GROUP EVENT Parkinson's UK & The National Garden Scheme Cycle Tour

Charged to promote the 90th Anniversary of The National Garden Scheme along with their partnership with Parkinson's UK, we set off on a one-day cycle tour visiting six unique gardens across the county of Glamorgan on a fabulous Spring day in Wales!

Three fellas + three bicycles + 6 destinations = one fantastic day!

Slade; Southerndown, Glamorgan

The gardens were certainly lovely, the ride was fantastic, but what I'll remember the most from this wonderful day of cycling are the people we met along the way. Their hospitality and generosity was extrordinary.Thank you everyone.

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Overview: Parkinson's UK & The NGS Tour

Total Distance: 65.6 miles
Total Elevation: + 4096 / - 4761 ft
Total Duration: 11:30:28

I've divided this report to correlate directly to the six destinations as we visited them. You can select a route and location to jump forward.

DestinationPontygwaith Farm
DestinationThe Cottage
DestinationThe Old Post Office
Destination28 Maes y Nant
DestinationBryn-y-Ddafad
DestinationSlade

[ The map above is interactive! You may select a particular section to view the details. ]

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PARKINSON'S UK & THE NGS CYCLE TOUR
DestinationPontygwaith Farm

Address: Edwardsville, Glamorgan, CF46 5PD
Distance: 6.7 miles

Located just above Quakers Yard by the legendary "hump bridge", you've passed this garden every time you've cycled down the Taff Trail. What is most surprising is how much there is to see once you walk around back... it just keeps on giving with vignettes of varying scale at every turn. ▲ Back to Overview

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PARKINSON'S UK & THE NGS CYCLE TOUR
DestinationThe Cottage

Address: Cwmpennar, Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, CF45 4DB
Distance: 7.9 miles
Total Distance: 14.6 miles

Who would have thought the forests of California and mountains of North Carolina could be found in Mountain Ash? From azalea's and rhododendrons to towering redwoods, gardens don't get much thicker or more lush than this gem. Ya just gotta see this place to believe it. ▲ Back to Overview

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PARKINSON'S UK & THE NGS CYCLE TOUR
DestinationThe Old Post Office

Address: Main Road, Gwaelod-Y-Garth, Glamorgan, CF15 9HJ
Distance: 16.2 miles
Total Distance: 30.8 miles

The gardens at the Old Post Office in Gwaelod-Y-Garth are equally eclectic and unusual. Built upon a delightful array of terraces, this destination was a complete surprise hidden within an already charming village. By the numbers seen visiting, you could tell others loved it as well. ▲ Back to Overview

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PARKINSON'S UK & THE NGS CYCLE TOUR
Destination28 Maes y Nant

Address: Creigiau, Glamorgan, CF15 9EJ
Distance: 4.4 miles
Total Distance: 35.2 miles
☞ View website

And it was not just the gardens which we visited that we found lovely... the people we met were quite simply wonderful. At Meas y Nant, they pulled out all the fanfare to greet us. We were humbled beyond words. It's this kind of community that makes volunteering so special. ▲ Back to Overview

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PARKINSON'S UK & THE NGS CYCLE TOUR
DestinationBryn-y-Ddafad

Address: Welsh St Donats, Cowbridge, Glamorgan, CF71 7ST
Distance: 5.9 miles
Total Distance: 41.1 miles
☞ View website

After seeing so much, it's hard to imagine what you might find next... and yet we were surprised yet again with a perfect "secret garden" at Bryn-y-Ddafad. Walking in through the gates we were immediately hit with the smell of Wisteria. The pictures tell the rest of the story. ▲ Back to Overview

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PARKINSON'S UK & THE NGS CYCLE TOUR
DestinationSlade

Address: Southerndown, Glamorgan, CF32 0RP
Distance: 13.2 miles miles
Total Distance: 41.1 miles
☞ View website

Of course, scale has it's own part to play in le grand scheme. And Slade covers that issue - hands down. A perfect location to end our epic cycle tour; Slade sits on the coast; high cliffs and the Bristol Channel are all that keeps us from heading further west. ▲ Back to Overview

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Summary
So our epic day comes to an end. What a blast. It was lovely to meet everyone and see these fabulous gardens. What can I say?

Thank you for giving us this opportunity: Ian Savage of Parkinson's UK and Rosamund Davies of The National Garden Scheme. Thank you for making all this possible.

Three fellas + 60 miles cycled + 12 hours on the road = sleeping like babies.

Pre-Tour Agenda & Invite

You can also view the original route plan and invite I prepared for the event here: Parkinson's UK & NGS Cycle Tour Agenda

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