THE DEVIL and the staircase

A cracking, adventurous and varied ride on largely unclassified roads in Mid Wales… Sean Tarver reports

Don’t be too disappointed when you encounter the surprisingly low speed limits as you ride up the Horseshoe Pass to the Ponderosa Café from Llangollen. Even at a sedate pace, I managed to inadvertently remove material from the underside of my right foot peg as I pushed my V7 into the wide sweep of the horseshoe itself. You can ponder the views from the café as you munch your breakfast of choice and admire the array of bikes that are normally in the car park. There is a long ride ahead of you so make the best of it.

Our ride starts here. Descend the other side of the pass, through a set of twisty bends and then turn left on to the A5104 which becomes the A494 to Bala. When you arrive in Bala, you have a choice here: stay on the 494 and circumnavigate the lake, turning off towards Llanuchllyn and hugging the shore the other side (like I did), or turn left across the northern part of the lake on the B4391 and then turn right on to a track towards Rhos y Gwaliau. Follow this narrow track through the woods and it will take you up through the hills, hugging and occasionally crossing over a stream. 

When I rode it, I encountered just a few vehicles and some sheep. I stopped for a photo. One car passed me in 10 minutes; the driver gave me a cheery wave. Reaching the peak of the road, I continued through Rhiwargor and descended to Lake Vrynwy. Enjoying the views, follow its tree-lined, mossy banks and look for the road to the Bwlch y Groes, a long, steep climb up a narrow track. The start is on a U-shaped part of the road just before a bridge and is a little understated. The last time I had made this ascent, I realised afterwards that I had not been to the very top. 

After a few miles of climbing, turn right at the junction and ascend through a series of tight bends to a pull-in at the top. This is a good place to stop for a coffee and take in the scenery. Stunning views of the mountains of Snowdonia and apparently, on clear nights, an excellent place for stargazing as it is well away from artificial light. During my last visit there was no one else there, just sheep cropping the grass and that was the only sound I could hear. Two vehicles and a fighter jet went past in the half-an-hour or so I had stopped – no bikes unfortunately. 

Carrying down the other side of the mountain, it is a long and steep descent. I had to feather the brakes and use low gears to control the bike’s speed down this steep road. 

At the end of this road, join the A470 south and head for Penegoes after switching to the A489. Going through the village, turn left opposite the Llywn Lodging campsite. I found this road by accident after I stopped here to look for a more interesting route to Llanidloes. A farmer stopped next to me and wound down the window of his pickup: “Are you lost, you alright?” he said. I explained I was looking for a more enjoyable route to Llanidloes. He confirmed my choice of road and gave me some directions to get on it. I thanked him in Welsh, he grunted and drove off in a cloud of diesel fumes (maybe he thought I was an English tourist having a go at speaking Welsh – half true, I suppose).

This led to the B4518. This road is sublime, with twists and fast turns as you ascend yet another mountain, unfortunately with nowhere to stop and take a photo on the summit. I came down the other side and pulled into a lay-by overlooking the Llyn Clywedog reservoir. From here, drop down into Llanidloes and pick up the A470 and then the A44 looking for signs for Devil’s Bridge. 

Just before the bridge itself, I stopped off at Woodlands Café for more coffee and a snack. I sat on their veranda and fed a very friendly Robin with some crumbs. You can pay £4.75 to visit the bridge, which is actually three bridges built on top of each other, the oldest being built in the medieval period, and the 300ft Mynach waterfall. It has been a tourist attraction since the 18th century. 

Picking up the B4343, head to Tregaron. From this small town you need to find the Devil’s Staircase road, heading east, the entrance to which can be found between the Spa shop and the statue in the town square. This is an old drover’s road that snakes through the western part of the Brecon Beacons for about 20 miles of wilderness. It’s narrow, twisty, gravel strewn and remote with 25 per cent gradients. The staircase itself is a series of tight, hairpin bends that descend the side of a large hill (mountain if you are from Wales). I was told I might encounter logging lorries, but I didn’t at the time. 

I made steady progress through this narrow lane in second or third gear, reaching speeds of up to 30mph! Sometimes it’s better to slow down and appreciate what is around you rather than rushing through it. 

After making an initial climb up the wooded side of a hill, the country opened up to moorland; I stopped to take some photos. I stopped again at the famous and remote Nant yr Cwr phone box and sat watching the stream bubbling under the bridge. One car passed me and then a bike – the rider waved at me. Carrying on, the road started to drop, and I stopped at a pull-in for a coffee. I realised afterwards that I had stopped at the top of the staircase itself. Somebody had placed a child’s picnic bench up there, so I sat on it. I heard the distant beat of a motorcycle coming up the hill, its engine note increasing, decreasing, and then increasing again as it made its ascent. It seemed to take quite a few minutes for it to appear – a BMW GS with two people on it who waved as they passed. 

I started making my way down this narrow, gravel-scattered road, dropping down to a glen with a low bridge across the river. I intended to stop and take a photo, but there were some people and a car there already and I thought that may spoil the atmosphere, so I carried on through more miles of wilderness, one farmhouse standing lonely. The road hugged the side of a narrow valley; a river rushed below me as I was able to pick up the pace a little towards Beulah and then Garth. When you arrive at Garth, you may need a break! From here you can pick up the A483 and head home or you can explore the roads of the Brecon Beacons National Park.