The length of Wales – through a Civil Engineers Eye

This is a training update for the generous people on LinkedIn that have supported my Paris to Bordeaux World Cup Bike Ride for Velindre Cancer Centre in September this year. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising-edit/neil-reynolds26

With only one month to go to France and a small gap in my diary I just completed cycling Lon Las Cymru 430km (Green Lane of Wales) solo. Traversing the country’s most mountainous countryside, from the Brecon Beacons to Snowdonia, it certainly tested my metal in the summer rain and wind, but the loaded bike packing was good training for France in September. Here is a summary of my trip from Cardiff to Holyhead largely following Sustrans Route 8 on mixed terrain using quiet lanes, repurposed railway lines, canal paths and off road sections.

One of the benefits of cycling solo is you can go wherever you want whenever you want. Suffice to say on the spur of the moment, I booked 3 hotel nights with the plan to cycle average 100km a day over 4 days. I got dropped at the Senedd in Cardiff on the morning of Friday 28 July, and I arrived in Holyhead in the evening Monday 31 July. I then caught the train home to Carmarthen on Tuesday 1 August.

The Welsh Government should give me a medal for following their active travel guidance which includes cycling and using public transport. But let’s be serious the low traffic route I followed had 5000m of climbing and it took me a day to get home by train. In many places it would be impossible to use a normal road bike and the route signage was very poor in places. I was following a GPX track and had maps as a backup but even then I took many wrong turns. But there were some sections of repurposed rail track in both South and North Wales that had good tarmac surfaces. If the Welsh Government wants this initiative to work the local authorities need to combine efforts, improve the signage and surfaces, and regularly maintain the route. Quite often the route signs have gone or pointed in the wrong direction. Trying to make sense as to what the signs, if there, where pointing to against the route my Garmin was telling me to go.

Bike: XCr Hallet Adventure Bike with tubeless Panaracer GravelKing 48 Tires.

Daily fuel: Full English, OTE Hydro Tabs, Pasties, Welsh Cakes, Boost Bars and three course meals and beer in the evening.?

Day One: Cardiff to Brecon 95.84km, Accent 950m

The route was a gentle climb mainly off road following the Taff and Trevithick Trail alongside the River Taff through lush, wooded landscape and onto the heart of Merthyr Tydfil the home of the industrial revolution in Wales and left a legacy of ironworks, railways, and canals. Sadly, it’s now one of the most deprived areas in Wales and is typical of the mining towns and villages across the UK that have still not recovered a generation on from pit closures. What I can say is all the people I spoke to for directions, which sometimes included me giving the directions, were all super friendly. I also called into Pontypridd where I went to university to get a photo of the famous Pontypridd Bridge, on my engineering bucket list, and has a strong connection with my home village Cenarth.?Pontypridd Bridge is an arched single-span?footbridge that spans the?River Taff. The bridge was built by?William Edwards and was completed in 1756. It was once the longest single-span bridge at 44m in the UK for a period of 40 years and was also one of the few bridges in Europe at the time, and indeed worldwide, whose span exceeded the 40m mark. The focal point of Cenarth is an 18th-century bridge designed by David Edwards, the son of?William Edwards and just like Pontypridd Bridge has a series of circular spandrel holes. The holes are not decorative but were added to reduce the weight and pressure on the crown while maintaining its strength. The route continued through the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons through some stunning valleys and forests along the Taff Trail around the Pontsticill Reservoir with its bell mouth spillway and up to the Talybont Reservoir. You also get to cycle along the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, or Mon & Brec for short, which is a true hidden gem and ended at Brecon Basin before my hotel for the evening.?

Day Two: Brecon to Llandiloes 109.44km, Accent 1497m

After taking a few wrong turns my punishment was I ended up on the wrong side of the river Wye and climbed a mountain! For some sections I had to get off and push, but the vantage point provided some nice photos near Builth Wells. I took extra care at junctions on the following days to ensure I was on the right route. The route then continued onto Rhayader on mainly country lanes and took in the Elan Valley Trail. The remnants of the station platforms remain. With the weather staying kind I made it to my overnight hotel in the picturesque market village of Llanidloes.

