Hi, I am looking to go riding around the Rhayader area having driven through it and promised myself I'd go back to explore. I'm looking to do about 20-25 miles with some friends (mixed ability) and would like to stop in the moel prysgau bothy ideally but this is not essential as we will be equipped to basha up. I'm competent with a map and compass and have already looked at a route from elan village but read that the bridleways south of the claerwen res are boggy and crap. We probably wont start until late afternoon but would like some techy bits, good descents and a great day out in the hills. I've ordered OS map LR147 and have access to online OS mapping. Any experiences of good/bad trails are gratefully recieved. Thanks!
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Powys ride help please?
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Posted 11 months ago #
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From Elan Village take the road up towards Talwrn, and then follow the bridleway SE of Caban-Coch past Gro Hill. Continue westwards on bridleway/ RUPP towards Claerwen, and ride the track around the North. Stop overnight in the bothy at Claerddu (SN 792687). In the morning, ride over Monks Trod ancient road, and then either take the route south past Craig Coch and over Esgair Perfedd, or direct to Penrhiw Wen and come down past Maen Serth - know locally as the Golf links. Last descent is absolutely top drawer!
Posted 11 months ago # -
And to answer your Moel Prysgau question - yes, the bridleways south of Elan village are a bit hike-a-bike, but still do-able. It's a bit better to tackle that area from the south Abergwesyn side where you can also get a ride in down the Doethie valley.
Posted 11 months ago # -
Rhayader- Claerwen reservoir- Pontrhydfendigaid- Strata Florida- Moel Prysgau- Devil's Staircase- Trallwm- Nant Paradwys- Rhayader
Posted 11 months ago # -
Thanks chaps, this is great. Do these both go via the trail around the reservoir? Is it a walkway?
Ian, the GR given shows as north of the A44, is this right?
Ambrose, could this route be done from Elan village without losing much ST? Is it a decent ride to Pontrhydfendigaid? and do you follow the cycle route to the bothy? Is there much worth playing around in the forest?
Sorry for the questions chaps, I won't get too many chances to visit this area and want to make it a good ride!Posted 11 months ago # -
My gird ref is correct - isolated building marked Claerddu 3km NW of the west end of Claerwen res. Approach is from the SSE off the tarmac road.
Descent down to Strata Florida is good if you take the bridleway past Teifi Pools- years since I've done it though. You'll most certainly get wet feet from the numerous river crossings on the approach to Moel Prysgau. The trail is the one on the left:
Not much other good riding in Twyi Forest that I've found - lots of fireroad. Further down towards Irfon/ Trallwm there's a lot more choice, but once you get that far down I regard that riding area as Llanwrtyd Wells and not Elan Valley
Posted 11 months ago # -
W/e before last we left Rhayder, went up the Byway to the north west, down to the Monks trod and across it. rode most of it as well! On to the Teifi pools and dwon the bridleway that make up the teifi way . Aimed for the Strata florida UCR and came out up the valley from Moel Prysgau. spent the night there. The snug has gone but it's still ok. Lots of timber felling so plenty of fire wood. Next day we went over the devils staircase and hit the bridleway after the 3rd bridge, up through the woods and over the hills to those 2 big cairns. south down to elan vvillage then up the UCr to the dam. round the roads and up the other dams. across the roman road and left to the top of the first lane of the trip. Bomb down to Rhayder. Nice pint in the Cornhill
Posted 11 months ago #
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