The Aberystwyth Aberration, or Wowbagger's Folly

[Wowbagger]

Yes, I read those as well. Two things in their favour: they have a lot of space and you don't need to book a table for dinner (of course, both of those things might well justify the reviews!)

Do you think we should try here instead?

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=11038

[Wowbagger]

I have just spoken to the proprietor of the Astbury Falls site and it looks to be a much better bet than Hampton Loade. It only has 8 pitches and she is prepared to accept our booking provided we arrive after 5. They don't like people just wandering onto the site and they normally ask for a deposit, but only take cash so she was prepared to waive that.

Edit: having read the reviews, the owner arrives in person to open the gate for you. I have his number on my phone. She also asked me to phone if for any reason we weren't coming. If we want, we can look at Hampton Loade and if we don't like it can go to Astbury Falls. My immediate inclination is to go straight to Astbury Falls, though.

[Kim]

Sounds like a plan.   

[Wowbagger]

Looking at the route again, it seems to me that on leaving Newtown on Sunday we ought not follow the track I have marked but to take the B4568 to Caersws via Aberhafesp. It looks a lot flatter. I wouldn't think there would be a lot of traffic on it. ICBA to change it now, but we ought to make a mental note of it.

[Wowbagger]

I just tried downloading the two routes to my Garmin. The old Etrex Vista HCx evidently has a character limit in the track name and bishopscastle1 and bishopscastle2 are each 1 character too long and loading the second overwrote the first.

[Wowbagger]

We are loading bicycles.

[Kim]

Systems check:

Lungs: Rattly.
Legs: Wobbly.
Bowels: ???
Sleep: Approx 2 hours (see rant thread).
Voice: Feeble and croaky.
Bike: Fettled.
Trousers: In York Packed.
Backup spare gear cable: Not present.
Orange cardboard: In wallet.

[Wowbagger]

Do you perchance have a spare micro-usb cable I could borrow please Kim? I appear not to have mine.

[Kim]

Can do.  *digs one out*

[Wowbagger]

Ta.

[Kim]

The answer to the bowels question has revealed itself.  Suffice to say I'm running a little late.  This always happens after a night of poor sleep.

[Kim]

Okay, setting off imminently.  Weather appears to be happening.

[Wowbagger]

On train no. 2. I mean 3.

[Wowbagger]

Train 4. Next stop Stourbridge Junction.

[Vince]

Please keep the updates going. Its making me slightly less green with envy.

[Canardly]

Hope you have a really good few days all.

[Kim]

Basil lied about it being uphill all the way to Stourbridge; it is in fact uphill *and* downhill all the way to Stourbridge.  Which is where I found Wowbagger and Jan. We then continued upping and downing at a more relaxed pace until we reached the Severn. A stop for cake at the visitors centre, and we set off on the gentle pootle up the cycle route that took us most of the way to the campsite. Except that, in classic Sustrans style, the riverside path turned out to have gradients better suited to a roller coaster. Throw in the usual assortment of overgrown single-track, loose gravel, anti-cycling gates and a 'water hazard' (nothing happened) and it took most of the afternoon to cover a few miles.

The campsite is however splendid - small with 'rustic' facilities, basically no light pollution, and a waterfall to listen to instead of the burglar alarms I get at home.



My lungs are still rubbish but sufficient for wow-factor 1.  The lost voice is tedious. And as you can probably tell from the time of this post, I still haven't had enough sleep.

[Wowbagger]

Jan and I have packed and have booked into a Gwesty on the sea front at Aberystwyth. It took us well over 4 hours to cover the 18 miles or so to Newtown and there, after a visit to Tesco for some lunch, we boarded a train on which, thankfully, the bilke spaces were both free. Kim is carrying on and the last we heard she was slogging up the impossibly steep track from Llangurig to Cwmystwyth*. She said "Jan would never have got up this." In truth, we could have done with an extra day.

The climb from Bishops Castle to Ceri is monstrous and not without COR. On several occasion Kim rode her bike up a steep bit, walked a few hundred yards down the hill and the rode Jan's bike up as well. She is an absolute star.

*Longstanding members may recall the first ever Mid-Wales ACF ride. We did that bit in reverse.

[Wowbagger]

We have a Kim. I will let her tell her own story but we are agreed: henceforth this ride be yclept "Wowbagger's Folly".

[bikepacker]

The Shropshire and Mid-Wales hills are always tough and will wear you down very quickly. Also you were brave to try one of the hilliest routes to the coast.

[Wowbagger]

You are too kind. I doubt I will ever attempt that route again, but if I do I will add an extra day, camping at Llangurig and attacking the monster climb early in the day. That way, you have all afternoon to freewheel from Cwmystwyth to Aberystwyth. Kim used the roads, which apparently include a few short, sharp climbs, but the Sustrans route, from Black Covert alongside the Ystwyth, is pretty flat.

I know the excellent Dave Lodwig attempted this as an overnight ride from Birmingham, but I think this could only realistically be achieved by bashing all the way along the A44, which has no appeal whatever for me.

[bikepacker]

Much easier from Rhayader to Cwmystwyth over the mountain road. Pauline and me will be doing it later this week.

[JenM]

Also you were brave to try one of the hilliest routes to the coast.

......just getting some training in before you tackle the climbs in Scotland!

[Wowbagger]

Much easier from Rhayader to Cwmystwyth over the mountain road. Pauline and me will be doing it later this week.

Agreed. We have done that a couple of times in the past, and then taken the track to Llangurig.

[Kim]

And I'm back in Brum.  Where it's hot and thick with pollution.