| 1. This clockwise road route, on a mix of A, B and country roads, is mainly on smooth tarmac. However, the real sting in the tail, between Dinas Mawddwy and Lake Vyrnwy, that rates this as A1, is that it tackles Bwlch Y Groes from the hard side. This makes it both a soul and leg destroyer. Bwlch, gained the name Hellfire Pass when, in the nineteen eighties, it fought off the valiant efforts of pro riders in the Milk Race of Britain. So Yes, It Is That Hard.
You can see the road leading up the pass from a few miles away, which is daunting enough, but as you get closer, the elevation just eats away at your mind. The climb proper starts on a nasty hairpin bend, under cover of trees, and doesn't let up till the very top. Be warned, there are no flat bits to give the legs a rest, it just keeps ramping up, with the final 500 metres or so being the worst. Definitely Not for the Faint Hearted!!!!! |