There are several places that have roads parallel to the gravel trails where the routesheet suggests using the road. I'm going for full off-road value to justify the cost, time and swearing of getting my tubeless gravel tyres setup.
After years of deviating from "official" routesheets whenever I "knew better", I had planned to follow the TINAT route exactly, warts/fords/canyons and all.
But if I meet nav difficulties, I shall just take the safest option. PlanA is follow the purple tunnel, hopefully that will take in every pebble that Mark has lovingly arranged for us.
There are some that were missed off, probably due to weight-of-numbers and so risk to other road/trail users:
— Imm after leaving Llandrindod, cross bridge then turn L into lane then 2x R @ T to L @ T to rejoin route — exactly the same distance, but off the main road (not that at 6am it's going to make much difference)
— You can do a nifty Larrington Manoeuvre to avoid the Devil's Staircase, which is an ugly ramp — bear R to forestry track at bottom where the Elenydd checkpoint usually is, then keep L at each T to R @ road at top — it's a much steadier gradient than the Staircase and more gravelly (and credit to Iddu for that, back in 2013)
— The disused railway across the Cors Caron nature reserve after Tregaron — SA thru car park past building to R @ track; then R @ T (at end of 5km track) soon 1st L and SO @ X to rejoin the routesheet route to climb up to Claerwen Farm.
— The waterside track along Garreg-Ddu reservoir — take the gate on LHS before the T after crossing Garreg-Ddu Dam, then at end cross directly to track as shown in photo — it's flat and gravelly, where the road is slightly lumpy, and there will almost certainly be families out with kids, so care required — pedestrians have priority, as on all shared-use paths, of course.
— After Llanidloes, there's an alternative route through Hafren Forest that takes in the lakeside — Hafren itself is a lovely run, but I rode it a couple of times last year, so I'm going waterside for a change.
— After Tywyn, the routesheet takes a direct, 15min route to the gravelly NCN8/82 ascent up past Cader Idris, but the GPX takes in a 25min loop around the picturesque Dysinni Valley, which seems ample time to let a bag of fish&chips settle
— After Vrynwy there are a couple of extra BOATs that could be included, but unfortunately the steep descents (>10%) on road tyres and rim brakes mean I'm sticking to the tarmac for those!
The real question, though, is whether to try to ride through the ford before Claerwen Farm, or wade the bike through?