Live from Llanybyther
Sunday being a day of rest, far from it for our courageous duo as they head South and on to Llandrindod Wells on the next leg. Re-visiting some of the dual use forests on the way and some road networks made famous by the original Motoring News Rallies of the 1950's,60's and 70's. So on to Mynydd Epynt the military training range where a great deal of the Saturday leg will take place. Such well known and iconic named areas will be driven competitively in November e.g. Deer Leap, Devils Leap, Copse Corner, The Steps, New Road, Four Ways bridge and Burma Road to mention a few! Phew! The route is cunningly designed giving maximum impact and if entrants survive this sortie across the mountain tops they will feel they have achieved a great result!
From here Crychan and Esgair Dafydd play host again before heading in to the Irfon forestry block for a real stunner! A re-visit to Epynt rounds off the morning - and what a morning this will be - before a late lunch at Llandovery under the shadow of the Town's impressive Castle. Keeping guard over this historic monument is a streamlined stainless steel statue - try saying that after a belly full of beer - of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan. Llewelyn was a Welsh landowner, a squire in effect, who in 1401 organized a decoy of Henry IV's English forces searching for the Welsh resistance leader Owain Glyndŵr. The deception allowed Owain to escape but involved Llywelyn in putting his life on the line. As punishment for his actions, Llywelyn was condemned by the English king to be executed in the town square of Llandovery. They cut his stomach out and had it cooked in front of him, following which Llywelyn was hanged, drawn and quartered. Just a normal Saturday night in Llandovery then!
It is said that fearless Sir Steve was at the disembowelment of Llewellyn in 1401 and was reincarnated in to this life - but we know he came by bus!
After lunch it is on to Caio and the demanding Brechfa forest where three Selectifs await. The complex halfway through the first of these tests will see competitors constantly on the handbrake, negotiate the sweeping hairpins that seem to linger every few hundred yards or so! The second of these tests may as well be run in the dark as the tree canopy restricts the sunlight most of the way shrouding the roads in the Black Forest! Thirdly, the sweeping bends on Brechfa 3 will have the drivers smiling at the end of this long test - a real satisfying drive.
Across the mountain road and on to Llanybyther where we make our evening halt on both the rally and today's recce - enough for one lazy Sunday I think! The lads have really worked their socks off today and need a good old fashioned rest...after a beer or two no doubt!
See ya tomorrow
The Chief Blogger
