Strangely, there were only three takers for this ride. On 6th September, David drove to the start of the ride in Abergavenny with Vanessa and Alistair for a loop of the Brecon Beacons. After a coffee in the cafe in the park adjacent to the car park, we headed to Llanfoist to pick up the NCN46. This was a rail trail that climbed steadily at about 3% up the side of the valley to Brynmawr, though there was a steeper bit at 15% linking two sections of the former railway.  The early part of trail was picturesque, particularly where it was cut into the cliffs giving views across the valley to the Black Mountains. At the end of the rail trail, the cycle path wandered through the suburbs of Brynmawr and Rassau, crisscrossing the Heads of the Valleys Road on bridges.

On the outskirts of Tredegar, we stopped at the community café beside the lake at the Park Bryn Bach Country Park for a sandwich. After re-applying more sunscreen, we continued on the cycle path to Pant, where we joined the road for the climb up to the pass.  We passed the heritage Brecon Mountain Railway that seemed to be busy and later on we could hear the steam whistle but could not see the train as the line runs up the other side of the valley.

At the top of the pass [David took the photo]

We crossed over the Pontiscill dam and then the route, part of the Las Lon Cymru, turned onto bumpy gravel tracks through the woods. At the top of the pass beside the access road to Pen Y Fan we paused in the sunshine and decided we would follow the tarmac road down rather than the 6 mile stretch of gravel tracks on the NCN6 [quicker and a bit comfier]. The road dropped down quickly so it did not take us long to cross the canal on the lifting bridge at Talybont on Usk and where we stopped for a welcome tea and slice of Bara Brith. After this, the route ran on the road, mainly downhill, to Crickhowell where we cycled up into the old town centre and enjoyed a welcome beer sitting outside in the late afternoon sunshine at the pub in the High Street. We then took the back road towards the Forest Coal Pit that climbed up over the Grwyne Fawr valley side before descending on a short 25% downhill section to the river. The road followed the valley and crossed the River Usk on a Bailey Bridge. We then climbed up again on the other side of the river to the Monmouth and Brecon Canal and cycled on the towpath to its junction with the NCN46 where it met our outward journey. Once back at the car we enjoyed fresh coffee and cake that Vanessa had brought for us before heading home – 50 miles and 1095m ascent.