Cycling ancient trails: off-road on an e-bike in Pembrokeshire’s Preseli Hills

The way connected which I’m riding my e-mountain motorcycle crossed nan hills of northbound Pembrokeshire is known arsenic a bridleway, but to Ed Sykes, who grew up successful these hills, it’s an “e-trail”. Ed is nan laminitis of Hidden Routes successful Newport (between Cardigan and Fishguard), an e-mountain biking outfit that takes clients connected guided rides done what is astir apt nan least-known area of Pembrokeshire.

He came up pinch nan word “e-trail” because, he says, he “wanted a sanction that differentiated what we do from regular upland biking. Our routes are rideable connected a normal upland bike, of course, but we conscionable reckon they’re much nosy – and easier – connected an e-mountain bike.”

Ed tells maine this arsenic we return a break from riding our state-of-the-art (and alternatively pricey) Orange Phase e-bikes beneath nan acme of 347-metre Carn Ingli to bask a wintry position crossed nan wide expanse of Newport Bay.

Heavy rainfall showers blowing successful from nan Irish Sea person washed nan scenery truthful that its colours glisten successful nan watery sunshine – nan distant steel-blue oversea throws agleam achromatic waves connected to aureate sands that springiness measurement to glossy greenish fields criss-crossed by a maze of drystone walls and ancient hedges. Above these are wind-blown moorlands and nan boulder-strewn acme of Carn Ingli, wherever Saint Brynach is said to person communed pinch nan angels (the preponderance of magic mushrooms increasing hereabouts had thing to do pinch his supernatural conversations, of course).

Some of nan trails nan e-bikes usage successful nan Preseli Hills person been utilized for thousands of years

Hidden Routes is simply a caller task that employs section upland bikers arsenic guides. “They person been riding successful Pembrokeshire for years and cognize each nan hidden trails and bridleways that you’d struggle to observe connected your ain – hence nan name,” says Ed.

It’s each very different from trail-centre riding (although Hidden Routes besides offers that action astatine nan precocious opened way centre connected nan shores of Llys-y-Frân reservoir adjacent Haverfordwest) and I tin spot what Ed intends already, moreover though we’ve hardly ridden 3 miles.

The web of bridleways, state lanes and “boats” (bridleways unfastened to each traffic) on which we’ve travelled is nan benignant of intricate cat’s cradle that you get to cognize intimately only done years of exploring, and a premier information for Ed has been that nan trails are rideable successful each conditions. Again, section knowledge is basal here: nan predominant dense rains of westbound Wales tin virtually move immoderate trails into streams astatine times. When that happens, “we simply caput disconnected location else”, Ed says.

The woods of nan Gwaun vale connection a pleasant opposition to nan precocious moors of nan Preseli range

At this shape we’re immoderate 300 metres supra oversea level, nan precocious constituent of today’s ride, which was reached without undue exertion acknowledgment to our bikes’ electrical assistance, though it requires a reasonable level of fittingness arsenic you do still person to pedal.

But nan adjacent shape of nan 15-mile circuit is easy and breathtaking – a steep downhill crossed fields and into nan sheltered woodlands of nan Gwaun valley, an extraordinarily beautiful portion of Pembrokeshire that is seldom connected nan tourer way moreover astatine nan tallness of summer. When adjacent beaches will beryllium packed pinch visitors, nan vale retains its bucolic solitude.

You tin almost consciousness nan past hanging successful nan air, arsenic this is 1 of nan fewer places successful nan occidental world that doesn’t usage nan Gregorian almanac – alternatively nan valley’s residents admit nan Julian almanac (abolished successful nan remainder of Britain successful 1752) and spot successful nan caller twelvemonth connected 13 January successful a ceremony known arsenic Hen Galan (old New Year).

At this clip of year, debased ray and heavy character screen mean nan vale is wrapped successful gloom, but we thrust only a fewer 100 metres earlier splashing done a ford and past climbing retired of nan vale connected a steep, muddy ascent that would beryllium virtually intolerable connected a regular upland bike. In minutes we find ourselves puffing and panting (yes, moreover connected e-bikes) connected nan shoulders of nan Preseli hills.

These ancient peaks make nan almanac shenanigans of nan Gwaun vale look for illustration caller history – immoderate of nan trails that upwind done nan Preselis person been utilized for thousands of years, and immoderate are now utilized by Hidden Rides to let their clients to observe nan highest hills successful south-west Wales.

The other footwear of e-bikes comes successful very useful connected nan uphill stretches

We travel a accelerated bridleway crossed unfastened moorland connected nan eastbound flanks of Carnedd Meibion Owen, pinch views stretching northbound crossed Cardigan Bay each nan measurement to Snowdonia, earlier dropping down a conception of testing, rocky azygous way into Tycanol quality reserve, an idyllic woodland pasture of oak, ash and birch that looks overmuch nan aforesaid coming arsenic it would person done to nan neolithic group who built Pentre Ifan, a chambered dolmen conscionable a fewer 100 metres disconnected our route.

By now we’re heading backmost towards nan coast, yet whizzing on nan wooded northbound slope of nan Afon Nyfer, done nan beautiful colony of Nevern and up, complete and down connected a insignificant roadworthy (the only ashphalted conception of immoderate magnitude connected our ride) to Newport and Hidden Routes’ guidelines astatine nan award-winning Llys Meddyg hotel.

This is wherever we get our reward for our (relatively) difficult activity and splattering of mud – Llys Meddyg is simply a Georgian coaching location connected nan separator of Newport whose large, agleam and comfortable rooms are dressed up pinch useful by Pembrokeshire’s best-known artists. The hotel’s edifice focuses connected foraged ingredients from nan surrounding seashore and country. After a basking ablution I subordinate Ed for an après-bike meal of roast parsnip, chaotic mushroom and chestnut gnocchi positive nan champion treacle tart I’ve had since my mum’s erstwhile I was a kid.

Hidden Routes uses Orange Phase e-bikes for its circuits

Then it’s down to nan Cellar Bar, nan oldest portion of Llys Meddyg, built connected nan tract of a 15th-century mariners’ tavern. With my cheeks still glowing from nan ride, nan logburner and inglenook fireplace mixed pinch a cheeky cocktail aliases 2 make maine consciousness arsenic if I’ve conscionable travel backmost from a day’s skiing to a cosy upland chalet.

Pembrokeshire’s humble peaks will ne'er compete pinch those of nan Alps for altitude and drama, of course, but for history, civilization and characteristic they’re difficult to beat, arsenic is exploring them by e-bike connected nan region’s recently minted e-trails.

Hidden Routes offers two days’ guided riding pinch motorcycle prosecute (including cycling helmet) and two nights’ accommodation (including meal and dinner) astatine Llys Meddyg for £349pp based connected 2 sharing. Half-day guided rides are besides disposable for £75, including motorcycle and helmet hire