Heading to the Black Mountains early next year with the aim of descending Lord Hereford’s Knob and otherwise getting in some decent mountain riding.

It’s not an area that many of the group have any experience of, so any advice of what or where to ride, or anywhere to avoid.

Cheers!

http://www.mbwales.com/en/content/cms/Bases/Brecon_Beacons/Grwyne_Fawr_Reservoi/Grwyne_Fawr_Reservoi.aspx

this is probably the classic one thereabouts. Bit of a work out!

That ride is a nightmare.

This is the Strava of another – much better- ride that used to feature on the MBWales sire referenced above. I’m not sure why it’s deleted – it’s all still open and ridable.Quite tough climbs but great descents.

It’s pretty exposed up there – as you’d expect – with no scoff opportunities on route.

Link to the ride wot I don

I don’t do strava (or TV) 😉

How would I get that route?

Presumably you could bring yourself to ‘do’ Strava to the extent that you click on the link, look at the map and plot the route it describes onto an OS map?

For what it’s worth, I loved the Grwyne Fawr ride linked above. But it’s a proper old school big day out in the hills, with a carry up Y Das and lots more climbing besides.

It also helped that I did it during the long, hot, dry spring of 2011, with stunning views and no bogs!

with a carry up Y Das

I recon Y Das could now be cleaned by someone fit enough.
Even I managed about 65% of it last time.
It’s much much smoother than it used to be.
Ok Amanda is pushing this bit but you can see how smooth it is now.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/oB15wQ]Y Das.[/url] by multispeedstu, on Flickr

How it used to look.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/54wnPS]2008_0713talgarthweekend0028[/url] by multispeedstu, on Flickr

Make sure you take in this descent if you’re in the area.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-sct19w7-A&list=UU3vr8oRWTHW2HXam0w-yU8Q[/video]

Yeah, Y Das is a shadow of its former self, surfaced most of the way down now. Just the little rock section at the top to remind you how tech it used to be…

Oh right – yes that is definitely smoother than I remember!

Must go back…

samcheese – Member
Presumably you could bring yourself to ‘do’ Strava to the extent that you click on the link, look at the map and plot the route it describes onto an OS map?

I of course tried clicking on the map (and, of course, also the link) – nothing happens and the map’s too small to be usefull as is

Vid seems private Stu. 🙁

So as we’re going in March, can we expect bogs?

PMJ.
Try it now.

Well I live slap bang in the middle of them so if you need a place to camp… 🙂

I can provide you will endless permeations of routes, just pm me with your expectations, distances, difficulty etc and I am sure I could sort you something fitting.

Mark

I’m just here to bookmark this.

carry on!

welsh farmer mark; i’ll drop you an email too later on if it’s ok?

Very nice Stu! 🙂

Welshfarmer – I’ll drop you a line. Cheers!

No worries lads (looks like I should write a guide book lol)

This piece of bridleway is worth a ride, north to south

http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=323140&Y=233595&A=Y&Z=120

Try it South to North.. there is a KOM up for grabs 🙂

Yep that is indeed a good track, one of our regular Wednesday evening rides when the bracken is down. But it is even better when combined with some of the unmarked tracks further on down

Guess it must be, I’ve ridden it twice and ended up on tarmac sooner than I would have liked.