Devilishly Elegant 600
2022

The inaugural 600 #wills_hills fest! Journeying up through England and back through Wales. It’ll test your legs and your mental fortitude but the scenery will pay dividends. Do you accept the devilishly elegant challenge?

Hambrook [nr Frenchay], City of Bristol | Sat 7th May 2022 @ 04:00

Summary

When

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Sat 7th May 2022
04:00 - 22:34
Sun 8th May 2022

Where

Gary Harris Cycles
Common Mead Ln
Hambrook [nr Frenchay], BS16 1QQ

Who

Organiser: Will Pomeroy

What

Series: Great Western Randonnées

Brief

Event Info

Cost:
£0.00

CLOSED

Type:

Eligible:

Award Distance:

Total Distance:
608 km

Speeds:
14.3-20 kph

Duration:
42h34

AAA: 10.25

Climb:
10263m

Facilities

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Overview

Description

An elegant route full of devilishly difficult hills! First up you have The Cotswolds around Stroud to contend with. Then relax up the Severn Valley until to The Malverns, Herefordshire's hills, Long Mynd and beyond. Cross the Severn once more and edge Berwyn to the Old Horseshoe Pass. North to the Clywdians and descend Bwlch Penbarras. Over the hills and through Clocaenog Forest. Then into Snowdonia to Llan Ffestiniog where the community run pub Y Pengwern will be open late providing food for you (included). More mountain roads as you climb Bwlch y Groes the 'easy' way before descending the hard to cruise down the Dovey Valley and around the coast. Up into the hills once again to Devil's Bridge stopping at the station of the Vale of Rheidol Railway; with locamotives made at Swindon's GWR works it was the last state operated steam railway only becoming a charity when privatisation occured. Over to the Elegant Valley and descend to the Wye; for a bit. Glorious hills to Hay-on-Wye, more hills, and views of Raglan Castle, to Chepstow before back across the bridge to the Arrivee.

Reviews

What others think.

Seriously difficult, but well worth the pain

9th May 2022

This is a brutally difficult ride, as the 10,000m of ascent suggests, with long steep climbs (and descents), sometimes on poor road surfaces. But, wow, the suffering is worth it – a stunningly good route, with amazing scenery and fabulous views. Easily both the best route, and the hardest ride, of any 600 I’ve done. Although advertised as X-rated, Will had arranged early-opening cafe’s, and a late-opening half-way night control at the Y Pengwern hotel which had a dedicated Audax function room and bedrooms – although I rode through to the Toad Hall bunkhouse at 400k for a few hours sleep. Will had even arranged glorious May weather – warm and sunny, and mild through the night. Poor weather would make this even harder!

Martin

2018 Test ride.

6th May 2022

I have ridden this in just under 40hrs (I was aiming for a BRM time) with 5hrs30 ‘sleep’ in an open bus shelter; disturbed by a lovely Welshman wanting me to look at the stars, have a chat and inspect my bike at 3am.

The views are stunning. The hills relentless once they get going and gratuitous; just as much a test to mental fortitude as physical fitness. Beautiful in it’s remoteness and avoiding the main roads after an early morning dash through Gloucester.

I’m not the fastest up hills but I can do them over and over. I found the hardest part between Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and the top of the Old Horseshoe Pass (a slight jiggle has been made missing the first of this set of hills). There are a few other notable climbs for steepness such as the Burway up to the top of Long Mynd and a short section of Llanbedr Hill. This is not an exhaustive list. Also there are less steep but long climbs that you can achieve a good pace up. Being a BR event enables the minimum speed to be lower and the total distance to count to complete it in time. Do you accept this devilishly elegant challenge?

The organiser.

Will

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