Route 7 – Lakes and Mountains
We start by traversing one of the UK’s best biking roads across the Black Mountain to pretty Llangatock and on to Llandovery. From here we head to Wales’ newest reservoir at Llyn Brianne, passing the cave lair of the “Welsh Robin Hood” Twm Siwn Catti in Hills above Rhandirmwyn, with its spectacular Victorian viaduct. If the water is high enough the overflow spouts in the shape of the three feathers of the Welsh royal crest. Winding along drover’s tracks and skirting the deserted valley, we pass through the little market town of Tregaron on our way to the famous Devils Bridge, where no less than 3 bridges span the Rheidol gorge, one atop the other. Then we track the river to the coast at Aberystwyth. A short spin north brings us to the home of the medieval Welsh parliament at Machynlleth, then over the Plynlimon mountains, past the serene beauty of Llyn Cweddog dam. We track back south through the spectacular Elan valleys, flooded to serve Birmingham’s industrial revolution thirst for water and where the Dam Busters raids were planned and practised in WW2. Then back home through the Brecon Beacons once more
Route 8 – Cambrian Mountains and Snowdonia
This is probably one of the most challenging options, as it’s a 250 mile day at least! So it’s out of Brecon over the bleak but spectacular Eppynt military ranges, then north to Rhyader tracing the river Wye. Turning past Llyn Clwddog’s shimmering beauty and down to Machynlleth, then into Snowdonia through the Corris pass, round the imposing volcanic (once upon a time) bulk of Cader Idris. Here we turn for the coastal plain and loop round to Dolgellau, then north past the lakes at Trawsfynydd, Llyn Celyn and Lake Bala, We twist back through gorges and high passes, tracing the RiverCarno and crossing near the source of the mighty River Severn at Cearsws. Finally we head south at Newton through the spa , towns of Llandrindod and Builth following the course of the Wye once more and back towards Brecon
