Cambrian Way day 3 - Rhayader

We decided on a later start after a late night.  It was a very quiet campsite apart from masses of birdsong from about 4am.  We had breakfast at the campsite, brewing tea on Alan's stove, with a shared malt loaf to sustain us.

Today's ride had lots of hills, and not many miles.  It was still very hot, so we counterbalanced all that with lots of stops for a well-balanced, epic ride.

The first hill started almost immediately, uphill for two miles.  A long descent led us past a fancy glamping site, where we made good use of the cafe, but sadly not the swimming pool.  We didn't really look as if we belonged, covered in sweat as we were.  How the other half live: £21 for breakfast rolls and coffee, versus 90p for our malt loaf and home brew tea only 4 miles earlier.  Alan remarked that it's easy to fall in love with Wales: a view round every corner, so lush and green (although lush has a different meaning in Wales), lovely people, who are always happy to chat.

We crossed the Severn plain - again - and sweated up another two big hills, with a few tractors and the sweet scent of cow parsley for company.  At Llanidloes we found a community cafe, where the whole indoors was like an oven but outdoors was a peaceful and shady allotment garden.  We refilled our bottles for the second time and ate a fulsome lunch.  We had now ridden all of 10 miles.  Lllanidloes is also on the Severn, and we followed a tributary straight up the valley.  A long, steep hill with sprinkles of very steep bits.  It was 33 degrees again.  At last, the top, and we passed over the watershed of the rivers Severn & Wye.  Possibly, we had ridden to the source of the river Severn.  (Edit: I discovered later that the main tributary rises much higher in the mountains, at around 670 metres altitude.)

The source of the Severn?

We had earned another stop after 4 miles, at Llangurig village tea room.  Very nice but also with very hot and bothered serving staff.  We needed the fluids and a rest in the shade.  It was difficult to drink enough despite constantly filling our bottles.  By now we were dripping and very tired.

The last ten miles was generally downhill along the beautiful Wye valley but also had 100 metres of uphill undulations to Rhayader.  It really was a special road, varying from riding alongside the river in a flat plain to halfway up a steep sided gorge, widening out to a Lake District size valley with mountains either side, to a tunnel of trees.

Down the Wye to Rhayader

At last we were welcomed at a beautiful Camping & Caravanning Club site directly on the banks of the Wye, but also directly beside the quite busy A road.  Our priorities were clear: check in, park the bikes on our pitch, get an ice cream, pitch tents, shower - aaah - visit the pub (where we ate possibly the worst pizza ever), a walking tour of Rhayader, do this blog & bed.  An epic day.

Rhayader Wyeside CCC site

As we tried to get to sleep, we were entertained by thunder and lightning rolling round the hills for quite a while.  Alan says there was some light rain later but I didn't hear it ... zzzz.

More coming soon ...