Singletrack Magazine Issue 112 : The Wayfarer

Tom Fenton and pals head to the Berwyn range to ride the classic Wayfarer trail, though controversially not the ‘right’ way.

Words Tom Fenton Photography Andy Heading

On 23rd January 1974, lights blaze in the night sky. Seconds later, a huge jolt shakes the earth and an explosion rips through the air. Hills shudder, buildings tremble and dogs bark. Is it a plane crash? Then men in black suits appear in local villages and army Land Rovers block the lanes amid rumours of flying circles of light… 

Almost exactly 43 years later, the sun shines as a car speeds through those same villages and down those same lanes. If this were a film, the stereo would be blaring and three good-looking youngsters would be singing happily along, unaware that they are shortly about to have a close encounter with the little green men. But, as this isn’t, the radio’s tuned to Radio2 and the car contains three slightly bleary-eyed blokes poring over a map. 

“Where are we?”

“Dunno, but I bet it begins with loads of ‘L’s.”