N
ESTLING just off the A44 and
only 30 minutes from Aberyst-
wyth is an areasteeped in breath-
taking views, industrial history,
old mines andstone circles – but
perhaps more importantly some
fantastic greenlanes.With famous
lanes such asStra ta Florida to the
south andWayfarer off to the north
this gem of an area that lies in Mid
Wales is oftenoverlookedby greenlaners. So todaywe have
come toexplore and find out if it’s worth taking a detour
from some of the more famousWelsh lanes.
Our meeting point is theRed Kite visitor centre just off the
A44 to thewest of Ponterwyd, which boasts a big car park,
excellent café and a toilet. There is a large picnic area and the
centre is currently beingextended to include a balcony that
will overlook the lakes. The area is named after thered kites
that inhabit the area.It’s hard to appreciate the size these
spectacular birds can grow to unlessyou are lucky enough to
see one close up andwe would recommendyou go to the
centre at around 3 pm when they’re fed.
A foggy morning heralds our arrival wherewe are due to
meet a couple of nice chaps fromAuto Express who have
brought along a top-of-the-range Discovery 5 on 20 inch
road tyres. Also coming for the ride is CallumWallis Otter
and his good lady Tiana Walton in their well-prepared
Defender 110 Td5, complete withroof tent, lift and mud
tyres. There is also Nicholas Enston who runs
Landroverphotoalbum (check them out onFacebook and
Instagram) in hisstandard Discovery 3. And last, but not
least is the editor of LRM,Patrick Cruywagen, who is on
BBQ duties for the day.
Iexplaintoourgroupofintrepidexplorersthatwe needto
be mindful of mountain bikers as the area isvery popular
with them, especially in places where the lanes and tracks
cross. Care will also need to be taken in a couple ofrocky
step areas and a bit of spotting may be required. One
important point is making sureyou ha ve a spare tyre or tyre
repair kit as it can be harsh on tyres ifyou are not careful.
The area is largelywell signposted by the council with
extra signage thanks to GLASS andTreadlightly. In addition
an OS map or electronic mapping is also handy as there
are many areas where the tracks withvehicle access cross
with forestry tracks.The Nant-y-Moch
valley is definitely
worth anexplore
LANDROVER MONTHLY 63