Mid Wales UK

This was pretty much the last long weekend trip of the year since we are doing things with aircraft over the next two months, and come November the weather will be less pleasant.

Friday evening we headed off for Marlborough, a non eventful after work ride for an hour or so. Given it was bank holiday weekend I was surprised by the lack of immense traffic queues. We got to the Sun Inn which had changed hands since we were last there. Drank beer, had lasagne and wine in Ask, relaxed. Drank more beer.

Saturday we headed for Rhayader, central Wales, over the Severn crossing to Chepstow (toll free for bikes), then the riding fun really started. The A466 up the Wye valley to Monmouth, a great road, then the A40 further into Wales, A479 and then back into the Wye valley for the last leg of the journey up the A470 to Rhayader. This was a stunning ride, great roads, great scenery, great fun.

We checked into the Elan Hotel, it looked ok, then went walking and rather fortuitously ended up a Gigrin Farm just in time for the Red Kite feeding. This was really impressive. Apart from the many Red Kites and Crows some Buzzards turned up for the food as did a Raven and a pair of Magpies. Sometimes the Red Kites took food from the ground but on the whole they seemed to prefer to swoop and mug the crows. The highlight was probably the Buzzard and Raven interaction. It started with the Buzzard attempting to mug the Raven which unlike the Crows was not driven into the air carrying food. This resulted in a brief face off before both decided there were easier pickings.

Saturday evening we found a good pub, drank beer. The food options in Rhayader did not seem that great, but we coped.

Sunday we went walking, initially up the Elan valley. We did about 15 miles in total, most of it fairly easy but with some steeper paths. The views were great. Fortunately the weather was pretty decent, some rain in the morning but this cleared before we took a higher route back to Rhayader.

There was more beer in the evening, and more slightly dodgy but inexpensive food.

Monday we had a leisurely ride home. The A44 all the way to Oxford, so through Wales, across the Severn valley and into the Cotswolds, then the A40 for the rest of the way back to London. It was nice staying off the motorways and the weather was pretty good, mostly sunny and fairly warm.

There must have been some scooter event in the Cotswolds over the weekend, we came across loads of guys on them, one or to of which looked like something out of Quadrophenia. Near Evesham we stopped for coffee. There we loads of scooters including some from a group called Vesparados who I had a brief chat with. Nice guys.

The full set of pictures are at

Wales pictures by Omentide - Photobucket

String and bungies seemed to be the preferred means of holding all the luggage on. They do some serious mileage on those old Vespa's.

Hard to kill off a good machine like those- They took a beating and still ran. Relly enjoyed the one I had.