The days are darker now. The leaves are showing their last bit of colour and the winter rain is looming for Wales. I started late on this late Fall day for a quiet seasonal wander around the Blorenge.
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| Bleary-eyed or blurry vision along the Monmouth & Brecon Canal?... |
Total Elevation: + 3713 / - 3713 ft
Moving Time: 04:53:48
However, I was not to be denied! Once the rain subsided, I made my dash. It was noon by this point; the day had been shortened quite a bit. My adventure would have to be reduced unless I wished to spend a large portion of my ride cycling home in the dark.
Where to go? I couldn't decide. So before wasting any more time, I just set out to wander. I let the bike lead me.
I started off heading up Sirhowy Valley along NCN Route 467. It's a lazy and easy warm-up, and it's always quiet. I kinda feel like it's my own private cycle path at times. It's the perfect route to just pedal and plan where to go next.
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Quoits Wood
It's only three miles long, but it's completely isolated and traffic-free. NCN Route 467 is the closest cycle path to our home and just across the valley.
The Sirhowy is one of the few valleys in South Wales without a train line. It's odd and frustrating at times, but too, it makes it very quiet and rather isolated.
Note: The images in this mini-module were pulled from a previous post. If you'd like to see more about the Sirhowy Valley, check out my gallery; Quoits Wood. |
At the top of NCN Route 467 in Hollybush, I have to get on the road (A4048) for a couple of miles to Georgetown. I cycle through the village High Street to where I get on the dual-use cycle path to take me further north to the town of Tredegar. There I get on NCN Route 46 which turns east and snakes along the Heads of the Valley to Brynmawr.
It's a fairly easy 18 miles, but at Brynmawr the big fun starts.
I rode out the mysterious "unnamed road" toward Llangattock Escarpment. The views looking out over Clydach Gorge are stunning. However, as luck would have it; it started raining.
You are above the tree-line and are completely exposed whilst riding along this very narrow mountain road. The wind began picking up and I was starting to get pretty wet too. It did not look as if I would reach the Escarpment.
Also of note, my phone camera was acting up. I don't know if was the rain or the low-light, but the images are mostly all out of focus? URGH!!!
Feeling a little defeated, I decided I should head back. I turned down a road I hadn't cycled before which was surprisingly steep (and rather scary in the rain, to be honest). White-knuckled and out of breath, I came out on the A4077 just below Crickhowell. I turned south onto the road and cycled with real purpose as I passed through the sleepy villages of Gilwern, Govilon, and Llanfoist in the pouring rain.
Perhaps it was the desire to return home quickly or the rain had softened my thinking, but I made a poor decision to ride on the A4042 at Llanellen. It has far too much traffic for my liking. There is a pavement which you can ride upon, but it's very narrow in places, covered in road debris, and it's rough as hell. So combine that with high-speed traffic whizzing past you, it's not an enjoyable ride. After three miles of the nonsense, I found a sign for Goytre Wharf where I escaped onto the Monmouth & Brecon Canal.
You looking at me? What a difference a few miles can make. It's not a bad climb up from the A4042, but looking at the map following my return, I should have gotten on the canal path at Gilwern. The A4077 goes through a very nasty roundabout just before Govilon, it then changes over to the B4246, and then becomes the B4269 before hitting Llanellen (blah, blah, blah). Simply put, there was far too much traffic to be cycling along those roads by myself especially in the rain.
The rain stopped for a few miles, but a heavy mist remained. I was pretty wet by this point, however I could sit back, relax and just pedal along. My main concern was avoiding puddles and the occasional muddy sections. I've got a rough life, eh?
I think the rain and the greyness of the day accentuated the colours along the canal. Unfortunately too, I think the low-light conditions caused most of my images to come out blurry. I still kinda like them so I'm posting them anyway because in a way, it's how I remember the day.
I cycled through the city park in Pontypool and then headed back across the valley to Newbridge along the Old Crumlin Road. The temperature was beginning to drop and along with being quite wet, I was getting cold.
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Old Crumlin Road
Coal mining once filled this narrow valley and I pass many old remnants wrapped in undergrowth along the road.
It was a different time then. People say it was black and filthy. I wouldn't know. It's lovely now.
Note: The images in this mini-module were pulled from a previous post. If you'd like to see more, check out; Monmouth & Chepstow Fall Classic. |
I'm pretty negligent with taking photos late in my rides. I guess I just want to get home? I tried to find a few unusual shots to capture more of the colour.
I stopped in Newbridge and climbed up on the folly (bridge) crossing the rail line, cycle path , and the Ebbw River. I havw always liked this view.
And then for something different, I wandered off the main road heading back to Oakdale, down the trail which wanders along side the Sirhowy River. Cycling is not allowed down here (which I think is a good thing), but it's quite pretty and isolated. I just love that this is a quarter of a mile from our home too!
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| Ride Name: | Llangattock Escarp. | ||
| Start Date: | Mon. Nov. 05, 2018 | ||
| Starts in: | Oakdale, Wales, GB | ||
| Departed: | 11:49 AM | ||
| Distance: | 55.4 mi / 89.11 km | ||
| Elevation: | + 3713 / - 3713 ft | ||
| Max Grade: | 12.2% | ||
| Duration: | 06:12:29 | ||
| Move Time: | 04:53:48 | ||
| Stop Time: | 01:18:41 | ||
| Max. Speed: | 30.7 mph | ||
| Avg. Speed: | 11.3 mph | ||
| Weather: | rain, mist, rain | ||
| Temp: | 12°c / 54°f | ||
It was a classic fall day in Wales. I got soaking wet and made a mess of my bike. Riding along the unpaved canal path kicked up loads of muck all over my bike and myself as well. Cars pass and road spray covers my glasses.
It was not the kind of weather I often choose in which to cycle, but sometimes I just have to get out. The fall colours were wonderful and I'm glad I went out. The blurry images only emphasise the look and feel of the day.
I hope you enjoyed this report. Thanks for taking the time to visit my site...
Cheers! - cm
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