Source of the severn

The task was to reach the source of the Severn, a nocturnal inspiration that Graham had had a couple of weeks ago.

So the following people decided to meet on the outskirts, of Llanidloes in order to make the final drive in convoy.

So how was it Pob and Mike arrived an hour early, only to pass the time of day wrapping themselves around bacon butties, and were joined by John, Paul and Dave to do the same.

Sean, Graham, and Cameron, arrived at 9.15am. to find nobody in sight. Then appeared the others fed and thoroughly watered!! A sort drive found us at the Hafren Visitors car park.

With layer upon layer of clothes put on and bikes thoroughly oiled, we left the car park for our ride at 10.10.

Sean lead with his GPS fastened onto his handlebars, with map as back up if anything failed. We set off in a large anti-clockwise circular route. After a "gentle" slog up , we were blessed with a long forestry track down the valley, and the first of three fords was negotiated,with sodden shoes and socks with were on our way. A fun descent took us to the shores of Clywedog reservoir. Where we followed the road as far a board walk, where it was thought that it would fun to take a trip around it. Talk about cycling on ice!!

A few fallen trees proved interesting on one section.

"I can see the Biridleway now" was heard, I believe from our leader.

Two fast running fords were traversed, before the final ascent towards the source of Britains longest river. The weather on the top was now low cloud and driving winds, no place to take on the job of changing a tube.................so it was here, that we had four to cope with.

The final descent to the car was down the Severn Way, a smooth fast twisty track, following the ever widening water course as it crashed its way downwards.

Back to the vehicles and home. Cracking good fun!!

Pictures of the day

Some facts and figure...Is the Wye a tributary to the Severn? ..............read on!

Welsh Hafren
Longest River in Britain, which rises on the slopes of Plynlimon, in Ceredigion, west Wales, and flows east and then south, finally forming a long estuary leading into the Bristol Channel; length 336 km / 208 miles. The Severn is navigable for 290 km / 180 miles, up to Welshpool (Trallwng) on the Welsh border. The principal towns on its course are Shrewsbury, Worcester, and Gloucester. England and South Wales are linked by two road bridges and a railway tunnel crossing the Severn. A remarkable feature of the river is a tidal wave known as the `Severn Bore´ that flows for some miles upstream and can reach a height of 2 m / 6 ft.
The Severn rail tunnel was built in 1873-85. The first of the road bridges to be built opened in 1966, and carries the M4 motorway linking London and South Wales.

A second road bridge was opened in 1996 and carries the M48 motorway.
From its source, the Severn passes east through Powys and enters Shropshire near the Brythen Hills. Southeast of Shrewsbury, the river passes through Ironbridge Gorge, `cradle of the Industrial Revolution´ and now a tourist attraction. Thereafter, it runs through Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, widening considerably after it passes Newnham. The Severn is navigable by larger ships (of around 8,000 tonnes) as far as Sharpness, and by smaller vessels (up to 700 tonnes) to Gloucester, while barges of 350 tonnes capacity can negotiate its upper reaches as far as Stourport. The Severn is connected with the rivers Trent and Mersey via the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, and with the canal network around Birmingham via the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, which joins the Severn at Worcester. Between Gloucester and Sharpness, the treacherous nature of the riverbed necessitated the construction, in 1827, of the 26 km / 16 mile long, lock-free Sharpness and Gloucester Ship Canal. Tributaries of the Severn include the Teme, Stour, Wye, Vyrnwy, Tern, and Avon; in total, the river basin covers an area of 11,420 sq km / 4,409 sq miles. Crossings Between 1873 and 1885, a rail tunnel was dug underneath the Severn near Chepstow, running for a distance of 7.2 km / 4.4 miles, from New Passage to Portskewett; this crossing greatly facilitated travel between Bristol and the Welsh capital Cardiff. A road suspension bridge was opened nearby, from Aust to Beachley, in 1966; this crossing carries the main M4 motorway linking London and South Wales and is subject to payment of a toll by users. Because of the increase in traffic volume, construction of a new road bridge was started in 1992 and completed five years later. Hydroelectric power In 1933, a committee recommended the construction of a hydroelectric power station on a river barrage at English Stones reef, which would utilize the tidal flow of the Severn. This plan, which was interrupted by World War II, was revived in 1945, when engineers confirmed the practicability of the scheme and projected an output of some 2,190,000,000 kWh. However, no tidal power plant has yet been built.