Beat this for sheer craziness? A 77-year-old codger on a 16” Brompton folding bike attempting cyclo-cross on public paths! I decided on the 19 miles of the Monmouthshire Three Castles Walk, taking in three large, magnificent ruined castles - Skenfrith, White, Grosmont. And, sticking exactly to the stiles, gates and footbridges on the 16,000 scale Yellow Map taken from the OS Explorer.
It’s the people you meet who make it memorable. I had just set out and a lovely man was so encouraging in saying he greatly respected my giving it a go. Another who warned, “There’s a gorge coming up. You’re welcome to put the bike in the shed.” “Thanks so much but I’ve been lifting the folded bike over stiles and gates.” A 92-year-old was struggling up the lane to feed polo mints to his horse - “I’ve had enough of life, now but, of course, I can’t do anything about it.”
The afternoon and evening took me four hours for my night in White Castle. The bike was useful in zipping round the inside to find a sheltered spot under the high wall out of the wind. I slept well in my bivy bag, more clothing put on but no sleeping bag.
On Day 2, I met a farmer on his quad bike. I explained about a folding bike which he had never seen. There followed the narrowest footbridge I had ever seen. Up went the folding left pedal as I pushed the bike in front of me. Followed by a long section through grass by a stream, over it by cottages, up a narrow path pushing the bike to a road. But then the steep bank on the other side to a stile. I was exhausted, I couldn’t do it. But I had proved a Brompton COULD do it!
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