The South East Valleys have much to offer the modest cycle tourist. This route showcases much of what the brochures miss - the small towns and countryside.
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| Looking down the valley from above the meadows... |
Essentially this route travels around the area where I live. It's a fairly easy ride with only a one moderate climb. The rest is just glorious cycling up and down the nearby valleys.
Elevation: + 4494 / - 4486 ft
Duration: 08:34:17
For me it's about getting away... from traffic, from the hustle & bustle, from the nonsense swirling around our daily lives... and it's free therapy less than ten miles from our back door.
The wind turbines have been built over the past year. It's a growing concern as many of these barren hilltops are now being populated with these towers.
Once you pass through the village of Markham, the valleys drop away and farms appear as you move onto Bedwelty Commons.
At the far end of the ridge a small valley appears nestled between Tredegar and Rhymney. It's rather isolated and quite pretty. I've taken the liberty to name it "Rhymney Meadows".
A few small farms are scattered across the meadows... I can hear a tractor putting about somewhere, but I can't spot it.
The road loops around the top of this small valley and then drops into Rhymney. A red kite soars high above. Sheep bay in the distance and the wind gently blows.
A loose bit of rusty metal creaks in the wind... mixed with the grainy crunch of my tyres rolling over gravel at the edge of the road... I could go faster, but I like it slow.
Heads turn, children wave, but all I can do is smile as I race through the town of Rhymney. It's downhill for over a mile and I'm away again.
I take my first break just outside of the sleepy-forgotten village of Pontlottyn. I've cycled just under 18 miles and I've a ways to go yet. The crumbling cliffs across the valley are just below Bedwelty Commons.
This road is wider and can be busy at times, but it's a smooth downhill ride for nearly four miles to the next village of Bargoed.
The road passes high along the valley side. Pausing to peek through the trees I am overlooking the village of New Tredegar and the Winding House Museum.
A beautiful viaduct awaits you at the bottom of the hill in Bargoed. It's used only for passenger service these days and the little two-car trains look just like toys passing over it.
My ride takes me next through the villages of Pengam, Fleur de Lis and Hengoed, where I then enter the traffic-free cycle path NCN Route 47 heading west.
Some surprisingly wonderful graffiti can be found on the underpass just before heading into Penalta Park along NCN Route 47.
Riding through Penalta Park leads me past the twin villages of Trelewis and Treharris where I join the Taff Trail (NCN Route 8) and cycle south to the town of Pontypridd and Ynysangharad Park.
I've traveled 38 miles now and it's time for a proper lunch break under the trees. This lovely park sits right at the convergence of the two large river valleys; the Rhondda and the Taff.
Leaving Pontypridd, is a gorgeous four mile cycle along the Taff Trail. This section is a traffic-free re-purposed rail line that glides through the woods and along the edge of the valley to Nantgarw.
At Nantgarw we have a significant junction; NCN Route 8 (the Taff Trail) meets NCN Route 4 (Lon Los Cymru). Turning east on NCN Route 4, I zipped through Caerphilly (lots to see here... but gotta keep rollin'!) and across to the village of Machen.
It looks like old train signals, but no... it's actually a bit of sculpture. Note the crows. Sustrans has done a wonderful job decorating the cycle path with art... this is one of my favourites.
After dropping off the cycle path, I'm once again on some lovely quiet lanes winding my way through the countryside.
This section of the Celtic Trail rolls past farms and horse paddocks and exceptionally large homes of the well-to-do.
The lane is quite narrow for the next six miles across to Bassaleg... it dips and rolls, it climbs and turns sharply, and it's wonderfully fun. It's not the kind of road where you can just let the bike go; you'll need to watch for cars, but it's well worth going slow just to enjoy it all.
Just before you reach Bassaleg there's a high ridge overlooking the community of Michaelston. I happened upon this farm days before the wheat was to be harvested.
Our unusually warm and dry summer made for an early yield. My timing was perfect; for it was a truly golden afternoon.
I've one last hill to climb then I'm over the ridge and into Ebbw Valley at Baasaleg. From there it's an easy pedal for sixteen miles to home.
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| Ride Name: | Rhymney Meadows | ||
| Start Date: | Sat. Jul. 02, 2018 | ||
| Starts in: | Oakdale, Wales, GB | ||
| Departed: | 6:17 AM | ||
| Distance: | 71.2 mi / 114.6 km | ||
| Elevation: | + 4494 / - 4486 ft | ||
| Max Grade: | 11.4% | ||
| Duration: | 08:34:17 | ||
| Move Time: | 06:17:41 | ||
| Stop Time: | 02:16:36 | ||
| Max. Speed: | 37.2 mph | ||
| Avg. Speed: | 11.3 mph | ||
| Weather: | sun! | ||
| Temp: | 29°c / 84°f | ||
The last bit of my ride takes me up the Ebbw Valley through the villages of Rogerstone, Risca, and Crosskeys where the Ebbw Valley meets the Sirhowy.
I generally stop in Sirhowy Parc one last time before heading home. There are picnic tables and it's quiet.
People are out walking their dogs. We say hello or just smile. I'll have a snack of some sort, call my wife, and reflect on the day.
I haven't traveled that far, just around our little valleys, really. I am so very lucky to live amongst such beauty.
It's been a lovely day. I hope you enjoyed my report. Thanks for stopping by...
Cheers! - cm
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