Up into the Welsh Hills with 2000 ft ascent - Week 3 of Cycling Training
(to see all articles go to my London 2 Paris Page)
This week I haven't been able to get out during the week but I don't feel too guilty as I have had a couple of sessions on the spinning bike to keep up the training. Today (14.6.15) I decided to make up for this by doing some hill training.
The aim was to cycle from my home all the way up to the Brennig Reservoir which I cycled around last week. This would take me along back roads through the small hamlets of Prion, Saron and Nantglyn before turning for home travelling through Bylchau and Denbigh.
Before I left I prepared some breast of Welsh lamb rolled up with apricots, rosemary and sage and place it in the oven on a low heat (recipe to follow) with some potatoes and carrots. It would be something to look forward to when I arrived back home.
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| Llanrhaeadr Church |
I started out mid-morning at a slower than usual pace as I had in front of me a 25 mile route with a 2178ft of ascent (sounds better than 664 meters), that is nearly the same as cycling from Snowdon's car park to the top and back.
First I cycled past our local church with it's famous Jesse Windows and took the next turning up towards the Glyn. I started climbing almost immediately and for the next couple of hours I would hardly stop climbing.
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| Y Glyn - Turn left for Prion |
Once I reached the small hamlet of The Glyn (Welsh for Glen) I turned left for Prion (which is an old word in Welsh for Perfect) From there it was a slow steady climb all the way up until I reached Pant Pastynnog Church.
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| Prion (Pant Pastynnog) Church |
On reaching the Church the only consolation I had was the beautiful views I had around me and a hill going down. But this was short lived because at the bottom I saw a road sign indicating a hill in front with 17% gradient. I was wondering as I turned the corner what a 17% gradient hill looks like, I know now, bloody steep.
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| Capel Saron (Chapel built in 1908) |
With great effort I was able to pull myself to the top and was rewarded with the sight of Saron (Israeli name meaning 'his song') Chapel which was built in 1908 in front of me. As you are probably aware by now Wales is full of chapels and churches. From here I turned right towards Nantglyn (Welsh for Stream in the Glen)and after a mile or so was rewarded by the first serious down hill section. With the wind whistling in my ears I sped down into Nantglyn. But when there is a down there is always an up.
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| Road down to Nantglyn |
Upon reaching village I turned right to follow the sign for Soar but after only a 1/4 of a mile the road forks and here I see my first sign for the Brennig, 3 miles. From here on it was again a slow relentless climb all the way to the top. But once there I was rewarded by stunning views back over Nantglyn towards the Vale of Clwyd and the Clwydian Range in the distance. Here I stopped for a bite of my small snack bar I had brought with me. It is one of those with a 'Did you know' caption on it. It said did you know that an elephant can walk 50 miles in a day. I felt like screaming 'I'm sure they bloody can they have four legs and probably no hills to climb'.
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Looking back down towards Nantglyn and the Clwydian Range in the distance
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I cycled on knowing that it would not be long before I reached the half way mark and I could turn my nose for home. The road now took me into the moors and from lush surrounding I was now surrounded by barren moorland. In the distance I could see the Sportsman's Arms which use to be the highest and probably most isolated pub in Wales until it was converted into a residential dwelling.
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| Hiraethog Moors - Sportsman's Arms in the distance |
Finally I reached the half way point at a T junction with one road leading to Pentrefoelas and in the other direction to Denbigh and home.
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| Halfway point, turning right for Denbigh |
After a couple of miles of relatively flat road I came to Bylchau and from here on the road was definitely downhill.
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| Bylchau |
The view on my right looked down again into the Vale of Clwyd but I barely noticed it as the miles disappeared quickly under my wheels. I zoomed past the mile markers 6 then 4, 3 and finally 1 mile to Denbigh.
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| Only one way is down |
Before I new it I was turning a corner in the road and Denbigh Castle loomed up in front of me. This was a welcome sight but I did not linger as I imagined the pot roasted breast of lamb I had left cooking in the oven.
Denbigh Castle
Three miles later I was back home having notched up another week of training. After a quick shower I was ready for my sumptuous meal served up with buttered mash. Well there has to be some rewards for all this effort.
