Eppynt and back (aka Helfa Cymraeg Benjamin Allen ar.) - 6 Apr 2019
A goodly crowd had gathered in time for the 0530 start at Bushley village hall (just outside Tewkesbury). Mark Rigby (organiser) had a few explanatory words on the controls and sent us on our way promptly. After about 15k there was a divergence (still in the pre-dawn gloom), with some following the gpx and others the route sheet, but all roads led to Aston Ingham (by then daylight), and later the Forest of Dean’s edge. We passed Symonds Yat East (where we’d be controlling 11 hours later) and enjoyed the cycle path alongside the Wye (cyclo-cross over fallen tree), all the way to Monmouth (first control – 55km). Our route paralleled the A40 across to the Usk and after a fierce mile on the dual carriageway ‘Heads of the Valleys’ road we slipped off and rode along the south side of the Usk valley through Llanfoist, Govilon, Gilwern, Llangattock and Llangynidr to the Talybont café/shop control (104km) where Mark had set up to capture the Monmouth receipts and stamp the second control box. Most riders ate in the café which was both welcoming and quick.
We’d seen the odd brief shadow en route and the temperature had risen from 4o to 7o – so still fresh - and we’d been benefitting from a cross tailwind for much of the time. Continuing along the Usk to and Brecon and then the long mostly benign climb up onto Mynydd Eppynt range of hills. Mark had promised scenery and views and our route across the highest pass delivered with spectacular sunlit panoramic splendour, spiced by pockets of snow on sheltered north facing slopes, some right down by the road. What goes up must come down: it was a fast but easy descent to Cwm Irfon with the key bend obvious on approach. Undulating minor roads through Llangammarch led us to the Drover’s Rest Tea Rooms at Llanwrtyd Wells (control @ 151km). A ‘Cyclist’s Special’ was advertised and I enjoyed a bowl of spicy pasta au gratin with a roll and pot of tea, all quickly served by the charming waitresses who also embossed and stamped our brevets. Some bought food in the shop opposite. I spent 33 minutes stopped there.
We’d had sun much of the time over the Eppynt and it was 14o when I started the climb back over via Cefn Gorwydd and Tirabad (info control). We still had mostly a beneficial wind though it was lighter than forecast and seemed more from the SE than the NE. Most of Mynydd Eppynt is a military training area and signs kept us on the road to Llywel where the route briefly joined the A40 before cutting off on side roads on the sunny side of the Usk valley, with the Brecon Beacons of Pen-y-fan and Corn Du still sporting snowy headdresses on the skyline to the south. Passing through Trallong and Cradoc we dropped into and through Brecon. I chose to take the (slower) canal towpath for about 6km from its start in Brecon to near Pencelli, before reverting to the tarmacked road to Talybont (control 205km). Mark had left the Stores/Café a stamp: some ate ‘in’ or out in the sunshine; some used the shop.
Rather than cutting across to the A40 from Llangynidr (as per gpx) the best road to use is (as per routesheet) to stay on the B4558, cross the Crickhowell Bridge and climb past the castle to the A40. The main road gives an easy ride into and through Abergavenny town centre and out via the A40/A465/A4042 double roundabout and off east on the B4598 towards Raglan (retracing the morning’s pedal revolutions). This will be a familiar section to those who’ve completed the Brevet Cymru or the Bryan Chapman Memorial rides. Headwinds had been forecast but the wind had dropped off so conditions were good with it still warm till the early evening. No need to stop in Monmouth, we picked up NCN423 along the Wye and the surface didn’t seem as bad second time round. The final control was at the Saracen’s Head public house at Symonds Yat East (266km) – they had a stamp, and some had pints. 45km to go. I teamed up with 'noisy freehub' Sean from there (his Garmin had expired and I ‘knew’ the route). We had lights on for the last hour and the final roads into the Bushley arrivée were dark. Mark was there taking signed cards and serving up drinks and almost overflowing bowls of tart and custard which seemed to hit the sweet spot for the steady flow of arrivals.
Thank you very much to the BlackSheep CC organiser – from start to Talybont to finish, to the staff of the various controls who welcomed us and our custom, and to those with whom I had the pleasure to ride.
