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Winding road … the writer descending into the Clydach gorge west of Abergavenny.
All photographs by Jack Thurston
Winding road … the writer descending into the Clydach gorge west of Abergavenny.
All photographs by Jack Thurston
From Swansea to Abergavenny via the Brecon Beacons, this trip takes in forests, mountains and a former industrial heartland
Sat 1 May 2021 06.00 EDT
After a winter lockdown riding the same old roads within a few miles of home, I am desperate to explore somewhere new and a little further afield. Going somewhere by train and riding home is a simple format for a bike tour, so I hop on a train from Abergavenny to Swansea, on the far side of the south Wales valleys, with no plan other than to spend a couple of days riding back.
Readers’ lockdown discoveries: 10 top tips Guardian readers
Winning tip: Light vessel fantastic
On a sandbank of the River Neath next to the wharf of a scrap-metal merchant lies an old rusted wreck, the salt air-bleached, twisted metal skeleton of this old ship is all that remains of LV72 light vessel. One sunny day during the first lockdown I was cycling on the towpath when I came across it just a few miles from my home. I went home and researched its history, which was rather astonishing as I found out the pivotal role it played in marking a mine-swept channel for D-day. Her code name was Juno.
Last modified on Thu 28 Jan 2021 06.03 EST
Winning tip: Light vessel fantastic
On a sandbank of the River Neath next to the wharf of a scrap-metal merchant lies an old rusted wreck, the salt air-bleached, twisted metal skeleton of this old ship is all that remains of LV72 light vessel. One sunny day during the first lockdown I was cycling on the towpath when I came across it just a few miles from my home. I went home and researched its history, which was rather astonishing as I found out the pivotal role it played in marking a mine-swept channel for D-day. Her code name was Juno.
Ideal for an aspiring Fred Flintstone! Five Welsh caves go on sale for £150,000 but do they have Grand Designs potential?
The Welsh property is for sale for £150,000 and includes five caves but there is very little chance of building
The caves - which are renowned among cavers - house an underground network extending to seven miles
The land is being sold by a farmer and without any planning consents, but has commercial potential