Pont Scethin

More unavailability meant another weekend of solo riding for Hedd.

After a spin around the Malverns on Friday evening, I headed to Tal-y-bont near Barmouth on the North Wales coast to tackle the Pont Scethin loop on Saturday. This is a bit of a classic, and the fact that we'd never riden it had always frustrated me.

The weather was fantastic and this meant that despite the early start, I got caught up in a fair bit of traffic heading for the coast.

Early in the ride the climbing is fairly easy on good surfaces, and it's not too long before you're away from it all and enjoying great views back towards the coast.

A right turn takes you down a boggy trail to Pont Scethin (a packhorse bridge on the old London to Harlech coach route).

Pont Scethin

From here, the trail heads up a difficult climb to the highest point on the ride. There are fantasic views over the Mawddach Estuary from the top.

The descent was great, it starts steep and then levels for a while (Braich) before plummiting down again. My favourite bits were the burmed grassy switchbacks, and a no risk grassy jump!

A right turn after an iron gate led to a farm track through some beautiful scenery.

A nice spot on the farm track

The second climb of the day was another tough one, a long singletrack trail with a number of switchbacks. The view from the top was stunning in both directions, back over the Mawddach Estuary, or ahead to Tal-y-bont with the Lleyn Peninsula beyond.

The view of the Mawddach Estuary from the top of the second climb

The view ahead to Tal-y-bont with the Lleyn peninsula beyond

The second big descent of the day had everything, narrow singletrack at the top gave way to a rocky section before the trail turned grassy with a variable gradient. As if this wasn't enough, the trail then dropped through woodland before ending at the car park.

My route can be viewed here: http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=8866

The stats are: 12.6 miles (20.28km); 2648 feet (807m) of climbing

The Pont Scethin loop definately deserves it's classic status, but it isn't very long. This gave me time to head to Coed-y-brenin and do a quick blast around the Tarw trail (the trail formally know as Red Bull) before heading home (and making my 6pm deadline!).

The Tarw trail route (including a diversion due to forestry operations) can be viewed here: http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=8867

The stats are: 9.68 miles (15.57km); 1412 feet (430m) of climbing

Betws-y-Coed Rides

The unavailability of others meant that Hedd (fueled by new bike fever!) headed to Betws-y-Coed for a solo mission on Sunday 24 May.

I left Warwick at 6:30am and after a toll road diversion to avoid the M6 closure I arrived at Penmachno and was riding by 9am. The weather was absolutely fantastic and I decided to do loops 1 & 2 (we'd only ever done loop 1 before). Loop 2 was a bit of a disappointment - it included fantastic views of Moel Siobod, Snowdon, Tryfan and Bristly Ridge but the riding was a bit too cross-country for my taste with no real downhill sections of note. Loop 1 delivered as always though, especially the last few sections.

I headed to a very busy Betws-y-Coed for lunch (sausage, chips and curry sauce!) and then headed to the Marin trailhead. It was really busy and I was lucky to get a parking spot as someone was just leaving. The Marin trail seems to attract lots of beginners (at least it did today) and my confidence was given a boost as I passed many of them on the first climb!

The last downhill was once again the highlight and I felt I was really starting to get the hang of the new bike by the end.

I left for home asap and, despite some heavy traffic on the A5, made it back by my 5:30pm deadline.

All in all, a good day!

A photo to prove I didn't spend the day in the pub! A lake on the Marin trail where I stopped for some well deserved jelly babies!

Here are my riding stats for the day....

Penmachno loops 1 & 2; Distance: 18 miles (29km); Total ascent: 2186 feet (666m)

Marin; Distance 15 miles (24km); Total ascent: 2173 feet (662m)

Malvern Evening Ride

On Friday 22 May, Nev, Hedd, Stu and Ash headed to the Malverns for the first evening ride of the season. Hedd was very keen to put the new bike through it's paces!

That "new addidas" look! Hedd's new bike - Lapierre Zesty 514

Everyone was pretty punctual (for once!) so we were soon away and climbing North Hill.

Stu on the North Hill climb with Great Malvern below in the sunshine

We diverted away from our usual route to give a new descent from North Hill a try, which was pretty good fun although Ash took a tumble! In no time we were climbing to the highest point of the ride - Worcestershire Beacon.

Nev on the climb to the Worcestershire Beacon summit

The first evening ride of the season means a mandatory photo at the summit! Stu, Ash and Nev

The descent from Worcestershire Beacon was a blast as always, although Stu suffered a puncture. The ride from here was relatively uneventful as we didn't take on "gumpy's drop"! Hedd's new bike performed admirably and the whole evening was rounded off with some chips with curry sauce in Malvern Link! We all agreed that there was no better way to wash away the stresses of the working week and that we needed to repeat soon!

