Dyfi Enduro Route

Dyfi Enduro Course

With one week to go until the Dyfi Enduro, we had planned a pre-event ride around the course as part of our training schedule. We didn’t quite do the whole distance as we missed out the bits on the road, instead starting and ending at the ClimachX car park. The course does change a little each year as well, so we weren’t sure what would be the exact course but it was pretty close.

Our party was 12 strong, Me, Dave, Myles, John, Mark, James, Jon, Matt, Stu, Paul, Pete and David who was about to go off on his own but I spotted him in the car park and invited him to join us. We started with the long climb up to the top of the final descent of the ClimachX. I soon ended up towards the back of the pack, but was pacing myself for a long day in the saddle.

At the top of the climb, we headed off down the first descent, through the forest and then out onto and across the open field. Thankfully it was all pretty dry and therefore easy going, but if it has been wet then this bit up to and across the fields could be quite tough, especially for those of towards the back!

We then dropped down over the very rocky descent from the field where we had the first incident of the day. James took an unplanned excursion over the bars, landed on his face on the rock, broke his glasses and cut his nose and face. He also had a swelling to one eye and was pretty shaken by the ordeal. After some first aid, the rest of us continued down the descent whilst James walked for a while. He did get back on his bike for the final couple of sections of the Baileys Descent, which also claimed a few victims further down with punctures, 3 or 4 on this descent alone!

Mark, John and David headed off to get James’s car and help him home. Mark and John ended up driving with him as far as Llangurig, and David headed back into the woods and caught us up later. The rest of us continued on the route, up the climb from Baileys Bridge, down a nice descent and then back up to the feed station where we stopped for lunch and were re-joined by David.

After lunch we headed off again, down one descent and up another climb, then down another descent and up another climb, and then down another descent and (do you notice a pattern yet?) up another climb. This one was pretty tough, steep, rocky and seemed to go on forever, but it was worth it for the three downhill sections after. Another stop for puncture repairs and then up a long climb back towards the ClimachX Trail.

We stopped again to discuss where to go next and ended up heading along the ClimachX Trail for a bit and then down the Elephant descent, before cycling across to the Builth Descent for the final bit of excitement for the day. From here it was back along the road and up the short but steep climb to the cars.

A good day out and its going to be tough next weekend with 700 hundred people on the course! Lets hope for nice weather.

Click here for a Google Earth file of the  Dyfi Enduro Route. Download it and open it with Google Earth.

Distance: 27.38 miles. Total Time: 6hrs 5 mins. Moving Time: 3hrs 20 mins. Total Climb: 5395 feet.

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Tags: CyclingMountain-BikingTrail Guide