15th July 2012

Weather: Fine

Distance: 28 miles

Climbs: Talybont reservoir, Taf Fechan forest.

Terrain: tarmac until the forest

Riders: Leon Jones, Graham ‘Spike’ Hughes, Grahame Morton, Tony Griffiths, Michael Griffiths

As a reconnaissance ride to check out the supposedly hard part of the Taff Trail, the 14 miles out from the Brecon start to Talybont Reservoir and up through the forest to the summit of the climb. The cycle started badly for Grahame Morton, who on inspecting his bike in the car park in Brecon noticed a tear in the sidewall of his tyre, which luckily, Leon was able to repair with some glue. The first part along the canal bank was easy going despite the puddles from the previous days rain, before starting the climb up to the reservoir at Talybont. After crossing the reservoir via the dam, the forest track starts and it is a constant four mile uphill, although not steep, peddle on a stoney track before the nasty climb of some 200 yards to the summit. Following a stop for food and drink it was downhill all the way back to Brecon.