The Nan Bield Pass

On Sunday 3 May, we (Hedd, Ed, Ad & Stu) headed to the Lakes to tackle the Gatescarth and Nan Bield passes. After an early breakfast at Hedd's, we set off and after a reasonable journey were ready to get going at about 10.30am.

Hedd had a Lapierre Zesty demo bike for the weekend and was looking forward to putting it through it's paces!
The first climb started on road, but that soon changed as we headed across some boggy ground towards Kentmere. The going soon got rockier as we enjoyed the first descent of the day, alongside Hall Wood and down to Kentmere Hall.

Next was some tarmac as we headed through Kentmere and climbed towards Stile End. We endured our only rain shower of the day as we began climbing. We hit the fun descent down to Sadgill in no time and enjoyed our first mildly techie downhill sections of the day.

Ed on the more technical section of the descent to Sadgill

We found a nice spot by the bridge over the River Sprint and enjoyed some lunch in the sunshine. We couldn't put the climb to the summit of the Gatescarth Pass off any longer and headed north up Long Sleddale. After some undulating track on the valley floor, and an inexplicable puncture for Ad, the valley sides closed in and the track headed skywards. Some sections were rideable, but the steepness combined with momentum sapping loose rock meant that others were not, and we did a good deal of pushing.

Ad pushes to the top of Long Sleddale with Stu and Ed following

From the top of Long Sleddale, we forked left for even more painfull pushing up steep switchback trails until eventually we reached the summit of the Gatescarth Pass.

Ed takes a breather on the climb to the summit of the Gatescarth Pass, with a fantastic view down Long Sleddale

From the summit of the Gatescarth Pass, we could see our trail disappearing down to the shore of Haweswater and couldn't wait to give it a go.

Ed on the Gatescarth Pass descent with Ad ahead in the distance

Stu and his distinctive knee warmers on the Gatescarth Pass descent

The descent was 100% rideable, but challenging in places. It's sheer length meant that by the time we were forced to stop by a locked gate near the bottom, our arms and hands were really suffering.

Stu approaching the gate near the bottom of the Gatescarth Pass descent

We continued to drop after the gate and the trail got less rocky and therefore much quicker. Ed had a close call as he just managed to stop short of a family out for a quiet Sunday afternoon walk.

We had reached the Haweswater shoreline and that could only mean one thing, we were about to embark on the infamously painful climb to the summit of the Nan Bield Pass. Things started pretty well and we were able to do quite a bit of riding during the early stages of the climb. Unfortunately things soon got steeper and we were forced to push and carry. The scenery did provide some consolation, we were enclosed by huge mountains and had waterfalls along our pathway and the view over Haweswater behind.

Ad and Ed on the climb up to Small Water

We were all tiring by this stage, and promised ourselves a lengthy break at Small Water, a tarn (ask Ed what that is!) on the Nan Bield climb.

Hedd reaches the Small Water shoreline on the bright, shiny Lapierre

The team relaxing on the banks of Small Water, with a camouflage tent in the background!

The sun eventually disappearing behind a cloud and it was time to get moving again. The next section was comfortably the toughest of the day, in fact, it would be the toughest on most days! It was a steep carry on mountain paths up to the Nan Bield summit, with a series of walkers questioning our sanity ("You're going to have to explain this to me?!?!" was our favourite). At least the views back over Small Water with Haweswater below were enjoyable.

The view from the climb to the summit of the Nan Bield Pass with Small Water below and Haweswater in the background

Does this look steep enough? Ed and Stu on the Nan Bield climb

The lesser spotted lakeland mountain cat - on the prowl!

Stu and Ed reach the summit of the Nan Bield Pass

Eventually we got there, and one of the most technical descents in the Lakes was ahead of us. After a short break we were away and into the top section, which is essentially a series of narrow, rocky, switchbacks. Nobody managed a clean run, but we all had fun trying.

Ed on the Nan Bield switchbacks, with the trail heading into the distance

Ad and Stu on the Nan Bield switchbacks

After this initial technical section, the trail levels out and gets easier, although there is still plenty to catch you as Ed found to his cost, taking a tumble!

Stu on the next, more open, section of the Nan Bield descent. The shelter at the summit of the Pass is just visable on the horizon

After some contouring around a spur, the trail heads downwards again with some grassy sections to pick up pace and rocky sections to catch you out!

Stu on the last section of the Nan Bield descent

We had considered adding the Garburn Pass to our ride, but when we got back to Kentmere we were all pretty tired and agreed to head back to Stavely and our cars. Rather than use the road, we headed back to Kentmere Hall and back tracked along what had been the first descent of the day to give us an enjoyable grassy drop to end the day.

Stu on the final climb of the day, near Hall Wood

We all agreed it had been an epic day!

Distance: 22.1 miles (35.56km); Total ascent: 4184 feet (1275m).

The route can be viewed on bikehike (http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=7231) or GPSies (http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=gbadxoogkfmvukml).