BWLCH-Y-DDEUFAEN

TAL-Y-BONT, CONWY

This is the third in the triptych of monster climbs rising from the shelter of the Conwy Valley up on to the desolate Snowdonian hills. Start your ascent from Tal-y-bont, ride through the village, and climb up past Ye Olde Bull Inn and its splendid mural. The climb continues very steep for a while, passing under trees, across farmland and past a scattering of houses. There’s a 20% spike in the gradient round the last house and then, still climbing hard, the character of the slope begins to change. The higher you go, the more rugged your surroundings become, and then it all but levels for close to a kilometre before dipping down to cross a small stone bridge. It’s hard the rest of the way, winding between neat stone walls and across the windswept emptiness, up and up and up. After one last left-hand bend, the climbing ends. You need go no further – you’ve arrived in paradise.