Heading up through Wales later this week, and was thinking about stopping off to ride Doethie Valley.

Given that it’s reasonably off the beaten track and the loop starting at the dam involves a fair bit of fireroad before you get to the trail proper,is it worth the effort or is it overhyped?

Cheers

Its a glorious route. Out the way is one of the reasons.

Highly recommend beer and a bite at the Oak at Rhandhir-mwyn

http://www.theroyaloakinn.co.uk/Site/welcome.html

When its wet, youll get pretty mucky, but its not claggy.

Here it is last month in the sun, although I was hiking, not walking it for a change.

I would’nt drive all the way down/up there solely for it but if you’re in the vicinity it a stunning piece of riding (2nd half anyway!).My old dear live down that way so I’ve done a lot round there.

Nice photos. Looks great. Fingers crossed for some sunshine.

Heading up from the River Wye and passing through Builth Wells anyway, so it’s not too much of a detour, so thought it would be a good chance to check it out.

Got three days of biking planned but no set agenda.

Any other gems we should consider whilst we are “in the area”?
.

Would it be worth going to this area for a weekend? Thought i’d take in Doethie and some of the other routes around the same area similar to what was in the mag the a couple of issues ago

It is absolutely rubbish. Stay away, you will hate it.

/\ 😀 He’s right you know.
Elan valley/rhyader is good too.Pop in here http://www.clivepowell-mtb.co.uk/ with biscuits and they’ll point you in the right direction.

Yes definitely worth doing. The small trail centre just down the road (can’t remember the name sorry!) is worth a blast in the evening if your staying locally. great weekend riding both at last years ssuk.

The small trail centre just down the road

Trallwm.

http://www.coedtrallwm.co.uk/index2.html

Is the time for the Doethie Valley route shown in Issue 63 correct, as it states 5-6 hrs. Seems a bit pessimistic.

I’ve plotted it in MM & Tracklogs and the distance and height gained/lost stack up, but would think it would be more like 2 to 3hrs.

having had a quick look at the pdf route in the mag archive I think 5-6hrs is a bit pessimistic. The climb over to tyn cornel is a bit of a git, but 4-5kph average speed is being a bit wussy, esp as you can rip down much of the valley back.
The walk back over to the lake is a steady slog, but I walked the climb in 15-20 minutes with Jr on my shoulders.
I’d expect to do it in much closer to 4hrs. In fact I was planning on walking that loop in about 5-7 hrs anyway.

Thanks.

Was hoping to get it cracked by lunchtime and then head north. So sounds doable.

The small trail centre just down the road

…

Trallwm.

Probably means Cwm Rhaeadr.
Coed Trallwm is in a different direction and IMO no where near as fun as Cwm Rhaeadr. It’s only short, but a must-do if you are passing.

Doethie Valley should only take 4 hours max, but if you stop all the time then it could take longer.

ah. not done cwm rhaeadr. must investigate.

although if the OP is coming from Builth, Trallwm is on the way.

although if the OP is coming from Builth, Trallwm is on the way.

Not unless you take the scenic route.
Quickest route will be to Llandovery and up.

The entire area is filled with a lifetime’s great riding. Welcome to Wales as they say 🙂

Probably means Cwm Rhaeadr.

That’s the one, cheers Matt. Lots of fun!

Not unless you take the scenic route.

and what a scenic route! The Irfon valley road from abergwesyn to Tregaron is my favourite road in the world. Its the place I go when I need to, if you know what I mean.

I have fond memories of that road (maybe not so fond of the Devil’s Staircase, mindyou!) as part of a roadie ride I did years back – out from Builth, to Tregaron and back via Elan Valley. It was superb!

My first road tour when I was 14 took me out to Dolgoch YHA from Gloucestershire and back. Fell in love and go back there regularly. Lucky enough to live just north of Builth for 5 years in my late teens early twenties so was conveniently close.

