THE RHIGOS
05/05/03
The May day holiday is usually the time to go somewhere different, this year we were to cycle up the Rhondda valley and over the mountain commonly known as the ‘the Rhigos’. We met outside St Woolos cathedral in Newport city at 9.00, the weather was good after a spell of rain, but I had battled against a strong head wind from Croesyceiliog and this was to remain for the first part of the journey. As we left St Woolos we saw a small group of Morris dancers waiting to be picked up by a bus, this added to the May Day feel to our ride. We quickly left the city and we were on our way to Caerphilly via the meandering lanes of Draethen and Rudry. We were following the route we had taken two years previously, when we had climbed over the Bwlch Mountain, which is on the south side of the Rhondda. We cycled past Caerphilly castle and then joined a good section of the Cardiff to Brecon ‘Taff Trail’. We got off this quiet cycle track in Pontypridd and then began the penetration into the Rhondda valley. The wind was against us, but we were to pedal well up the gradual climb of the valley. We were to go past the sites of the scores of coal mines that made this valley famous, they are all gone now, except for a mining museum near Porth. We stopped for some lunch at Llwnipia, after resting in the warm sunshine for a few minutes we continued our trudge up the valley. We made good time on the main road, but it was a steady climb all the way. The Rhondda is made up of several villages which are all stuck together in a long ribbon. Ystrad, Pentre, Treorchy, Pen yr englyn, Ynsywen, Treherbert, Blaenrhondda, we passed through all these places with no recognisable gap between them. We then started the ascent over the mountain, a few switch back bends then a long climb of about six miles to the top. The views back to the south were spectacular, but after we had cycled over the 472 metre summit the northern view was the best. The Brecon Beacons were seen in all their glory and the rest of the South Wales Mountains, including the Carmarthen Vans, were also a spectacular sight in the sunshine of that late Monday afternoon. The wind we had battled against was now with us and we then descended the steep windy road to Hirwaun. It was great freewheeling down the mountain at 42 mph but the 4 mile descent was over all too quickly. We then rode for a few miles through Aberdare on the main road, we were making good time, but we made the mistake of going on a bad track in Mountain Ash where we lost time. However after going under the massive bridge that holds up the A470 dual carriageway we rejoined the main road again. We passed through Nelson, Ystrad Mynach and Maesycwmmer. We then reached the Sirhowy country park .There is an excellent track here which follows the side of the valley for about 5 miles down to Crosskeys. It was quiet along here, the birds were singing in the trees as the last light of the day elapsed, we could now relax and reflect on the days journey. Before long we were in Risca, from here we hopped on the canal tow path that took us in the dark back to Newport. On the outskirts of the city we parted, I cycled the few miles home to Croesyceiliog....83 miles.
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