TRIP TO WALES
Photos by: Joe Harper
Written by: Ben Gardner
Picture the scene, late August afternoon, sun-drenched beer garden, crispy jars in hand- Joe put forward the idea of a trip to the beautiful Elan Valley in Wales.
Fast forward to a wet, cold, dark evening in late November and we’re packing the car wondering if my summer-weight sleeping bag is even worth the space it takes up!
On the road, anxiety turns to excitement. Destination, a solid 5 hours from London, we settle into the first chapter of our adventure.
A trip of this nature has been a long time coming. August was the proposal, but Jun, Joe & myself have discussed leaving the city behind and exploring some of the less popular UK countryside for as long as I can remember…
Elan Valley/Claerwen Reservoir holds a dear place in both Jun & Joe’s hearts. It was a clear winner.
Objective: survive the night snuggled up in Joe’s roof tent, up at the crack of Dawn, tick off a couple of river crossings & the Claerwen Reservoir and finish with the largest fry-up we could sniff out.
Elan Valley, has a murky history, but understandably a massive tourist hotspot. We decided on an old favourite route of Joe’s, incorporating “all the best stuff and avoiding 99% of tourists” Joe explained! He wasn’t wrong!! Other than some greenlaners, and a farmer we had the entire route to ourselves.
Full of coffee, route loaded & bikes packed we set off from our home for the night. Exactly how I imagined a morning in rural Wales to be. Misty, moist & cold. A far cry from how we dreamt it back in August, but weirdly perfect!
The sun had already started to rise by the time we’d left the campsite- burning off the mist and fog, the true beauty of the landscape was unveiled. The “roads” weaved through sheep-inhabited fields, up and over short steep hills, throwing you into rollercoaster-worthy descents. The landscape seemed to change at every corner.
The first river crossing came after an almost moon-like-scape, rough, rocky and grey, ending with a descent that set us up to gather just enough speed to make it through the FREEZING COLD knee deep river. A quick glance at each other- Smiles all round, The cold wasn’t enough to dampen our spirits…
A quick outfit change and some dry socks, we were back on our route to the Reservoir. And BREAKFAST.
Claerwen Reservoir is a popular spot amongst 2 & 4-wheeled Greenlanders- fortunately, apart from a group of dirt bikers as we crossed the river, we had the lane to ourselves. Some friendly two-wheeled banter ensued and then we were on our way.
Blissful premium gravel road swooped around the layered rocky landscape as we approached the viewpoint of the Claerwen Dam. A quick stop here and photo op then back to it. We were almost done!
Muddy tracks turned to gravel, then pothole littered tarmac and eventually a smooth road.
Inspired by our journey, and excited for our destination, we rolled through small quaint streets into the nearest town.
As should all good, well-planned rides, we finished at a small local cafe and got stuck into the largest fry-up they had to offer. 2 of everything, hold the guilt.
Empty legs and full stomachs, our day was complete- zero punctures, mechanicals or injuries! Just 6 wet feet, 3 enriched souls & full hearts. The dream!
We packed up the car, loaded up the last route of the day and headed back across the border. We sat in silence for a number of minutes, the perfect kind of silence that comes from a place of pure contentment.
The most wholesome weekend, with great friends that vowed to “not leave it so long next time” …
WHAT THE BOYS WORE
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Terra Long Sleeve Tech Tee
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Terra LS Black Tee
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