Can anyone please confirm that it's possible to get from the end of the road (Folly lane) beyond the car park (SO 294-026) on Little Mountain, through tracks to north of the property called Troed-y-Rhiw (SO 298 029), in order to move on to Mamhilad and pick up the canal path up to Goetre wharf?
The OS map is pretty unclear, as although it seems to be marked as a cycle route (green dots) they don't quite link up.
Failing that, there's a long detour.
Thanks, fausto.
Pontypool/Usk area
Re: Pontypool/Usk area
I'm cycling to Usk next week but apart from that (and irresistable puns like "I was going to Usk...") I cannot help. 
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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fausto copy
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Re: Pontypool/Usk area
Might bump into you then, as we should be there then!
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Richard Fairhurst
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Re: Pontypool/Usk area
OSM thinks it's called "Old Cobbled Road", and Geograph photos suggest you should be able to push along there at least:
"Surfaced with densely packed stone hewed from the underlying bedrock. It has suffered some damage from motorbike scramblers and water in heavy rains but incorporates gullies and gutters to carry run-off away from the surfaced path. It has been put forward as a medieval packhorse route but also a Roman road. Apparently a Roman coin was found at Troed-y-rhiw Farm nearby."
http://cycle.travel/map/journey/15690 (click on the section, then click "View photos")
"Surfaced with densely packed stone hewed from the underlying bedrock. It has suffered some damage from motorbike scramblers and water in heavy rains but incorporates gullies and gutters to carry run-off away from the surfaced path. It has been put forward as a medieval packhorse route but also a Roman road. Apparently a Roman coin was found at Troed-y-rhiw Farm nearby."
http://cycle.travel/map/journey/15690 (click on the section, then click "View photos")
cycle.travel - maps, journey-planner, route guides and city guides
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fausto copy
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Re: Pontypool/Usk area
Thanks for that Richard.
Some time after I posted my query I thought about viewing OSM and did indeed notice it was called "Old Cobbled Road" once I'd zoomed in far enough.
Great to be able to see the photo, by the way.
It looks like we'll be giving it a go. Hope we don't get run over by any scramblers.
Cheers, fausto.
Some time after I posted my query I thought about viewing OSM and did indeed notice it was called "Old Cobbled Road" once I'd zoomed in far enough.
Great to be able to see the photo, by the way.
It looks like we'll be giving it a go. Hope we don't get run over by any scramblers.
Cheers, fausto.
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fausto copy
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Re: Pontypool/Usk area
Well, we tackled the section today and I have to say it was probably the toughest terrain we've ever been on.
Unfortunately we started at the top and worked down and the first section is incredibly steep.
Actually just lifting my bike down off the end of the tarmac onto the track, my mudguard popped out of the sec-clips and I couldn't get the stays back in. I hadn't realised that there is actually an insert within the secu-clip, (it looks a bit like those pop-together clips on webbing belts and rucksack straps) and one had dropped out onto the track. Luckily Mrs. Copy found it in the grass.
Anyway the track was so steep and all the boulders/cobbles had become dislodged from the surface, so that it was a bit like scrambling down a boulder-strewn mountain side, rather than a prepared track. Of course the clipless shoes didn't help and I had to carry Mrs.C's bike down the first 75 metres or so. There was one small section in the middle that didn't appear to have suffered too much damage but the 500 metre descent took us well over half an hour. I reckon the photo that is attached to Richard's cycletravel site is the only bit of good surface and I should have some photos of the worst bits.
At the top we'd chatted to a local farmer and he said it was a Roman road.
I have to dispute this as a can't believe any Roman would have built such a winding track. Put it down to some local drunkards I say.
Happily we survived and I swear it's one route I will never repeat. Mind you, it did make me appreciate the subsequent lovely towpath on the Monmouth and Brecon canal a lot more.
fausto.
Unfortunately we started at the top and worked down and the first section is incredibly steep.
Actually just lifting my bike down off the end of the tarmac onto the track, my mudguard popped out of the sec-clips and I couldn't get the stays back in. I hadn't realised that there is actually an insert within the secu-clip, (it looks a bit like those pop-together clips on webbing belts and rucksack straps) and one had dropped out onto the track. Luckily Mrs. Copy found it in the grass.
Anyway the track was so steep and all the boulders/cobbles had become dislodged from the surface, so that it was a bit like scrambling down a boulder-strewn mountain side, rather than a prepared track. Of course the clipless shoes didn't help and I had to carry Mrs.C's bike down the first 75 metres or so. There was one small section in the middle that didn't appear to have suffered too much damage but the 500 metre descent took us well over half an hour. I reckon the photo that is attached to Richard's cycletravel site is the only bit of good surface and I should have some photos of the worst bits.
At the top we'd chatted to a local farmer and he said it was a Roman road.
I have to dispute this as a can't believe any Roman would have built such a winding track. Put it down to some local drunkards I say.
Happily we survived and I swear it's one route I will never repeat. Mind you, it did make me appreciate the subsequent lovely towpath on the Monmouth and Brecon canal a lot more.
fausto.
Re: Pontypool/Usk area
fausto copy wrote:Might bump into you then, as we should be there then!
Unfortunately I had to cut this section out and go straight to Cardiff by train, but It's given me a reason to go back in the spring.
I'm glad we didn't meet - on that cycle path!! I was going to stick to the road though I hadn't yet planned the exact route.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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fausto copy
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Re: Pontypool/Usk area
We certainly could have done with your to help haul the bikes down the path. 
There are some lovely lanes in the area, but the one we used to get from the Usk valley over to Blaenavon was a 3 mile uphill (from near Llanover). There are three gradient arrows on it and it took us the best part of an hour to ride up it.
From Blaenavon we took R492 down the old railway path to Abersychan and Trevethin, and up Folly lane to reach the cobbled road section down.
If we ever did it again
I'd certainly tackle it the other way round. It would be much easier hiking up the cobbled road and down the long hill.
I can also recommend a lovely loop around Llangedfedd reservoir from Usk too. Very scenic and a lovely new visitor centre/ caff at the reservoir.
Cheers, fausto.
There are some lovely lanes in the area, but the one we used to get from the Usk valley over to Blaenavon was a 3 mile uphill (from near Llanover). There are three gradient arrows on it and it took us the best part of an hour to ride up it.
From Blaenavon we took R492 down the old railway path to Abersychan and Trevethin, and up Folly lane to reach the cobbled road section down.
If we ever did it again
I'd certainly tackle it the other way round. It would be much easier hiking up the cobbled road and down the long hill. I can also recommend a lovely loop around Llangedfedd reservoir from Usk too. Very scenic and a lovely new visitor centre/ caff at the reservoir.
Cheers, fausto.