Machynlleth Mountain

What a wonderful outing! The hill up from my campsite at Forge was never too hard and I had plenty of time to enjoy the scenery. I passed a family of bike packers having a picnic about two thirds of the way up. I’d seen them yesterday in Machynlleth - the youngest, probably about six, had no panniers but the slightly older one did. I was impressed then. But to see them on this climb… hats off! When I reached the top, I glided down a little to look back at the picturesque road and there they were trundling on up, walking tough bits and cycling the rest. Pushing a bike is no mean feat up there either. I felt pride as I watched them take on the last stiff incline (you might just make them out on here) and wondered where they were heading. Hopefully for some shelter because heavy, heavy rain is forecast for the afternoon and for them, tomorrow too.

I headed off and continued my beautiful ride in the Cambrian hills. I took a shortcut (my legs are tired!) Google said ‘steep hills’ but, I thought, what does Google know? 

Turns out, quite a lot! On the sight of the third steep wall-like ascent, I confess to uttering a, ‘WTF is that?’ as I’d expected to have joined my descent road. I made it and in the end had a few blissful miles downhill instead of a slog back up from Machynlleth.

At one point on that shortcut, a buzzard came out low from a tree on the right and flew in front of my nose down the road like, ‘follow me!’ It was worth the pain for that sight alone! I’d seen a stoat earlier too.

All in all, a satisfying outing made that tiny bit better by feeling a few rain spots as I pulled up to the campervan.


It’s hoofed it down all afternoon and all night but I’ve been travelling to Pembrokeshire where, hopefully, I might escape the majority of tomorrow’s Welsh rain. I’ve noticed a lot of colourful houses en route which really does give places a lift - despite the weather!


As usual… stretch eat stretch eat stretch eat.