While our hotel wasn't quite Fawlty Towers, I got the distinct impression over breakfast that our hosts would prefer to have no guests, plates were slammed down and when the assumed full breakfast wasn't actually wanted it prompted rolling eyes and tuts...
It was raining when we left the hotel with a distinct feeling they were slamming the door behind us but hey ho... we've done pretty well really from the rain perspective, better than England according to friends and family... there you go, it may not have been perfect weather but it's better than if we'd stayed at home...
Our two KotM's wore their polka dot jerseys for this the fourth day on the basis that the hardest climbs were over now, Robin and I decided we would share the Over 50 (but less than 60) King of the Mountains accolade as we tended to alternate who got to the top first... though I admit when Robin was first, he did it with style and a flourish, panache even, whereas I did it with sweat, wobbles and cursing.
However, the easier day didn't last very long...
... but at least it was pretty... I suppose it's the rain that makes it look so green...
... but what is it that makes Robin look like a bruiser... anyway, we entered a very picturesque village...
Even the bridges left something to be desired...
It was around now that Seth and I started to get a little concerned we hadn't seen any Route 8 signs for a while... Hmmmmm, a bit worrying... but there was an 'information' sign pointing up what looked like an access road so, off we went to find some information and I'm so pleased we did as at the end of the access road was one of the highlights of the whole trip... Elan Dam...
It is so impressive, I strongly recommend visiting it if you have the opportunity... it is absolutely stunning...
We spent quite a while there taking photos and then grabbing a bite to eat in the cafe. it was while chatting to a helpful walker that we realised we were actually about 3 miles off route... We weren't sure how it happened until we saw this on one of the junctions (this time reading the map carefully rather than just coasting along!)... can you see it... the blue sign tucked away inside the hedge... hmm, neither did we!
ANway this meant retracing our route around a rather large hill, but that was interesting in its own right... it was equidistant... as proved by the road sign when we got to the other side... 4 1/4 miles to Elan Village, whether you go round it to the left or to the right...
Anyway, it was a 6 mile detour (as evidenced by the little stub on the map below) but I'm so pleased we did it, if I'd have known about Elan Dam, I'd have suggested we visit it anyway!!
We finally got to Buith Wells and our lunch stop, once again, taken on the hoof outside a newsagents...
Robin and I had a cup of scalding hot sweet tea and it went right to the spot... fantastic... I could feel the energy flowing into me as it scalded my throat on the way down. The tea had been served by the self proclaimed 'Best looking birds in town' in the tiny bakers just down the road from our restaurant area, they were good fun and enjoyed the cut and thrust of negotiating with Reg and Robin over how many mini sausage rolls they could have for a Pound.
I asked a butcher (his trade isn't important to be honest but there were two butchers' shops next door to each other in this sleepy town... it seemed very odd... there were no others to be seen anywhere...) anyway, I asked a butcher for directions out of town and he then went into the longest convoluted description, including the colour of the house on the corner of the 6th junction we'd get to... no matter how I tried to reel him back in and ask just for the first couple of junctions so I could remember and then ask again if necessary... he'd start off simple and then get dragged into the breed of dog that barks at cyclists if you get too close to the fence.
Seth gave me a taste of what it's like slipstreaming... great fun is the answer, though it's also a bit scary cycling at 20mph with my front wheel less than 6 inches from his rear wheel... it concentrates the mind...
Time for another break (partly so I could reapply Savlon to my chaffed bits!) so we pulled into a cafe that's actually a disused station and on the wall they've kindly installed a map showing all the National Cycle Routes and ours, Route 8, highlighted...
It was 5 O'Clock, we'd cycled 50 miles and still had a way to go when we got to 'Robin's Hill'. Robin's Hill because it was particularly steep, looked pretty long and Robin was particularly unimpressed that we were going to take it at this stage in the game!! But it was this or a very busy A road so... up we went and he didn't complain once: well, he did tell me to F' Off... but he did it with a smile on his face so I don't think he meant it... much!
After what felt an age we got to the top, it was amazing to think we'd just climbed from the road at the very bottom of the hill, in one climb... it didn't help that it started raining - heavily - almost as soon as we got to the top.
Somehow we missed a turn again (OK, I know I was map reading!) and ended up taking the 'scenic' (i.e. long!) route into Brecon but it was worth it when we got there... the Brecon Hotel was great and the beer they served went down very thank you so much, it was a great dinner as well to cap everything off... a great night.
Stat's below...
The Garmin log (what the below image is copied from) can be found here
The photos from the day can be found here
It was raining when we left the hotel with a distinct feeling they were slamming the door behind us but hey ho... we've done pretty well really from the rain perspective, better than England according to friends and family... there you go, it may not have been perfect weather but it's better than if we'd stayed at home...
Our two KotM's wore their polka dot jerseys for this the fourth day on the basis that the hardest climbs were over now, Robin and I decided we would share the Over 50 (but less than 60) King of the Mountains accolade as we tended to alternate who got to the top first... though I admit when Robin was first, he did it with style and a flourish, panache even, whereas I did it with sweat, wobbles and cursing.
However, the easier day didn't last very long...
... but at least it was pretty... I suppose it's the rain that makes it look so green...
... but what is it that makes Robin look like a bruiser... anyway, we entered a very picturesque village...
With some rather odd villagers... it reminded me a little of the League of Gentlemen... 'This is a village shop'.
Even the bridges left something to be desired...
It is so impressive, I strongly recommend visiting it if you have the opportunity... it is absolutely stunning...
We spent quite a while there taking photos and then grabbing a bite to eat in the cafe. it was while chatting to a helpful walker that we realised we were actually about 3 miles off route... We weren't sure how it happened until we saw this on one of the junctions (this time reading the map carefully rather than just coasting along!)... can you see it... the blue sign tucked away inside the hedge... hmm, neither did we!
ANway this meant retracing our route around a rather large hill, but that was interesting in its own right... it was equidistant... as proved by the road sign when we got to the other side... 4 1/4 miles to Elan Village, whether you go round it to the left or to the right...
Anyway, it was a 6 mile detour (as evidenced by the little stub on the map below) but I'm so pleased we did it, if I'd have known about Elan Dam, I'd have suggested we visit it anyway!!
We finally got to Buith Wells and our lunch stop, once again, taken on the hoof outside a newsagents...
Robin and I had a cup of scalding hot sweet tea and it went right to the spot... fantastic... I could feel the energy flowing into me as it scalded my throat on the way down. The tea had been served by the self proclaimed 'Best looking birds in town' in the tiny bakers just down the road from our restaurant area, they were good fun and enjoyed the cut and thrust of negotiating with Reg and Robin over how many mini sausage rolls they could have for a Pound.
I asked a butcher (his trade isn't important to be honest but there were two butchers' shops next door to each other in this sleepy town... it seemed very odd... there were no others to be seen anywhere...) anyway, I asked a butcher for directions out of town and he then went into the longest convoluted description, including the colour of the house on the corner of the 6th junction we'd get to... no matter how I tried to reel him back in and ask just for the first couple of junctions so I could remember and then ask again if necessary... he'd start off simple and then get dragged into the breed of dog that barks at cyclists if you get too close to the fence.
Seth gave me a taste of what it's like slipstreaming... great fun is the answer, though it's also a bit scary cycling at 20mph with my front wheel less than 6 inches from his rear wheel... it concentrates the mind...
Time for another break (partly so I could reapply Savlon to my chaffed bits!) so we pulled into a cafe that's actually a disused station and on the wall they've kindly installed a map showing all the National Cycle Routes and ours, Route 8, highlighted...
It was 5 O'Clock, we'd cycled 50 miles and still had a way to go when we got to 'Robin's Hill'. Robin's Hill because it was particularly steep, looked pretty long and Robin was particularly unimpressed that we were going to take it at this stage in the game!! But it was this or a very busy A road so... up we went and he didn't complain once: well, he did tell me to F' Off... but he did it with a smile on his face so I don't think he meant it... much!
After what felt an age we got to the top, it was amazing to think we'd just climbed from the road at the very bottom of the hill, in one climb... it didn't help that it started raining - heavily - almost as soon as we got to the top.
Somehow we missed a turn again (OK, I know I was map reading!) and ended up taking the 'scenic' (i.e. long!) route into Brecon but it was worth it when we got there... the Brecon Hotel was great and the beer they served went down very thank you so much, it was a great dinner as well to cap everything off... a great night.
Stat's below...
The Garmin log (what the below image is copied from) can be found here
The photos from the day can be found here
We had no punctures!!!
It rained - quite lightly - for the first 30 minutes and heavily for the last hour
Considering it was an 'easier' day today, it was still tough especially Robin's hill which came after 50 miles and at 5pm on a long hard day. There was dissent amongst the ranks!
We started at 8:30, finished at 18:15
Climbed 4,538 feet
Cycled 65.5 miles (should have been 56!)
Saw the Elan dam, which was a real highlight for me :-)
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