Part of The Gap route (weird bit of very overgrown RoW)

I rode The Gap with a mate on Saturday. We started and finished at Talybont on Usk and I have a question for the Beacons regulars.

After the descent from the Gap (heading north) we attempted to ride the ‘other route with public access’ (marked with green circles on 1:25 OS) that passes south of Bailea. It looked like to should extend the off-road riding on the way back to the cars.

It was overgrown to the point of being impossible to turn around with a bike, which meant we had to keep pressing on. It took us about an hour to travel the 1km I reckon and I can still feel the nettle stings on my legs.

Now; I’ve been on overgrown routes before but they are usually well out of the way instead of being in such an obvious spot on a well-ridden route. We were amazed it wasn’t clear and that either the Nat Parks, local riders or landowners hadn’t kept it open. Is there some story to why it’s so badly kept beyond the usual ‘lots of rain and not enough budget’ story? Just seemed odd that it was virtually gone.

It’s like that every summer, has been since I was a teenager (30 years ago!).  The farmer is meant to keep it passable but they can’t fit a tractor down it so they don’t bother.  It also suffers from bad erosion as the beginning turns into a stream whenever there’s run-off from the surrounding area, it diverts off the road straight down.  It’s not a bridleway or footpath so the Park Authority don’t worry about it.

Yep, that’s a shit bit of trail.

I thought there must be a reason for it – makes sense that as it’s not a footpath or bridleway it isn’t on a list to keep maintained.

It was weird as none of the online descriptions of the route mention it – either to avoid or not.

We could see it’s pretty likely to flood in the winter but there could be a rideable line for most of it. We’ve learnt our lesson for now though and gained many MANY scratches and stings. Will avoid in the future.

Definitely one to avoid, went OTB and into a big nettle patch once, never again. From memory it was full of football sized rocks. Though it does mean that you avoid the rabid sheepdogs at Neuadd Farm, the bast@rds

That whole area is fraught with pain in the arse-ness. Howcome the hawthorn hedges need so much trimming? Tubeless was invented for this place! And as for the idiot drivers in the lanes; Lord give me strength. Regarding the RoW in question, it also occasionally has the benefit of pony trekkers. And if the equines themselves are absent you can usually find there deposits. I ride it about once every three or four years just to remind myself how much it should be missed out.

In the winter its less overgrown but more washed-out and like riding over skulls. You takes your choice.

Has it got some sort of TRO  on it that has stopped the 4wders? Now that the Gap is restricted this ORPA gets much less use. It was driveable with little prospect of serious paint damage.

Probably Highways problem not RoW and as a real can of worms they may even be that landowner.

Wales, a beautiful country with rubbish access

Wales, a beautiful country with rubbish access

What’s this about?

I like that bit of trail. Yes, it’s difficult to ride when it’s overgrown but in the winter it’s very rideable. Baby head sized boulders, narrow, deep & rutted. It’s a challenge but a satisfying one if you can clean it.

He’s right. There are so many RoW in Wales that are overgrown, have signs removed, blocked or just stop in the middle of a field. Annoyingly, there are lots of tracks which are not RoW/footpath, yet really good for riding! We could do with a massive rationalisation scheme to give up and gain access and make proper loops/distance trails which can be maintained long-term. The Wales Coastal path is a good example.