house at Glasbury on Wye.
This Bunk House is 5 star great showers with under floor heating, comfy bunks full kitchen, log burner, big screen tv, music system, the list just goes on.

After a much needed hot shower we had a couple of beers and the went next door the the river side cafe for supper great food was had by all.
By the end of the day we had coverd 63 miles

 

[merlings1200]

Friday Morning
We awake to a hard frost, cold and clear sky's, after a great full English breakfast we fuel the bikes and lube the chains.

At 10.30 we head of in a NW direction, the first two lanes of the morning take us back to Paincastle.
The lanes were very muddy under the frost.