A true epic

Rode the Preseli ridge bridleway today. What an awesome route. I started in Newport village centre and headed up alongside Carningli Common, which is an impressive rocky outcrop on the end of the ridge above Newport. The route took me down into a valley via a scary fast, lightly technical bridleway. Speed and lack of foresight resulted in a minor tangle with a closed gate! Then I began the big climb into the Preselis. Often pushing, I made the partial ascent of Cerrig Lladron, then skirted round the summit before dropping a little down to the road through the pass.

Roughly following the bridleway I climbed and pushed my way onto the shoulder of Foel Cwmcerwyn, before dropping into the saddle between and climbing the next peak, Foel Feddau. Here was a stunning view (pictured) and lunch!

A superb descent followed, where I re-learnt how trail centres have a predictability about them that you can never rely on out in the wild. Several times I flew over ditches and sheep hollows without seeing them until the very last moment!

After a tortuous push up Carn Sian I was greeted by the humbling splendor of Carn Bica. Now I felt as though the return leg was about to begin. A pair of fast but technically demanding descents down to the car park at the north eastern end of the ridge kind of marked the end, now I was to tire.

After that came a rather annoying traverse around Foel Drygarn which was worsened by a boggy descent to a gravel track. The descent down the track, however, was worth doing.

Now was a mostly tired tarmac trudge back to Newport. However I opted to do a detour via the Pentre Ifan burial chamber and a bridleway down through the Pentre Ifan woods. And what a worthwhile detour it was too! Finally, after a mainly downhill tarmac sprint I made Newport feeling tired, dehydrated and on a high! I only wish I'd made Newport earlier and found a cafe to chil out in and get my breathe back. Maybe next time ;-)