PENRHIW-WEN

RHAYADER, POWYS

Yet another fantastically empty, lonely, and exposed Welsh road, and yet another sublime climb into more unspoiled scenery. It starts to rise as soon as you join the road, not that you’ll really notice – the first kilometres are set on a very steady gradient. Climbing further up and into a small wood, under low twisting branches, and the slope picks up, approaching its 10% maximum. Leaving the shelter of the trees and now pretty hard going, the climb clings to the boulder-covered hillside. Gradually bending to the right and then straightening up, it traces the path of a small stream and up ahead you’ll see the summit. You’re still far from it though, and there’s a lot more climbing left, up the ever decreasing pitch of the meandering road. Gradually, the gradient ebbs away and you eventually reach the top; wallow in the isolation here, and feel the pressure of modern life lift from your shoulders.