A quick tour around Brecon Beacons

[arry]

Finally put the touring into sports touring with the Sprint Only took 3 years


My missus decided she wanted to go away with the girls for a long weekend - seemed rude not to go away somewhere myself and a mate of mine found himself at a loose end, so off we went to the very Welsh of Wales


We stayed here:
https://www.erwlon.co.uk/

What can I say about it? Well, it's got a bit of road noise, being right by the A40, but nothing massively problematic and it was quite cheap really. The best with this place was that even though it's quite a family oriented site, it didn't have a problem with us rocking up on our bikes as an all male party. The people that ran it were really friendly, the facilities were good (apart from being a bit too warm in the shower block!) and everyone we had camping around us were really friendly too. We had a couple of guys one side that offered us a cool tinny each on arrival, and a married couple the other side that gave up their picnic bench as we didn't have any chairs, without even being asked, and gave us loads of advice on the local roads too


We were supposed to set off on Saturday morning around 10, but I'd got through a skin-full the night before so thought better of it Finally left around 1 ish, and set off on our jaunt. The plan was to go from Kent round the M25 and then up the M40/A40 into Cotswolds and through the scenic route. Due to time constraints, ie leaving later, this didn't happen So we blasted up the M4 and just made progress. Lesson: If I ever do it again, I'll make sure we have the time to get where we're going via a more relaxed ride as it makes all the difference the next day when you're at the destination

Loading the bikes was interesting - I packed the Sprint high and wide

https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140726_114247_zps3c5d8e2b.jpg

Lesson - get a smaller tent and don't pack things so wide they take up the whole of your mirrors, it's a real PITA

Got there and pitched up:
https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Wales%20Roadtrip%202014/IMG_1665_zpsbbc97f61.jpg

First day we decided to do the A4069, A4067 and A40 loop back to Llandovery. Well, we did this a few times - including the A4069 both ways. The 4069 is stunning scenery wise; starts off through the trees on quite wide but very winding roads, then pops out over a cattle grid and straight out across the mountain, climbing up high with a series of hairpins, then back down the other side again. Rather technical - the Sprint didn't feel at home here at all, it was much better suited to my mate's R1 but even then TBH a smaller bike would be ideal. We encountered a friendly local on a naked Yammy 600 with knobblies on it - going hammer and tongs Also encountered a local lad with a sweet 1996 Aprillia RS 250 race rep 2 stroke - what a wicked little bike

The Sprint looking purposeful carrying our waterproofs etc

https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Wales%20Roadtrip%202014/IMG_1671_zps62e19f66.jpg

The R1 going at it

https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Wales%20Roadtrip%202014/IMG_1709_zps7bfdf70d.jpg

https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Wales%20Roadtrip%202014/IMG_1707_zps97c75457.jpg


Second day we did the coast road up to Aberystwyth - able to carry lots of speed up here but we were cautious on the long straights through fear of licence losing potential. However, it's wide, twisty, but very satisfying with elevation changes etc which make for some good overtakes - the R1 popped up its front wheel at about 9000 rpm in 2nd and ripped past about 7 cars in a row Good fun

The A482 which links Llandovery with the coast, whilst having a few towns to navigate, is worth a look as well as it's a fun little twisty path through the trees.

From the coast road we turned off to go over to Devil's Bridge. Fantastic road with a great view down the valley - however, they've relaid sections with that cheap crap temporary surface stuff It's not awful in terms of grip but nothing like a good bit of tarmac would be. Still worth a go out there. The view down to the waterfall is interesting if you don't like heights:

https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Wales%20Roadtrip%202014/IMG_1695_zpsfd8689c5.jpg

Last day was spent messing around doing the best of the roads we'd found locally to the camp site; my mate melted and just left his leathers behind:

https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Wales%20Roadtrip%202014/IMG_1689_zps01354c09.jpg

Then we packed up

https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20140729_165049_zps43d8ac23.jpg

Unfortunately, time to go home Far too soon I might add. Last lesson - if you're gonna do it, have a day to get there and do a bit of orienteering around the local area, and do a day's hard riding and alternate one easy day with a challenging one the next day - and, therefore, go for more than 4 days including travel!

Very much enjoyed it and the Sprint was faultless; apart from being a whale on the mountain road it was surprisingly sporty when it needed to be and whilst the R1 left it behind on a long straight where it could really stretch its legs, the punchy torque throughout the range made acceleration on overtakes easy and meant it didn't lose too much ground.

The main shocker for me was the fact that on day 2 I was riding faster and more consistently than I ever have through bends and IMO the sole reason for that is the roads - in the SE, certainly local to me, we have very little to match the twisty roads of Wales in terms of challenging bends - especially in terms of stringing a good number of turns together. You learn more about road-craft out there in a day than I have in Essex for the last 5 years really.

If you're thinking of doing a bike holiday but you're not sure, just do it. It's excellent fun.

[Pigeon]

[chickenstrip]

I've stayed at Erwlon several times. Handy for the West End café and Owl's Nest in the mornings!
Your comment on the hot shower blocks - amen to that! I went in summer last year and came out of the showers dripping with sweat, a complete waste of time showering And no shade anywhere to be had on that site. Good otherwise though.

Love that A4069, brilliant road. Lead some of the guys to the BCF BBQ over that, I think they liked it?

And totally agree with your point about learning to ride properly on those Welsh roads. I lived in the S.E. most of my life, and whilst there are some good roads, like the run out to Finchingfield for example, nothing to compare with Wales. That's why I head there most sunny Sundays when I can now