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BRITAIN’S BEST RIDE-OUTS B-ROADS
Plenty of
elevation in the
hills to let you see
where you’ve been
BIKE
HE INSIGNIFICANT B-ROAD spearing
off from the town of Lampeter on the
south-eastern edge of Ceredigion is
unassuming – high hedges, single-
track road flinging itself side-to-side,
impossible to guess if the next thing
round the corner is an empty road or
T wall-to-wall tractor. But within a few
miles the B4343 opens up, sometimes widening to two TRIUMPH TIGER
lanes, sometimes shrinking back down again – but 900 RALLY PRO
always with the sense we’re at the start of something Price £13,595
bigger and better. Power 94bhp
As indeed we are. Central Wales – a broad swathe of Weight 220kg
forested hills, rivers and reservoirs reaching from the Triumph’s range-topping
Brecon Beacons, up through the Cambrian mountain off-road Tiger 900 with T-Plane
crank, 21in front wheel and fully
range and the Elan Valley, then into the lower reaches of
adjustable Showa suspension.
Snowdonia – is a magnificent belt of B-road brilliance, Comes loaded with cruise
sometimes tight and twisty like a fiendish green go-kart control, heated grips and seats,
track, sometimes wide and flowing like a continental centrestand, u/d quick shifter,
mountain road. There’s a bit of everything; endless six riding modes — perfect for
on and off-road adventures.
variety to suit all kinds of riders on all types of bikes
– and all within easy reach of a day’s ride-out. Ty Morgans in
Today’s machine is a perfect all-rounder – Triumph’s Rhayader for a
Tiger 900 Rally Sport has the right kind of suspension spot of lunch
travel and steering to cope with sketchy surfaces and my favourite roads in the UK – it’s about 20 miles until
potholes, and the right kind of comforts to make a rider Rhayader, but that 20 miles pretty much has it all. It
feel at home: cruise control is overkill today, but the up/ climbs up, slender and unpromising at first, but soon
down quick shifter and heated grips come in handy. opens out with big views behind with farmland valleys
We dog-leg through the town of Tregaron and onward, and gentle slopes to the left. Then the road starts to rock
road climbing and falling steadily, twisting easily across from side to side like a swaying dancer, building up
green fields. Just after the tiny village of Ysbyty Ystwyth rhythm and tempo. A couple of sharper bends pile up,
(easy for you to say) the landscape shifts gear, with under pine trees, with black-and-white painted Armco,
deeper woods and higher hills – the B4343 widens before the Arch pops into view against the horizon – the
briefly then narrows again, funnelling between thickets stone structure was built over 200 years ago to
of rhododendrons. Over the River Ystwyth, past the old commemorate the golden jubilee of George III; today the
petrol pumps, then suddenly it’s as if we’re somewhere road no longer runs beneath it but carves alongside and
on the continent: Armco-lined, with broad grey tarmac over the hill to reveal big views ahead into the hills. The
cutting into the stone of a hillside lined with tall conifers. roadside is covered in a carpet of flowers, contrasted
Blink and we’re in the Ardennes in Belgium, weather against the deep green of the conifer plantations beyond.
and all. The Tiger stretches its legs – but B-roads are its A pollen perfume hangs heavy on the air.
natural territory, exploiting the triple’s bounteous We head down a tree-lined avenue, into Cwmystwyth
midrange and clinical steering. (still no vowels in sight), then back into more hills
Again the road compresses, dropping into – rushing alongside the river Ystwyth between slopes
Pontarfynach past the Hafod Hotel, taking the right fork slathered in spoil from the lead mining that took place Not just scenery
but ancient
just before Devil’s Bridge onto the B4574. This is one of here from the Bronze Age right up until the start of the
architecture too
6 | BRITAIN’S BEST RIDE-OUTS
