I’m planning a bivi trip next week that will take me over the fire road by the Devil’s Stair Case at Abergwesyn and over the 3 Irish bridges at the bottom. I believe that they flood often and are dangerous to cross when the water is high. Given the rain we have had and that I will likely reach this part in the dark after a very long day I’m leaning towards just assuming they are impassable and leaving that section out.

Anyone local know what the water level is there at the moment?

Bump for the morning crew.

cant help with river level knowledge, but Im v jealous. The Irfon valley there is the most beautiful place in the world to me. Its where I go, when I need to go somewhere if you know what I mean 🙂

Where are you planning on sleeping? Moel Prysgau or Claerddu? or Dolgoch?

I won’t be stopping until I’m around Crychan Forest (another 30miles or so). It’s a shame to be going through Irfon Valley when it’s dark because as you say it’s a beautiful spot but it’s winter so it’s just going to work out that way. I have ridden that area before though and I’m sure I will again (in day light).

They were fine 2 weeks ago but, there’s been a lot of heavy rain lately.
Really difficult to say until your close, the water does rise and fall quite rapidly around there at times.

I think normally I would risk it and just do the fairly short detour back. The issue is that it’s a 25% climb back up and even on the road, with a packed bike that is going to be significant.

Been to lots of parties by Llyn Bryanne (so) and its always been fine. Its a cracking area so often overlooked like much of central Inland Wales.
The Devils Staircase is brilliant on a motorcycle 🙂

The streams there are very rapid going up and just as quick going down. If it has not rained heavy for 24 hours or more there is a good chance they will be fine. Otherwise a risk. Worst case is that the pipes are blocked with debris so even after the rain stops they are still fords until someone digs them out.

Well thanks for the info guys. I reckon I’ll keep an eye on the local weather leading up to it.

I would have thought that I would be able to get a feel for how high the other rivers are running in the area before I get to the point where I have to make a decision.

How are you getting there? Not planning on coming down the old road from the Strata Florida are you?

Is that the fancy name for the crossings at the bottom of the staircase?
If so, there is a track through the forestry that the timber wagons use to bypass the Staircase, from Abergwesyn village its straight on before getting to the bridges or from the top it is probably the widest barriered turn, probably easy enough to spot on Google satellite images.
Its wet at the moment, but we’re finding that the upland streams are rising and falling fairly quick. Don’t think anyone at work has been up to look this week.

As said above- the Upper Irvin is a very flashy river. It will take a lot of rain to flood the bridges, there is a lot of rain forecast in the next two storms. However, as Mattsscm suggests- the Tywi trackfrom Strata Florida will be impassable if the water is high. We were due to visit Moel Prysgau last weekend but pulled out because of the lethaly high fords.

Been down the Tywi trail mid summer with wheel deep crossings. Track and river will be flowing now as one probably.

The old road is the rough track that pretty much has a river running down it even when dry right? Marked as cycleway on the OS map?

I’m coming past strata florida but was planning on avoiding it by using the fire road that drops down just south of it.

Should be fine at the moment. They do flood, but they are only impassible in really extreme conditions.

If you are worried, then you can just use fire-roads within Tywi Forest, or perhaps follow the road around Llyn Brianne then take the fireroad over the top through Esgair Dafydd and drop down near Sugar loaf then into Crychan.

I guess the answer is yes.
I have had my landrover float on that lane and the water wasn’t even that high. 1 death from ill advised crossing attempt in a Disco. Regularly comes up to the tank of endure bikes even in summer. Go through the woods.

All the above is true. The track is amazing fun in low water but life-threatening during and after heavy rain. As they say in The Hobbit ‘don’t leave the path’ or you may indeed find yourself bobbing your way down to Llyn Brianne.

I rode that track last year when it was (relatively dry) and it’s great fun. Technical enough to have to keep an eye on what you are doing but not so technical that you are are having to pick your way along it to slowly.

Thanks for your input guys. The other factor now is how many trees are going to be down over the whole route. Just got to hope there isn’t to many, to slow me down to much.

Judging by yesterdays ride I would say quite a few – but that didn’t spoil the fun.
Anywhere that they are harvesting or accessing will be cleared quickly.

Sorry to hijack, but can anyone local advise whether the track from the western end of the Claerwen reservoir running west to meet the road north of Teifi Pools suffers from flooding? I see there are some fords to cross – are they passable in / after heavy rain?

Thx in advance,

BTM

If you mean the track that becomes the road that runs into Ffair-Rhos then the last one you cross at the bottom of a small sharp climb just before the track becomes tarmac, that was almost knee deep last November so I reckon it’s only worse now. It’s the only one I can remember though along that whole stretch that goes east to west along the reservoir. That’s either cause the rest were fine or there aren’t any others that you actually cross. Seem to remember there might be some that pass under the track but not 100%

EDIT: Thinking back now to guys talking about the BB200 in 2012 I think there was mention of a lot of water along that section. Not sure if it was just loads of standing water or very wide fords. That year they were waist deep across Strata Florida. Haha.