Jun
26
Sunday was a beautiful hot day, one of those stunning early summer days. Perfect for a sail in fact…
Headed out in ‘Emilia Jane’ a classic drascombe lugger with friends, a hamper stuffed with food and every intention of relaxing for the afternoon. Hoisted the sails, switched the engine off and drifted for the afternoon. Perfect.
Apr
10
Saturday was an amzing hot sunny day, it felt like July not April.
I’ve often walked the coast path as far a Morfa Buchan and then circled back to Abersytwyth from there. But today we decided we were going to explore South down as far as Llanrustud. It was so good to be amongst the fresh green of spring, highlighted with the pure white of the black thorn and damson, together with flashes of yellow gorse, primroses and celandines.
The path South of Morfa Buchan undulates its way along the coast, a little way back from the cliff edge which gives the walk much more of a pastoral feel, without being too far away from the intense shimmering blue of the sea. There was a big buzzard hovering overhead while we stopped for lunch and skylarks were singing, soaring high above us as we walked. Everything so full of life.
With a couple of stops and lunch the walk took us 3 1/2 hours and was about nine miles. We then caught the bus back from Llanrustud, there are normally busses about every half hour.
Apr
08
An opportunity for a quick ride along the Ystwyth Trail, the trail provides a gentle country ride beside the Ystwyth river, following the disused Aberyswyth to Carmarthen railway, its possible to reach the town of Tregaron, but today it was to just beyond Trawscoed.
The trail is on well maintained paths, and some rough tracks, not really territory for my mountain bike but certainly not for the road bike, this is good family riding, with a few occasional steep bits.
The river was quite low just bubbling its way to the sea, lots of spring followers and the occasional rabbit, the ride was uneventful and still.
Distance 18 miles round trip.
Apr
03
Sunday was great day for a good longish ride, through some of the stunning countryside of the Cambrian Mountains.
Setting out from Plas Dolau the first part of the journey to Talybont on the main road is always a bit tedious, but it was a Sunday and not too bad, but worth it for the rest of the ride.
Turning off in Talybont there is then the long climb ahead to Nant y Moch reservoir and the wilderness of the Cambrian Mountains. The climb starts in a beatuiful rural valley and climbs seadily, once leaving the tree line you can see the road winding its way to the top. I love the smell of the pine trees in the spring sunshine.
From this point the road traces its way round the reservoir until you reach the dam, its good to pause and look down the valley from the vantage point at the top. Then on to Ponterwyd a short distance down the A44 and off to Devil’s Bridge.
In Devil’s Bridge turning up quite a steep climb past the Arch and down to Cwm Ystwyth and then the old Hafod Estate. From here down to Pontrhydygroes, Trawscoed and back.
The total distance was 46 miles mostly on small rural roads