Here’s a bike ride guide for a nice route through the Black Mountains in the eastern part of the Brecon Beacons written by cycling expert Rob Eveleigh from Drover Holidays.
This a perfect ride to warm up for the Hay Bike Festival.
A RIDE TO TALGARTH MILL
Today’s ride is a simple 14-miles round-trip, along gentle, undulating country lanes from Hay-on-Wye to Talgarth and it’s restored 18th Century flour mill.
DISTANCE – 22km (14 miles)
START POINT – Drover Cycles bike shop
GRID REFERENCE – SO 229 419
MAPS – OS Explorer OL13.
DESCRIPTION:
This is a great out-and-back ride for families, without too much left and right to confuse the little ones and nothing serious in the way of climbs.
The start point is world famous Hay-on-Wye on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park - and the route takes in quiet country lanes through villages in the foothills of the Black Mountains.
If you do need to chivvy the kids along, there’s the promise of something to satisfy sweet teeth and the chance to see Talgarth’s wonderful restored flour mill in action at the mid-point.
PARKING:
There is limited free parking at the Drover Cycles, otherwise Hay’s main, pay-and-display car park is located on Oxford Road.
THE ROUTE:
1. Turn right out of the shop gates and left at the end of Forest Road.
2. Follow the B4350 Brecon road out of town, passing the Hay’s fire station, play park and then fields on your left.
3. At the obvious layby, turn left - signposted to Llanigon - on National Cycle Network (NCN) route 42.
4. Head straight on for 2.5miles, through Llanigon and Fforddlas, to crossroads where NCN routes 42 and 8 meet, and continue straight on again, now on NCN route 8 towards Talgarth.
5. Turn left at the junction with the A4078 on to the adjoining cyclepath and follow it to Talgarth where you’ll find the town’s restored 18th Century mill, powered by the River Ellywe.
Stop here for refreshments at the bakery and cafe, take a guided tour of the mill’s inner workings or have a stroll in its gardens before reversing the route for the home-bound leg.
Drover Cycles have a huge fleet of hire bikes covering road, leisure and mountain biking, and their sister company Drover Holidays has a range of cycling breaks from 2-day getaways to 10-day tours.
Visit Drover Cycles’ website at www.drovercycles.co.uk for info on bike hire, including some special family rates, or check out their cycle tours at www.droverholidays.co.uk.
