Routes Required for Black Mountain Rides

Cornish-J
Cornish-J Posts: 978
edited November 2012 in Training, fitness and health
Looking for two mapped rides, around 40-60miles taking in the biggest climbs on the black mountains.

Garmin route or similar would be better than just a long list of written instructions/turns.

Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    When you say Black Mountains where exactly will you be based? I can probably come up with a few options for you.
  • Cornish-J
    Cornish-J Posts: 978
    Ah great! We're going up purely to ride so can stay anywhere but would prefer to start on the southern side as we're coming from Cornwall.
  • jackfeeder
    jackfeeder Posts: 269
    Hi,
    if you download these PDFS's you can combine a route which includes Gospel Pass and
    a spin round Llangors Lake - I've done this ride and it's really good. Plenty of places to re-stock with food/drink and some good pubs if you fancied a lunch/after ride stop.
    Enjoy!

    http://tourism.ceredigion.gov.uk/cycleb ... onMapE.pdf
    http://tourism.ceredigion.gov.uk/cycleb ... onMapB.pdf
    All my life I've wanted to be someone; I guess I should have been more specific.
  • Cornish-J
    Cornish-J Posts: 978
    Thanks very much - i will take a look at those.
  • hugh1982
    hugh1982 Posts: 40
    +1 to the gospel pass - rode there from Hay-On-Wye and it was immense. Great scenery and great riding.
  • jackfeeder
    jackfeeder Posts: 269
    If you want to make it a bit harder + longer you could go over this - Llangydir Mtn - it's on the Tour of The Black Mtns ride and it's a s*d.
    http://pendragon-cc.com/tobm/map.html
    All my life I've wanted to be someone; I guess I should have been more specific.
  • paultheparaglider
    paultheparaglider Posts: 123
    hugh1982 wrote:
    +1 to the gospel pass - rode there from Hay-On-Wye and it was immense. Great scenery and great riding.

    I went up there today from the Abergavenny / Capel y Fin side. The state of the road on the way up was pretty poor. Very wet, loads of gravel mud, and wet leaves. Broke traction a few times on the steeper bits even being careful. The ride down into Hay was much better, with a mostly dry road, although it was fairly windy over the top section. I don't think I would have enjoyed going the other way today because of the slippery conditions to be faced on the drop to Capel.
    The scenery is great. I came back on the A479 that runs from Talgarth to Crickhowell. This was also very scenic, and not too steep or busy.
    I was going to do the Llangynidr hill on the way back, but it was raining reasonably hard when I got to Crickhowell so I wimped out.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    I had a PM from the OP and he is looking for rides around the Black Mountain (as used in the ToB) rather than the Black Mountains (i.e. Abergavenny area). I don't know that area so well but I would assume that the hills from the Sarn Helen sportive would be a decent option?

    If riding in the Black Mountains though I would agree with most of the above although Gospel Pass from Capel-y-Ffin is in poor state at the moment. The A479 climb to Pengenfordd is a nice. long steady climb or you can head to Llangors and over Llangors Mountain Cwmddu. Llangynidr Mountain, Llangatock Mountain and the Tumble are all good options in that area.
  • DaSy
    DaSy Posts: 599
    Probably worth a read of this thread from the other day, that discussed routes over the Black Mountain - http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12729502
    Complicating matters since 1965
  • Brewer
    Brewer Posts: 45
    I went on the Capel y Ffin route a lot earlier in the year and the road was in good nick. What has happened to make it deteriorate? It's one of my favourite rides and I was looking forward to using it over the winter.
  • Airwave
    Airwave Posts: 483
    It's a great place for cycling5002253930_6d32c92eff.jpgNearly there by steve715, on Flickr
    TT photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverob/
  • Cornish-J
    Cornish-J Posts: 978
    thanks guys :)
  • paultheparaglider
    paultheparaglider Posts: 123
    Brewer wrote:
    What has happened to make it deteriorate? It's one of my favourite rides and I was looking forward to using it over the winter.

    The road surface itself was ok, but as you know it is wooded for a fair bit of the way up and doesn't get so much sun at this time of the year. Wet surface, lots of wet leaves, tons of gravel, muddy. Very slippery. OK once you get above the tree line. I thought it was safe to ride up, although my brakes picked up a load of muck which works the rims on the way down the other side. I just wouldn't want to ride down the Capel side as to be safe you would have to go really slowly and carefully. It might not bother some.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Yep, lots of debris and mud on the road when I drove it despite no rainfall for a couple of days. Bit of a risk of a puncture but I wouldn't say it was unsafe in any way to climb from Capel y Ffin, as above I'd be cautious on the descent. Hay side was fine.
  • Brewer
    Brewer Posts: 45
    Thanks.Will go back when we've had some rain.
  • spearmint_wino
    spearmint_wino Posts: 109
    Anyone been over Gospel Pass recently and could let me know what state it's in?

    Heading to Abergavenny today for a weekend with the family and hoping to sneak a ride or two in. Got The Tumble on the to-do list too.
  • houndlegs
    houndlegs Posts: 267
    spearmint wino wrote:
    Anyone been over Gospel Pass recently and could let me know what state it's in?

    Heading to Abergavenny today for a weekend with the family and hoping to sneak a ride or two in. Got The Tumble on the to-do list too.
    I was up there about 2 weeks ish ago, and it was pretty much as described above, I think the problem is all the run off from the mountain.
    It's covered in mud and grit etc,and now with the leaves down I must admit I didn't enjoy it much.
    As above though,once you clear the tree line it's fine.
    It's still worth doing the ride if you haven't done it before,just be aware it's going to be a bit shitty from the priory on.
    Oh and use mudguards :D

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