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Tony Harrison wrote this account of a weekend session in Wales. Tony was sadly killed in 2001 whilst taking part in the Scottish National Rally. He is sadly missed.
"We set off from Usk for Brecon via Abergavenny on the B4598/4558, a nice country B road with little traffic. The weather was clear and sunny, not too
warm but allowing good long distance viewing. At Brecon we picked up the twisty B road over the moors through the military test ranges with panoramic
views. From Beulah Kev led us over the Tregaron mountain road over the Cambrian Mountains - a wonderful twisty narrow single track road with slopes up to 1:3 and hairpin bends, both up and down hill.
The views were superb, mountains, valleys, steep drops, woods and streams. We stopped a couple of times for photo calls and then extended one stop to use up more "digital film" and to
eat the package of fruit I'd brought along .
In Tregaron we encountered what seemed to be the TVR owners club on a treasure hunt so we ended up following several expensive cars towards Devil's Bridge.
We stopped at a little craft / coffee shop for pie and tea, eaten at the roadside in glorious sunshine.
Refreshed we continued to Devil's Bridge to look at the falls.
With time was moving on , we set off towards Aberystwyth and then through Machynlleth to Dolgellau. More early evening sun made the views as good as all the others.
Next morning was another beautiful one, with perfect sunshine and after a leisurely breakfast, we set off down along the coast past Harlech Castle and
on towards Barmouth. As the morning wore on, the tourists came out and for the first and last time we saw heavy traffic including lots of bikes.
Progress was slow although the views across Barmouth Bay just about made up for the congestion.
At Dolgellau, we headed inland on the A470 and the traffic disappeared again. We headed back via Llandiloes and Rhyader along a mix of quiet B roads, with a beautiful detour along the way
through the Hafren Forest. A scenic few miles along the Wye Valley towards Builth Wells was one of the few A roads used during the tour, although traffic was light, before cutting back across country
on B and minor roads towards Hay on Wye, where we passed back into England via the lovely Golden Valley, having hardly passed a car since
Dolgellau. Altogether a great weekend's riding, and proof there are good quiet roads in the UK if you can read a map!!! A good weekends riding in pleasant company. Thanks all!"
Tony , Holywell, N. Wales.
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