THE BRECON BEACONS AND RADNOR LOOP (75 Miles)
By Lucienne Bennett
Day 1 Wern to Tregoyd
Leaving the Wern through the top fields, riders follow the old Tramway, running along the disused railway line, to the village of Llanfihangel Talyllyn. From there the route takes you to an old Roman road, now a lovely bridleway, not a stone track, over the Allt, with on top a panoramic view towards Sugar Loaf Mountain, the Usk Valley, the Brecon Beacons, towards Bwlch. Here riders climb up onto Llangorse Mountain where, once on top, they can have a lovely long gallop on the open moorland. The route skirts the Black Mountains passing over several commons before riders reach their first stop at Tregoyd.
Day 2 Tregoyd to New House Farm
The route follows the river Wye for a while before, via lanes and tracks, reaching the Begwns, a National Trust owned hill area. This is a beautiful common with as its landmark the ‘Roundabout’, a dry stonewall enclosure at the highest point, from which there are far reaching views. From there the riders travel towards the second night stop at New House Farm, after having traversed another common. New House Farm has a large fold of Highland cattle from which the beef comes that gets served at dinner.
Day 3 New House Farm to Cilhowey
The third day takes the riders over old ‘drovers roads’ on Llanbedr and Llandeilo Mountain towards the river Wye crossing at Erwood. This section of the route needs some navigating skills as it goes over open moorland with many tracks and not many obvious landmarks. Compass skills are definitely an advantage. From Erwood riders follow some very quiet lanes, many with access to the open land on either side to ride on, to the edge of the Eppynt. This is another stretch of moorland with lovely grass tracks for good gallops, before heading into forestry following clearly defined bridleways. On exiting the forestry the route descends to Lower Chapel where the last stopover awaits at Cilhowey, a lovely old farm on the outskirts of the village.
Day 4 Cilhowey to Wern
The last day riders climb out of the Honddu valley from Lower Chapel towards Battle via bridleways and forestry. From Battle bridleways take the riders down to Aberyscir picking up the river Yscir en route. In Aberyscir the route follows an important Roman road to Brecon, now a bridleway totally away from any road noise. Via cycle tracks and quiet back lanes riders get a scenic tour of Brecon and its castle remains. At the hospital you go back onto bridleways in easterly direction and these and country lanes lead you back to the Wern