In June 2025 we returned to Brecon for a Club favourite – the Gap ride.
A group of us stayed at the Star Bunkhouse for the weekend, so we could ride on the Saturday and the Sunday. The Sunday was to be the tried and trusted Gap ride, but Tom had planned a mystery route for us on the Saturday. So full of excitement, we set off into the unknown… and stopped half a mile later to re-attach Tom’s crank!
As expected, the route was soon taking us uphill and, as the route had been planned on paper but not ridden in advance, there was the occasional stop to check that we were on the right path. The ride was great though, with amazing views at the top and plenty of descent on the other side.
After stopping for a bite to eat, it was back uphill again, including one section where we all ended up doing a bit pushing and carrying. Again, though, the effort was worth it as we enjoyed the views and the twisting descents. The forecast for the weekend had been lots of rain, but despite the clouds, we ended up having an almost entirely dry day. Then it was back to the Bunkhouse to wash the bikes and prepare for a pub meal and a drink or two.
Sunday
On Sunday morning, we left the Bunkhouse and headed to the Talybont Bike Hub, which would be our start and finish point. The ride started with a long, slow climb, much of which is through dense woodland, so it is quite some time before you get an open view and realise how high you are.
From there, it’s up a bit more, and then on to a tricky, technical climb, that’s far more difficult than it looks!
We decided to skip the cafe stop this year, which meant that we didn’t have to lose all the elevation we’d gained, though there was still plenty of flowing descent along the way. When we reached the start of the main Gap climb, we stopped to refuel before setting off on the long, steady gradient to the top. The narrow gully descent which is such a favourite was only partly rideable, as a giant boulder halfway down made an impassably large drop off. Then we had to hoist our bikes aloft and climb up the other side.
As it was last year, the rocky ground on the main part of the climb was often covered in a flow of water running down from the high ground, which added to the challenge.
The descent from the Gap is very long, and covers all sorts of terrain, from bouncing over large stones to speeding along grassy sections. This is just as demanding as the climb, and we stopped a couple of times to regroup on the way down.
Even when the descending was done, there was still a lot of downhill to do on the roads that took us into Brecon for a well-deserved ice-cream. From there it was a couple of gentle miles along the canal and back to our start point. For most of us, it was a simple car journey back to Swindon, but Massimo decided that he hadn’t done enough riding over the weekend, so set of to cycle to Newport to catch the train home!
We’re hoping to head to Brecon again this year, so keep an eye out for details in the Summer.