14 - 21 Sep: Club holiday in South Wales

Mike writes: Adrian organised our holiday in Wales and as usual it was a great success. The weather was good and one Publican told us it was the first good week in the year. In fact there was only one day when we had a couple of showers

The Holiday House was a old farm high up in the hills overlooking Pontyates. It had fantastic views which changed every time you looked at them. Directly across the valley was the village of Pontyates which is about 2 miles long on a steep hill. None of us ever rode up the hill even coming down was scary. Looking to the west you could see out over Kidwelly to the sea and there were some fantastic sunsets. The road from the nearest village, Five Roads was narrow and the track leading down to the farm was a very rough in places.

The Farmhouse at Dam y Cware

The lane leading to the farm

Pontyates

View over Kidwelly to the sea

The inside of the house was fantastic and the following pictures show it and us enjoying it.

The living room

Getting breakfast

Dave and Dave at breakfast

We visited a great number of local places ranging from Carmarthen in the north to the Mumbles on the Gower Peninsula. Our first day out was to Ferryside and then followed the coastal cycle path to Llanelli before returning to Five Roads via the railway path which is 10 miles of 3 to 4 metre wide tarmacked path. The gradient up to five ways is about 1 in 50 so it is an easy ride. It climbs about 120m in five miles and then flattens out. The original railway was built in 1803 to take coal to the port at Llanelli and claims to be the earliest in the world.

Vic and John on the cycle path

We also visited the Gower Peninsula and the Welsh National Botanic Gardens and lots of cafés.

Doug, Brian, Sarah, Averil, Mick, Vic and Jim outside a café at Cross Hands

In the dome at the botanic gardens

On the last day a number of us climbed a mountain in the Brecon Beacons near Merthyr Tydrl while the others took the train at Pontsticilli reservoir.

The mountaineers

Photo: Adrian Lee

On the train

The engine named Sir Baldwin

We had an absolutely wonderful time. Everyone got on really well and apart from a couple of mechanical problems we had no serious problems. We went out to local pubs for our evening meals and even to the Weatherspoons in Llanelli which was in an old cinema and was very good.

At the Stag

Repairs to Andy's Bike. Note the steep hill on the right which is about 1 in 5

Mike Stapleton

Photo: Adrian Lee

Photo: Adrian Lee