The Pembrokeshire Freewheelers
2002 Annual Club Review: May
Four club members represented Pembrokeshire Freewheelers at the beginning of May, on The Mid-Wales Mission. This was a weekend programme organised by friends of Mike, who had joined us last year on our Derbyshire weekend away. This time they invited us on their series of rides based in Welshpool. A total of fourteen riders took part.
The accommodation, a pub and guest house next door, and the rides, had been organised by Dave, who led us westwards out of Welshpool on the first morning. Soon we were climbing short sharp hills and after a succession of these it felt like we were still in our home county, not Powys. After yet more of these, we asked Dave if he could find a flatter route, and he pointed out that the map he was using showed no contours, but was in fact from a truck-drivers atlas, and only showed the location of low bridges!
We then came across a main road and decided to take this for a while, and soon came upon Meifod, where we found a small café. Their sign said that they welcomed bikers, but they were more used to the motoring kind, not thirsty cyclists, as we drained quite a few pots of tea and coffee.
There was another sharp climb as we left Meifod behind and then quite a few more as we headed for Lake Vyrnwy. Here we parked the bikes and took advantage of the RSPB viewing hide, where we were amazed to see the woodland birds using the feeders, literally inches away from us behind the glass partition. By this time we felt like feeding ourselves, so we split up and lunched in the cafés there. Here we were joined by Christine, who had driven over from Welshpool. She was still recovering from her second hip replacement operation, and had special dispensation to use motor transport for some of the miles. Following lunch she accompanied us on a circuit of Lake Vyrnwy, before returning by car. We met up with her again after we had sped down to Llanfyllin, and how we wished we had travelled back with her as the long uphill return to Welshpool took its toll on our now extremely tired legs.
By the time we had reached Welshpool we had cycled 56 long miles, and we only just had time for a quick shower before venturing out for some calorific input, to refuel ready for the next days hills.
While some riders hit the hay early, Christine was busy thrashing the rest on the dart board and challenging all-comers to take her on.
The next day we set off south from Welshpool, and very soon had the roads all to ourselves. This was because the road ahead had been closed to traffic because of a bridge collapse. We were unsure whether we could get across, so we sent young Andy from Oxford off to investigate. He soon returned saying that we could carry the bikes across, so we did that and enjoyed quiet roads all the way to Montgomery. Sadly there were no cafés open here so Brian and Linda kindly offered to guard the bikes as the others walked up the hill to visit the castle and enjoy the fantastic views looking out for miles. Actually they had remembered how steep the hill was from their visit here a couple of years earlier, and had opted to save themselves the hike up!
Once reunited, we set off around the winding lanes and crossed into Shropshire, where we stopped in Bishops Castle, to be joined again by Christine, who had spent the morning searching out garden centres. After a long lunch and short stroll about, we continued on. Well, most of us did; it was here that we found out that Christine's special dispensation had been granted chiefly because Mike could use her vehicle as a sag wagon, as he loaded up his bike and left the others to do the cycling. His pleas that he was just keeping his wife company fell on deaf ears!
The return route was supposed to be flatter but somehow we missed the road to Clun and ended up climbing onto the Kerry ridgeway. The compensation for this mighty climb were tremendous views all around and then a screaming descent off the end. After a short sprint on the main trunk road, we turned off into Berriew, and on arrival at the pub, were told by the landlady that she was closing. Luckily Dave used his charm on her and she agreed to serve us all a drink. As he and Bob seemed to be spellbound by her charms, the others left them there and returned to Welshpool via the towpath of the Montgomery canal. This was supposed to be a short cut, but because of the rutted state of the path, it took longer, especially for Pete Swinden, who had two punctures.
In the evening we all met up in the Raven public house and restaurant for a meal and a few drinks, before returning to the "home" pub for more darts and pool competitions.
The final days ride was spent in the quiet hilly area to the west of Welshpool. Although we now had a map with contours on, courtesy of Bob and Derrick, there was no way of avoiding all the gradients, so it was up and down all the way out to Newtown. Although it was a bank holiday weekend, the town was very quiet with most of the cafés closed, but we did manage to buy lunch before retracing our route back most of the way. The plan was to cycle to Llanfair Caeraerion and take a steam train back to Welshpool, but some of the riders had seen the double arrows on the map, and decided to take the valley road back to Berriew. From here they learnt their lesson from the day before and avoided the canal path and took the main road.
The other riders who had battled up the hills, on reaching the station, realised there was no chance of putting the bikes on the small train, and had to return to Welshpool under their own steam.
Following evening meals, the now traditional tournaments took place with Christine retaining her crown as Queen of the Dartboard, and big Bob holding the champions trophy on the pool table.
We had all enjoyed a great weekend together, cycling amongst marvellous scenery, and had been blessed with wonderful weather. We had met old friends and made new ones, and looked forward to meeting up again next year on what was hoped to become an annual event.
Vic led a club ride starting from St.Clears, and it was a late spring morning feel to the weather as he led us on unfamiliar territory. The one thing that was familiar was the steepness of the hills, especially the approach to Llanybri, which even sorts the men from the boys on the Audax events which pass through this elevated village. The views over Carmarthen bay were enjoyed from here before we descended into Llanstephan, where we had morning coffee in the beachside café.
From here the roads were nice and flat as we rode alongside the estuary for a while, looking across towards Ferryside. Soon, we turned left and started climbing again and with no hopes of any refreshments around, we stopped at the roadside to eat our packed lunches.
On the return to St. Clears we thought we had lost a couple of riders as we waited at one junction for ages. Sending David back to search for them, he returned to tell us Teifryn had punctured and had problems refitting a tube. When he finally fixed it and rejoined us, we set off, only for Barrie to discover that he too had punctured. Luckily he was better organised than Tei, and we soon got going and returned to St. Clears.
The next ride was again in an area seldom visited by us as we started from Efailwen. Brian led the ride, and we were joined by Ian Hipkins who works in Oxford but lives in Newport, and being a strong Audax rider had cycled over from his home. The riders headed out on a damp morning towards Glandwr, and soon it started raining heavily and waterproofs were donned. We continued on through Llanfyrnach and dropped down to Cwm Cych. We were disappointed to find the pub closed, but on seeing a bedraggled lot peering inside, the landlady opened up and kindly served us teas, coffee, and Welsh cakes. As the weather didn't look too promising we ate our sandwiches and decided to press on. We took the road north towards Abercych and turned left up to Bwlch-y-groes. Teifryn, however, engrossed in his story-telling to a new pair of ears in the form of Ian, didn't notice that the others had either turned left or disappeared from view and cycled on. Brian sent Mark off to retrieve them, but Teifryn still oblivious to the fact the pair were alone, could not be caught. Meanwhile the others had by this time become fragmented and it was some time before they all regrouped.
Deciding that Teifryn would be able to find his way back to the start, the pack rode on towards Crymych. Passing the garage, choccy bars became the order of the day, and while eating these, the lost sheep returned to the fold, having ridden through Abercych, Newchapel and Boncath.
Brian, glad that all were now safely gathered in, carefully shepherded his flock back to the start.