RSF - The Off Road Cycling Club

The Adventure Starts Here

2004

“Bicycles are the indicator species of a community, like shellfish in a bay.” — P. Martin Scott

 

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We left the cabin at sunrise while the snow was still firm. Breakfast had been a poor affair of porridge and tea sweetened with condensed milk. Flakes of snow drifted down as we struggled into cold stiff shoes. Our leader chivvied us along and we retrieved the cycles from the wood store at the back. The idea was to make an attempt of the south face of Row Dow, a mysterious and sometimes gloomy ascent of wild country. There were six of us altogether, which could either be a help or a hindrance depending on temperament in foul conditions.
We left the cabin at sunrise while the snow was still firm. Breakfast had been a poor affair of porridge and tea sweetened with condensed milk. Flakes of snow drifted down as we struggled into cold stiff shoes. Our leader chivvied us along and we retrieved the cycles from the wood store at the back. The idea was to make an attempt of the south face of Row Dow, a mysterious and sometimes gloomy ascent of wild country. There were six of us altogether, which could either be a help or a hindrance depending on temperament in foul conditions.
All Easter Meets are enjoyable: this one at Clyro was magic! Clyro, near Hay-on-Wye (Kilvert country) is in an area known as Middle Wye, where the steep Radnorshire banks are decorated with great clumps of pale primroses. We pushed our bikes up narrow lanes, often in silence, then breathless gazed in wonder on the distant whaleback shapes of the Black Mountains. At Colva church we tested the echo, just as the Reverent Kilvert described in his diary in 1870. The kind folk in the adjacent farm, (once the Sun Inn) invited us for tea - it was a special time - a treasured moment.
This was a run with an objective ... a First World War German Field Gun, which was, we believed, located on top of Twyn y Garth at (OS 148) 107437. According to the story Bob had heard the gun had been brought back by the Radnorshire regiment as a trophy of war and placed on top of the hill. Some time later their Regimental rivals from Brecon stole the gun and hid it. It was then recovered, although Bob wasn’t sure if it was still on the hill.
Situated in the Eden Valley, Brough is made up of two villages of Town Brough and Church Brough. You can’t go far without hearing the name of Lady Anne Clifford, a redoubtable lady who owned a string of castles stretching from Skipton to Brougham. A high level bridleway above Mallerstang is named the Lady Anne Clifford Walk, as this was the way her coach took as she travelled between her castles. Her Pendragon castle, a picturesque ruin in Mallerstang. is reputably the birthplace of Uther Pendragon, the father of the legendry King Arthur.

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