I rode out to stay at Dolgoch too, with my bro. and a couple of mates.
We rode down to check out Llyn Brianne the next day, then stopped at Clun YHA on the way back to break it up. 🙂

Lucky me living 2 miles from Cwm Rhaeadr and 5 miles from Llyn Brianne hey? 🙂

😛

do you drink in the Oak then?

I’m gonna move out that way one day…

More like the Neuadd m’thinks, if at all 😉

if at all would be right 😉
Pizza’s from the Neuadd are ace though.

some great bitters being missed out on then 😉

the best way to do the doethie is from Llanwrtyd wells , the ride from there if you take in the irfon forest is about 50 k with 2000 metres of climbing . red kite events are a cycling events team based in llanwrtyd or there is a bike club in the town whos members know the hills inside out give us a shout see if you can tag on .www.redkite-events.com or contact the LWCC (CYCLING CLUB ) at lwcc@btinternet.com

welcome to mid wales

Ambrose – Im planning on doing the doethie (possibly with another little lop tacked on) on Thursday this week and stopping up somewhere with the campervan overnight, then doing a couple of loops at Cwm Rhaedr since Ive never been there before.

Was going to eat in the Oak again, but do you recommend the Neuadd Fawr Arms then?

Depends what type of food you want.

The Royal Oak is more your “normal” pub food.
The Neuadd is a bit nicer and little bit more expensive (for here at least), but importantly for cyclists the portions are great. They also do fantastic authentic Italian pizzas.

I love opposite the Neuadd. Really like the people and the food.

Did Cym Rhaeder and Doethie Valley in one go (guided by the excellent Carl from Bike Brechfa) couple of weeks back.

Took 6 and a bit hours all in, with tons of stops, punctures, tumbles etc. Actual riding time for the fitter end of our spectrum was 3.5 ish.

Its AWESOME – views down the Doethie are stunning, it’s technical enough to stay interesting and most of the fireroad is compensated for by ace scenery.

You’ll love it.

Did Cym Rhaeder and Doethie Valley in one go (guided by the excellent Carl from Bike Brechfa) couple of weeks back.

Did Carl take you down the slightly crazy descent which then goes through the farm?

cheers for the tip matt. I might pop into the neuadd for dinner then.

Looks like it’s friday and saturday now anyway.

Can one ride a loop from cwm rhaedr to doethie loop and back to CR?

doh, just had a proper look at the map and it’s eminently doable.

Sounds like a plan then, a loop from cwm rhaedr. Normally Id park & sleep at the dam at Llyn Brianne, is it OK to sleep at cwm rhaedr if discreet?

Can’t see why not. It is normally very quiet there.
There is a campsite just outside the village which is basic but cheap – Glangwenlais.
I’ve known people to camp their campers in the pub car park as well. Buy a meal and ask nicely 😉

Buy a meal and ask nicely

good idea.

While youre here, to get to the dam from CR to start the loop around to doethie, can you take the track on the west side of the river to galt-y-bere?

and can you ride down to the towy bridge pub from CW hill?

Quickest way to get to the start of the Doethie would be to take the road which then turns into a track. There is one mother of a climb soon after the tarmac finishes and it is a little boring, but still the quickest way.

You could just ride up to the Dam, do the route in the normal way and you then get the nice chapel climb at Soar y Mynydd.

Or if you have time, maybe an OS map/GPS and want some adventure, then you can also link in Mynydd Mallaen, then head through some forest track/back roads eventually getting to the Doethie. Can be hard to navigate though.

It is possible to ride off-road from Cwm Rhaeadr to the Towy Bridge… if that is what you mean?

ive walked up that climb – its brutal, but as you say, fastest way of getting up to the reservoir. From there Ill do the normal route round to the soar y mynydd climb.

Ill have a go at dropping down to the towy bridge from the CR trail then.

Did it last year as part of the WRT, marvellous, like Minton Batch but 3 times as long.

Worth the effort?

doethie valley apr10 by TRIPPITUCKER, on Flickr

Nah…