The Merlin Ride

 

Date: 22nd June 2008

 

A new and exciting Sportive around Carmarthenshire with three categories to choose from to meet the needs of all riders. A reasonable level of fitness and experience is essential. The event is non profit making with all monies raised being distributed between the Wales Air Ambulance and MacMillan Cancer Support.

 

All three rides start and finish at the same time and location.This means that a rider entering the Druid ride with friends riding Merlin 1 or 2 will benefit from riding together for the first 40 miles. Feeding stations will be identified to ensure all participants remain hydrated and fit to continue with event.These will be located at the summit of the Black Mountain on A4068, at the Red Lion Hotel, Llangadog, at the entrance to the Nantyfin Forestry Cycle track at Penyfin Well, Nantgaredig and at the Millennium Festival Fields, Llanelli.  Medical support will be available throughout the route with static facilities at Black Mountain Summit and at The Festival Fields.

 

The start finish venue is the 12th-century Welsh castle, Newton House, located within an 18th-century landscape park, enclosing a medieval deer park, which is home to more than 100 fallow deer and a small herd of White Park Cattle. The venue sets the scene for the event with riders experiencing the outstanding beauty of the location and area.

 

On departure riders will ride through the picturesque town of Llandeilo and journey on the A483 to the centre of Ammanford and on the mining Amman valley, famous for its industrial heritage. The route flows onto one the Black Mountain with a height of 616 meters. The mountain lives up to its name. It's like a lost world, empty and eerie, filling the horizons above Llandovery, Llandeilo and Ammanford.

 

Having endured the challenge of the climb riders will be rewarded by the descent into the Towy valley down to the peaceful farming village of Llandarog and the welcoming pit stop at the Red Lion inn. 

 

After the short break riders head towards Pumsaint the home of the Dolaucothi Gold Mine and on to the path of the beautiful Cothi valley towards Talley. It is at Talley that the Druid riders depart from the main field and make their way back to the finish.

 

Merlin 1 & 2 entrants will journey on to Abergorlech . Both rides continue through to Brechfa and the ascent to Horeb, one of the most demanding climbs. Having crossed the summit riders will once again experience a very fast decent ensuring maximum reward for the effort invested. Near Nantgaredig the two Merlin rides will part, with Merlin 1 riders riding back to Llandeilo and Merlin 2 following the Towy valley to Carmarthen and on to Kidwelly, synonymous for its Norman Castle.

 

Next on route is a visit to one of Wales most popular seaside tourist spots at Pembrey, the hugely successful Millennium Coastal Park. Here riders will cycle adjacent to one of the biggest sandiest beaches your likely to set foot on. From here the final leg of the event is commenced with a short, but very steep climb out of Llanelli.

 

Riders now climb up and over into the industrial coal mining area of the Gwendraeth valley before emerging once again into rural landscape of the area. One of the last climbs of the day sees riders climb up to Carmel with vast panoramic views over Ammanford and the Black Mountain, the views are sure to remind riders of the pleasures of the day before the final descent into the valley full of legends of Arthur and Merlin.

 

Riders can now enjoy the transition into the climax of the event with the final ride into Fairfach followed by the climb up into the heart of Llandeilo town and finish at Newton House.

 

 

Details

 

Distances

 

Druid - 50 miles

Merlin 1 - 70 miles

Merlin 2 - 112 miles

 

Start time: 08:00

 

Entry fees: £25 (£28eod)

 

Further information:

Peter Jones - 01269 845656, e-mail: petercounty@aol.com

 

Event website: www.county-cycles.com