The Dyfi Valley User Group is now live, click the link above to sign up and be that little bit cooler…..
All the dust you can eat
A beautiful day, why spend it stuck inside, glued to a computer.
A quick visit to the bike shop, inspires me to try a new route. Up in an area we call ‘Hyddgen’, there is a stunning marshy route that leads southward to Nant y moch reservoir. It is known as The Hidden Valley.
When spoken of, the room often falls to a hushed silence.
There are few who can tell of it’s boggy secrets and return to tell the tale.
It all was fine, Mach3, then turning off and climbing some more up towards Glaslyn. The sun was out, sky was deepest blue and the wind was a mere breath. Why did I head into the Hidden Valley?
I lost count of the number of times my front wheel buried itself into a boggy rut, sending me flying, inelegantly over the handlebars. Or hopping expertly off the bike to avoid the afore mentioned obstacle, only to find myself upto the knee in smelly green and brown gloop.
boggy hell
The route wasn’t without its pleasures, which were interspersed down the valley. Sections of rocky, dry singletrack which lifted the soul and shook the bike free of muck. The view which was uncluttered and wild, looking down towards Plynlimon.
Tussocks of the devil
But when all is said and done, I’d much prefer the ‘Yellow Backs’ route which runs parallel in the next valley.
Upon reaching Nant-y-moch, I decided to take the long route home, skirting around the perimeter of the lake and enjoying the impressive dam views.
Those damn views
Before reluctantly heading home, along past Anglers Retreat and the well worn descent to Cefn Coch Farm.
It was a grand day out, around 50km not the 70km which my GPS lied to me on the journey. Take a look at the route HERE
Fish eye lens
A beautiful day to wear my knees out, I thought I’d better take the ‘up and coming’ Mach 4 route for a test ride, via my newly shod SS 29er.
The 2.4 Continental Mountain Kings really dig in where it counts and despite their burley demure, are spritely and have no hint of sluggish nature. Unlike myself.
Can't see the wood
The climb up to the top through the zig-zags was a truely lung busting ascent, but once that was done and dusted, legs fully warmed up, it didn’t seem too bad.
Just in case you couldn't tell
I really don’t think that a Single speed it the ideal weapon of choice for this route but at least I can say - ‘I did it, yay!’
look mum, no hands!
The threat of rain is never really far away when you live on the west coast of Wales, but even in the midst of such changeable weather in the last few weeks, rain was a distant thought today.
I thought it was high time to embrace the rocky climbs and exciting, fast switchbacks that the Climachx trail has to offer. The sun was warm on my back but echos of a wet recent past lay in puddles on every turn.
It was great to be out.
There is nothing like the lung busting rasps, caused but the climbs around the Dyfi to really make you feel alive!
The final descent (no.8) is not too bad at the moment. There are a few sharp, slate daggers, which tear at the unweary travellers tyre and some of the trail is showing signs of wear due to the rain. But not bad.
Come out, ClimachX, you’ll not regret it!
Less riding, more drinking.
Well to be quite honest, less riding more – dressing up, drinking, tug’o'war, mini biking, drinking more beer, dancing, and drinking GIANT rum punches on Double decker buses.
What more could you want?
I didn’t make this ride a couple of weeks back but the video looks amazing. The guys from Aber and Mach enjoyed a special evening on Snowdon, descending into the darkness….
It’s quite long, at 13 minutes, but the sky looks incredible and you can really get a feel of one of the longest descents in Wales.
Taking the Ranger path descent. 2 hours up and 2 and half down. How did they manage that??
Just friendly advice
I thought I’d go for a little loosener, nothing manic, just a wee sniff of the larch wood, a slight splatter of sheep shit and whoop! whoop! before home and a warm cheese toasty.
Not today.
The goddess of the puncture had something else planned.
I was trying not to harass the sheep who had wandered on to the descent on Mach 1 and my rear wheel let out an almighty CRACK! A huge tear appeared and the ground was sodden with latex, ineffectually pouring from an open wound. It was way, way, too big for even my proudly displayed ‘emergency tyre boot’. There was nothing for it, I’d have to stuff my rear tyre with ferns. I have seen it done years ago in a copy of MTBUK, and never really thought it was possible. Let me tell you – IT IS!
Too big for my boot
It managed to get me home, which was no mean feat. 3 or 4 miles is my guess. A bit of tarmac, a little grassy descent then up Mach high street to the jet wash. OK, OK the whole episode took a lot longer than the little jaunt I had originally wished for, but I discovered my inner Mears.
Before
After
With a tick and a tock, the life is slowly ebbing from the old Mach routes and their battle hardened waymarkers. We will soon prize them from their posts, where they have served well, to be replaced by shiny new plaques. These new markers will stand testament to time, as the old ones did, that mountain biking in the Dyfi valley is alive and kicking. LONG LIVE THE MACH TRAILS, LONG LIVE MOUNTAIN BIKING!
out with the old
Just happened across this ‘DYFI’ cam. I think it should be called ‘Webcam of the eternal mist’.
You may have noticed on our DyfiMTB site that we have reworked all the MACH trails. If that wasn’t exciting enough there could be a new edition to the family – the incredibly excitingly named MACH4 (note to self – we must think of more exciting route names…)
I rode the MACH2 a couple of times last week and noticed that the new section cut through the forestry, at the far end of the course, is incredibly rough. Please watch yourselves my lovelys. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.
Click HERE for the route map and .gpx data.
Oh, and here’s a quick map I did this morning, when my computer wasn’t looking.
