Elan Valley: the rough and the smooth
Not every family rough-stuff expedition we attempt goes smoothly but an October ride in the Elan Valley proved to be a hit, despite the conditions.
A half-term holiday based in Elan Village provided the opportunity for the whole family to expand their cycling horizons. By mid-week, we’d warmed up on the gentle Elan Valley Trail (NCN 81) and I’d cycled solo around the Claerwen Reservoir and past the Teifi Pools to meet the other two on the beach in Aberystwyth. It was time for our next challenge.
Pouring over the map, G – aged eight – had spotted a byway he wanted to explore. I’d seen the track, between the farm at Rhiwnant and the base of the Claerwen Dam, from the nearby road the previous day and it looked pretty wet but passable. Well, probably passable. So we decided to give it a go. I knew it was part of the Trans Cambrian Way route and was rideable – at least by some people in some conditions.