January Challenge: Wales Coast to Coast:
January's
MBWales 2012 Challenge is by anyones standards pretty epic but we thought we would inspire you with a biggy. We want you to mountain bike the length of Wales from coast to coast. Who's up for it?!
We wouldn't expect you to complete this challenge in January but get making those plans and thinking about the route and you should be ready to go when the longer summer days arrive.
It's possible to take on this epic two-wheel experience independently but if you'd like to make the most of a little expert help then look no further than the Welsh Mountain Biking Coast to Coast itinerary, run by
Monobo Adventures. We spoke to Christy the Founder & Director and asked him to tell us more about what to expect cycling from coast to coast.
"From the city lights of Cardiff to the Victorian Pier in Llandudno, Monobo Adventures could take you on an incredible off-road route through Wales’ ever-changing landscapes.
Let’s be clear. This isn’t your cup of tea if you’re wanting to lounge on a beach looking to top up your suntan – but you’re not interested in that anyway. During this 1 week adventure, we cover just over 50kms a day and a fair few contours to boot. But Monobo Adventures has all the logistics covered (support vehicle, mountain guide, quality accommodation and bumper food stops along the way) so all you have to think about is turning the pedals and enjoying the intrepid route.
The team at Monobo has had some real fun in putting the route together. Most of us are used to doing circular routes. We park the car and head out in one direction with a route in our heads to return to the car coming back from the opposite direction. There’s a pretty sound logic for riding that way too. Recently, however, we found that when we got to the furthest point away from the car, we had that little burning desire to explore a bit further. That furthest point was usually the best bit as we found ourselves in the most remote part of the route. So that got us thinking.
Why can’t we create a route that just keeps on going. When we found ourselves on that furthest point on our circular route, lets carry on to the next valley, and the next and the next. And so the Welsh Mountain Biking Coast to Coast itinerary was born.
We’ve made sure that the route drops in on some of the bestsellers – Cwmcarn, Nant yr Arian and Penmanchno for instance. But we’re also really excited about the bits in between. A route through the Brecon Beacons wouldn’t be worth its weight in gold without a visit to the Black Mountains. The rarely visited tracks of Crychan and Halfway forests are special in their own right. Then there’s Llanwrtyd Wells, well known for its annual bog snorkeling event and being the smallest town in the UK, but we’ve found some great tracks taking you through the surrounding open mountain landscape.
Further North of Llanwrtyd Wells, we’ve included an incredible wild camp experience into the itinerary. Taking account of the remoteness of this particular part of our route, we know the wild camp will give you the chance to get a real feel for this place. Monobo’s resident chef will be cooking up a wild feast to ensure you keep your energies going for the rest of the trip.
So if you’re looking for a mountain biking adventure to remember 2012 by, come with us on the Coast to Coast. Sweeping through the mountains and stunning scenery that the Red Dragon has to offer, you won’t want it to end."
Tempted? We would love to hear about it. Let us know what you think on
Facebook.
