Kings let you "checkin", then give you the key-code for the night door.
Mr Blacksheep is the expert on riding the route 'outside' of the calendar event, might be worth asking him for further tips.
(I'm pretty sure the petrol station you mentioned was shut at 0530, and IIRC Pumpé once found that absolutely nothing was open on that stretch during the small hours. )
As a classic route check I use:-
Chepstow - Plenty of places to get
receipt. Shops,
Petrol Stns, ATMs, places with stamps.
Bronllys -
Receipt fron
Honey Cafe.
Nant-Yr-Arian - They have
stickers (and a stamp - but this is often "lost" - presumably in managers office)
Dolgellau - Shops
receipt (CO-OP), ATMs.
Menai Bridge -
Brittania service station (about 100m past usual calendar event control). Open 24 hours, but fairly useless after doors close in evening - as they stop selling hot drinks (can't get them through serving hatch)
Dolgellau - as before (but more likely to be
ATM if on 0600 from Chepstow).
Newtown (instead of Aberhafesp) - ATMs, Shops,
PO stamp,Weobley -
Old School Shop has a
stamp. (open 0600 to 2000).
Chepstow - Plenty of shops, ATMs,
places with stamps.
This year's choice in
BoldThe petrol station between cross foxes and Dolgellau is not 24 hours, opens 0700 I think, there's never been any sign of life when I've passed it shortly after 0600.
And just to show how bloody sad I am, for the Brevet Cymru I use
Chepstow - Plenty of places to get receipt.
Shops, Petrol Stns,
ATMs, places with stamps.
Hay-on-Wye - TI Centre has stamp, but there's also ATMs, (PO,
Banks to get
stamp)
Builth Wells (instead of info) - lots of shops to get receipt, but there's also ATMs, (PO,
Banks to get
stamp)
Llandovery -
West end Cafe has TWO
stamps, but there's also ATMs, (PO, Banks to get stamp)
Lampeter (instead of info at Cwmman) - ATMs,
All-day shops receipt,
Tregarron - Talbot has stamp - often lost in the hotel part of the building,
Landlord likes to
sign card. LONDIS receipt (in the main square).
New Quay - The Marriners Cafe has a stamp - but you're best contacting them before to check on opening times. I went to the
Sea Horse PH, and the Landlord signed cardLlandovery - West End shuts at 20:00, but there's
ATMs close-by
Crickhowell (instead of control at Bwlch) -
NatWest ATM on Right as leaving town on A40.
Chepstow - Plenty of places to get receipt. Shops,
Car Sales Centre, ATMs, places with
stamps.
