Ambler's - Sunday 4 January

[Mark Pope]

It's currently forecast to be cold and dry on Sunday with a 7 mph Easterly wind. It may be a bit slippy on higher ground so I propose the following route:

Brackla- Coity - Sarn - Fountain - Sarn Nature Park - Hafodheulog - A48 - Water Street - Kenfig - Porthcawl - 3 Steps Hill - A48 - Merthyr Mawr Cutting - Ewenny - Ogmore - Southerndown - St Brides - Wick - Llantwit Major - Llandow - Pentre Meyrick - Ruthin - Pencoed - Coychurch - Brackla

Distance is 54 miles, with a coffee stop at Cafe Velo at around 37 miles.  See you Sunday.

Mark

[Tom]

Apologies Mark-won't be out at 9.30.Hoping to get out a bit later and if so will ride round opposite way and hopefully intercept you-ideally in the café!Have a good ride and watch out if it's icy!

[Mark Pope]

Although it was a grey, murky day it stayed dry and the Easterly wind didn't impact on the Amblers' ride as much as we'd thought it would.  We left Brackla with 7 Amblers' and headed through Coity and Parc Slip Nature Reserve towards Margam and Porthcawl. We then headed back via the A48 and around the Coast Road before hitting the lanes towards Llantwit Major and a cuppa at Cafe Velo. There were a huge amount of cyclists out today most of whom had obviously stopped at Cafe Velo, as they'd run out of milk and the till had broken down. After coffee and cake and unusually giving Jonathan time to drink his peppermint tea (it is becoming an Amblers' tradition to get up to leave as soon as Jonathan's tea arrives!) we set off for home bolstered by Tony and Tom who were waiting for us in the Cafe after arriving by slightly shorter routes.

We kept up a reasonable pace today, with Andrew Storrie and Neil 'the Beast' Bartlett sharing long turns on the front. The route back took us through Llandow, Pentre Meyrick, Ruthin, Pencoed and then back along the carriageway to Bridgend. The total distance was 54 miles from Brackla to Brackla, with 761 metres of climbing. The average speed was around 16.1 mph, not bad for an amble! Out today were:

Neil
Andrew Storrie
Andy Samuels
Richard B
Roy 1
Jonathan
Mark P
Tom - after Cafe Velo
Tony - after Cafe Velo

Despite the gloomy weather it was an enjoyable ride. See you next week.

Mark