Pretty cool was coming across some Millennium Mileposts that are cast-iron sculptures to help people navigate the National Cycle Network. I don’t recall seeing any of these when I cycled LEJOG. They make great rest places for yet another photo of my bike!?

Day 3: Llandiloes to Porthmadog (Tremadog) 119.25km, Accent 1453m

From reading up about the route I knew that Day Three would be the most challenging, but it was also the most beautiful despite the heavens opening for most of the afternoon. The route took me through Machynlleth, Barmouth, past Harlech Castle with an overnight hotel at Porthmadog (Tremadog to be exact). The route also ran along the mighty River Seven that at this point was a mere stream and through the Hafren Forrest where there was a sign for nesting Ospreys near the shore of Llyn Clywedog reservoir. There was also one very remote section in the Dulas Valley following a cluster of old slate mines. From here the climbing was tough but the views and the steep descent into Machynlleth were spectacular. I can see on my Garmin that I clocked a top speed of 60km/hr. I then followed the Mawddach trail, got covered in mud from head to toe in the rain, which led me to another bridge on my engineering bucket list, Barmouth Bridge. Barmouth Bridge or?Barmouth Viaduct?is a?Grade II listed single-track wooden?railway viaduct across the estuary of the River Mawddach. It is 820m long and carries the?Cambrian Line. It is the longest timber viaduct in Wales and one of the oldest in regular use in Britain. Another connection is Network Rail where I serve on their international board, is carrying out the biggest restoration of Barmouth Viaduct in its history. The ￡30m upgrade will protect the well-loved bridge for generations and maintain its magnificent appearance.?

Day 4: Porthmadog to Holyhead 105.74m, Accent 1050m

A mixed day of wind and rain but with the end in sight I was in high spirits. With many new roadworks I did get awfully lost around Bangor trying to get onto the Menai Suspension Bridge. Because of new roads and roundabouts, I somehow ended up in a nature reserve where a machete would have come in useful. A couple walking their dog told me to keep going through the bushes and I would join the bridge road. My day started down a track to Criccieth that was better suited to a full suspension mountain bike. Then the riding was easy into Caernarfon to see the castle and onward to Holyhead that included a long section of the Lon Eifon track. I really paced it along here. No matter what road I took in Anglesey it wasn’t fun as most roads had heavy speeding traffic. I switched on my safety lights and - head down arse up - I arrived in Holyhead early evening in the rain. Going over the Stanley Embankment provided a good photo opportunity but otherwise Holyhead was a bit of an anti-climax after all I had seen over the previous three days.?

I decided to end my ride at the Maritime Museum on the Holyhead seafront where I paused for a moment and gave myself a pat on the back for my achievement…430km distance, 5000m accent on mixed terrain in 4 days.

My celebratory dinner was at Chanthi’s Thai to Go. It may not look like much from the outside, but the food and the service was first class.

All in all, a fantastic week and its never just the ride. I found freedom and cleared my mind and taking time out is good for your health. I also met some wonderful people along the way, one use to work at Rapha. Be prepared to be on your own for hours at a time. I only met a few touring cyclists on the whole journey, and they were all coming towards me from Holyhead. Given the remoteness of some sections (mountain passes between closed gates) and the adverse weather I recommend that everyone carries some basic safety equipment. In my bike pack I had a first aid kit, heat reflecting blanket and a whistle and mirror to summon for help. Many sections had no mobile phone signal. Also even going through small villages there are no shops, pubs, or garages to buy food so make sure you grab your pasties and Welsh cakes when you can for the following day.

Finally, Day Five Holyhead to Carmarthen by train – this took one day!

On Day one I also managed to watch Josh Quigley BBC1 Documentary – Cycling Saved My Life - on iPlayer in Brecon. BBC iPlayer - Our Lives - Series 7: Cycling Saved My Life His life story will inspire so many and help people through their darkest hours.?He also inspired me to keep cycling in the rain.

Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

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