Saturday saw my second Audax in Pembrokeshire, 'after dipping my toes in', at the Velos Indian Summer ride last autumn. Fortunately the weather was much better this time, dry, cool and very little wind.
Quite a different route to the last audax but Pembrokeshire delivered a very challenging ride, as it always does. Not much cruising along the flat, just either going up or descending, with plenty of 14, 16 and 20% ramps.
Rolled out of Tenby at 7:30 with the intention of trying to moderate the effort, knowing what the terrain was like but was soon stomping on the pedals as the first 14% ramp came at 2 miles in!
then followed the Ridgeway to Pembroke and the first info control at Castlemartin. Dropped down to Freshwater West then checkpoint in Angle before backtracking (always confuses Garmin GPS) to Pembroke. Crossed the Cleddau Bridge with great views over the Milford Haven Waterway on to Dale. Lots of sharp up and downs along the western most part of the coast, through Little Haven, Broad Haven, Newgale and Solva before a brief reprieve around St Davids. (commercial checkpoint i.e. buy something and keep a receipt)
It doesn't last long until you hit ramps of up to 20% through Trefin and Abercastell but the wonderful scenery makes it all worthwhile as you glimpse the Strumble Head lighthouse and the final checkpoint in the distance. The lanes leading out to the promontory made for some great riding, narrow, twisting with more steep up and down sections.
With nearly 100 miles in the legs the climb up and out of Fishguard over the Preseli mountains was as much a psychological challenge as physical, as the gradient were much easier but the climb longer.
Over the top to Rosebush and downhill all the way to Narberth (well sort of, only one 14% ramp in this section)
Through the lanes to Wiseman's Bridge and the sensible cycle path around to Saundersfoot meant one last final climb up to New Hedges, to roll back into Tenby by 6:00pm.
A hard but enjoyable day in the saddle, great route and Pembrokeshire has stunning scenery even in February.
