ITERA - Presented by Open Adventure
Going Underground
15.08.2014
As teams descend off the Brecon Beacons they arrive in an area with numerous cave systems, waterfalls in deeply incised valleys and an interesting industrial heritage, which is reflected in a landscape dotted with mine workings and now ruined buildings.
Coming down from the Brecon Beacons and into the village of Ystradfellte they are making their way to the cave system at Cwm Porth for a quick trip underground. There are many major cave systems in the area, and the teams are going into the Porth yr Ogof cave, visiting just a small part of it which does not have a high degree of difficulty. (At this stage of the race teams will not be tested with anything too technical.)
From the marshalling point in the car park they head down the hill and follow a stream into the darkness and through a fairly open cave system, staying with the river, passing another wide opening where the daylight floods in, and finishing with a brief section where the roof lowers, but it’s a duck rather than a crawl. Then it’s a scramble back out into the daylight – a trip which takes teams 15-25 minutes depending on how confident they are.
Before the transition there is also a waterfall checkpoint – with the control point hidden behind the curtain of the falls called Sgwd-yr-Eira.
By then teams are on the Dinas Rock trail, descending over steeply rocky ground to the final transition point. This is a popular outdoor activities area and there are lots of climbing, canyoning and caving groups around. The trail descends to the former gunpowder works and team pass old mine buildings and pits on the descent to the village hall.
From the transition the ride takes teams to uphill to Rhigos and those still hunting checkpoints can access the Skyline mountain bike trail before following a mandatory route back to the finish. There is a stop at the way at Castell Coch, an impressive Victorian folly. The checkpoint is on the steps but will have to be marshalled for a while as there is a wedding there today. Quite what they’ll make of their unusual guests I’m not sure.
The Taff Trail then takes the teams to the coast and through the city to Cardiff Bay, back to where the prologue started just under a week ago. It’s been quite a journey since then and it’s nearly over.
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