We've just wrapped Wild Wales Gravel Festival v3 and what a weekend that was...... The goats have been returned to their pastures, the gravel trails have been rolled up, the sets stored away safely ... ready to be rolled out again in September for act II!
Now in its second year - Wild Wales has all the essential ingredients for a truly special mountain getaway: a sublime setting in the mid-Welsh hills surrounded by dramatic landscapes offering far-reaching views around every corner, a superbly well provisioned base-camp with all the necessary amenities, communal cooking facilities - not to mention a range of routes to suit most - taking in some of the most spectacular scenery, climbs and joy-inducing descents....
But that's not all! Cos the one thing that makes Wild Wales such an off-the-scale weekend experience with such an incredible vibe - is YOU - the amazing people that the event attracts. All smiling, helpful, welcoming, adventurous, dancing, lovely people....
Speaking of which - we have been blown away by of some of your kind words - post Wild Wales. Please bear with...here a just a few:
Wild Wales Gravel Festival with @wildcycles.cc had all the ingredients for an unforgettable weekend spent riding bikes....
Rupert B @Rab.Equipment
What a fantastic time it was at the @wildcycles.cc gathering last weekend! Great people, super trails and lots of laughter 😁 looking forward to doing more of this! Well done to all involved, we really enjoyed the ethos, vegan food, friendly people and atmosphere 👍
@whonickedmename
The team has really got it right for a completely different style of cycling experience, not about competition but more about immersion in the countryside.
...A real feeling of community and inclusively sitting around the camp fire listening to everyone's tales from the trails. I'll definitely be coming back. Thanks for welcoming us into your family. Well done!
Stephen N
Wild Wales was just that...Sunday's @komoot social ride was the highlight for me.....almost totally off-road...chatting in gateways and sharing round snacks. Marvellous stuff.
Katherine M @komoot
Awesome weekend at Wild Wales. Atmosphere was amazing, epic routes, really well organised. Food and folk music were icing on the cake!
Matt C
A great event with a lovely energy. This is what happens when you get likeminded people together to explore the outdoors. Perfect routes that challenge the beginner through to seasoned wilderness explorers. All routes guarantee epic views.
Russell A
Wales never fails, neither does Wild Wales from the legends @wildcycles.cc. I really love gravel events because the people are generally ace and this was no exception. No ego, just a bunch of friendly folk enjoying some amazing views by bike.
Thanks Wild Cycles for discovering and sharing this location, great routes and oh the food! More weekends like this please.
Claire S
Twas truly a good un!!! A perfect mix of lovely people, Welsh hills, mind-blowing trails, some rain, a smattering of wind, a dash of sun, good food, brews and music!
Thanks to all the amazing people who joined us - it is you who make it such a super special and uniquely memorable experience.
Friday - is for arriving and pitching
Arriving at base-camp mid week to be greeted by our amazing hosts - the Wilson family - is always a special moment. Hamish and crew of AngusForbes&George had been grafting, grading, hoiking and lifting to get the two new geo-domes ready in time. What a sight and what a space! By Friday night when people started to arrive the cavernous spaces soon started to fill up with people signing on, hanging out, communal cooking to DJ Ed's tunes playing in background - adding to the vibes.
saturday - is for riding, viewing, smiling and chatting, great food and live music
95km riders (all 2 of them!) rolled out first thing followed by groups opting for 30, 45, 70km routes.
Catering to a variety of challenges, abilities and distances - all routes are designed to maximise the mountain and gravel riding experience AND include the most stunning scenery on the planet. Being mid-Wales it's most defo testy in terms of gradients and terrain - adding to the challenge + the reward.
In the evening we were inspired by @rupertbarry from @rab.equipment - talking about his work with Trash-free-trails. And transfixed by @katherinebikes from Komoot chatting about her recent adventures in Sri-Lanka. Thank you both for your support and massive contributions.
Thanks for the delicious home-cooked evening meal served by Wild Cycles' very own chef Beatrice Mrs Heard!
And to top it all - a fitting to end to a perfect day out on the trails - the enigmatic sounds of Angus, Forbes and George folk group - chilling around the campfire. Simply stunning!
sunday - is for bimbling, laughing, group riding and challenging
The Sunday "bimble" has now become a regular feature on a Sunday morning. Hardly a bimble or wind-down it is fun, yet spicy route winding its way upwards (quite savagely!) and out of basecamp into the surrounding hills. It's a fab way of bringing people together for a fun, social spectacular ride. It also takes in more spectacular scenery, far-reaching views and some lovely featuristic downhills! Classic fun-type-2 stuff. We call it:
"Smiles not miles"
Added bonus was to have Katherine @komoot leading the ride-out for a happy bunch of bimblers!
thank all you lovely people for coming along and joining us for a really unique event where we aim to focus as much on the of-the-bike aspects as we do on the actual riding.
We've sampled a good few gravel events in the UK and have come to the conclusion that there's still a gap - to be filled with the type of event which open to a wider audience, is focused on creating a community vibe and where the emphasis is 100% on meeting, sharing time and having a good ole fun-time.
Riding in beautiful places is clearly key and the stunning landscape surrounding Wild Wales certainly provides the perfect setting for a totally unforgettable and incredible ride. However it’s the pre- and post-ride community, the fire-side vibes and chats that make experiences like Wild Wales super special. That is what we strive for and we really love. It is what Wild Cycles was built on and an essential part of our events.
We return to the stunning Farm in Radnorshire for another adventure in September. This time we're focusing on conservation and using the farm as the perfect setting for learning more about the natural surroundings that we rely for our health as humans and our pleasure as adventurers. More than just riding a bike! If you fancy joining us for another unique event in the mountains - be sure to grab your place and book now - and please get the word out...!
Massive thanks to our sponsors -
without whom events (at the price point) would simply not be possible:
THANKS to our amazing HOSTS @degmo
The Wilson Family - Hamish, Nel, Angus, Forbes Ayla & George
Paramedics
Trevor and Shelly for keeping us safe and patched up.
Thank you volunteers!
@i_saieva , @tomhalltomhall , @kategpayne , @lorahpierre , Ed, Barnz , @hellokenday and last but not least @mrporter89 for all of your help. We wouldn't be able to put this event on without your support.
Photographers
We've assembled our favourite shots of the weekend - please check the collection out @ Jonathan Heard collection
Matt Bark has also kindly shared his amazing selection of pics for you to enjoy
Thanks @ Matt Bark collection
Drone shots thanks to Rupert Barry.
