Ride reflections:
Excellent company helped! This ride is two big climbs and two long and gradual downhills. Perfect. Starting in Hay-on-Wye – Y Gelli (“The Grove”), in Welsh – we followed the classic Gospel Pass route anti-clockwise. We passed Llanthony Priory (closed for coffee) and Longtown village shop (open!), enjoying the remote, quiet nature of a peaceful morning in Wales and West Hereforshire.
We commented that the overcast, semi-dry weather was idyllic for cycling. An early (8am) start helped with visibility too. Our favourite part of this ride was the downhill AFTER the climb from Craswall. Hay-on-Wye to Pandy follows NCN’s Route 42. Gospel Pass is Wales’ highest paved road. The views from Hay Bluff are always a treat.
This starts/ends near Drover Cycles. I’m a fan of theirs; although they broke my heart, saying their barista wasn’t working that day. 😉
Links:
OS Maps’ route, with detailed waypoints:
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/25505306/
(Note: this is Gospel-Plus, which is 7km longer.)
Route 14 of Lost Lanes Wales is similar (~) to the OS route shown. The title “Around the Black Hill” is apt. The ISBN for the (excellent) book, by Jack Thurston (Vertebrate) is:
978-1910636039
Strava Cycling attempt:
https://www.strava.com/activities/16582111466
THIS silent X10 timelapse of the ride, with sideways stuttering (usually uphill) and sun glare:
https://www.youtube.com/@GOfromB2Y
There “may” be another video with elevation and route data. It’s hard to get the breaks with movement to match.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Croeso i a welcome to: Gospel Pass
00:04:09 Hay Bluff Car Park
00:05:44 Highest Point: of route & GP
00:08:54 Llanthony Priory: winters’ cafe closures
00:13:35 Pedestrians… welcome!!
00:14:34 Longtown Shop: not filmed, but exceptional
00:15:04 Thanks for the space and your work! 🙂
00:17:34 Break before last hill slog
00:18:40 Pentwyn (half way up)
00:19:18 The downhill of dreams!
00:20:26 To pass? Or to pass-plus?
What’s B-to-Y!?
A to Z is the whole story. No. Wait. Let’s start that again:
A to… B-to-Y… to Z
While A is the start and Z is the end, what happens in the middle? Ah! This ride will show you… B-to-Y!
Savour the moment of now: not the past or what’s to come. NOW. See scenic sights and spin some satisfying stories by going up slowly and down slightly less slowly – maybe. Stopping, IF seeing and savouring, is fully sanctioned (or pause the video) too. 😉
Need some 2-wheeled therapy? Welcome a croeso. This just might be the ride you needed in your life. So experience it here, in full-screen ASMR. Or D.I.Y. Or: watch AND do it yourself. Mwynhau. Enjoy.
Planning this? May this timelapse inspire. Completed it? Recall happy memories! Please mention what YOU look forward to (or enjoyed) the most. 🙂
Timelapse of Cycling Gospel Pass: OS 25505306, ~Lost Lanes Wales’ LL14