Friday 18 January 2013

Bluestone Round

It was in May 2012 on a stay at Bluestone where I rediscovered cycling and since then have bought my own bike. Well here we are again on a bargain break and while my wife went off for some pampering I set off on a bike ride. This was another suggestion on the Bluestone map of local rides.  It would take in the villages of Llawhaden and Robson Wathan using forestry tracks, minor roads and bridal ways.

Route

From the site I headed into Canaston Woods onto the Knights Way which is a good forestry road down to a minor road and Blackpool Mill.  Here I took the bridal way passing the Mill. Oh joy a puncture! Unfortunately my spare tube although the right size was for a road bike and not a wider hybrid tyre.  There was nothing for it but to fix the puncture and with the help of a rain puddle the hole was found and repaired.



The bridal way leads down to the A40 and a tunnel leading to the other side of the road.



 From here the route was on a minor road leading to Llawhaden village.  I had a break here and read the history of the village as shown on the information board. I continued down the no through road which is another bridal way. I dismounted for a short while as the way was steep and slippery.  Back on the bike the off road section led to a minor road and a bridge over the Eastern Cleddau. Immediately right was another bridal way which was wide and stony but also very water logged for the whole width and for almost the whole length. On the OS map a stream crosses the path and this after some thought (not wanting to turn back) I crossed pushing the bike and wading in cold water part way up my calf out onto the continuation of the bridal way. Another minor road was met which led steeply up to Robson Wathan. This village used to be on the old A40 and well known as a bottle neck and traffic jams on bank holidays etc. Today I was the only traffic and I headed back down to the new A40 and the Canaston Bridge. Once across I took the first left which led back towards Blackpool Mill and the Knights Way and home to Bluestone.


1 comment: