With Neighbourhood Gravel CC & stohk
Ticket's for the 2022 event (3rd-5th June) will be available on Sunday 13th March.
Well, we’re fresh back from our weekend trip to Radnorshire on the Wales/England border for the second Wild Wales Mountain Festival recce. The mud and muck are now a distant memory as bikes and gear have been washed clean but the smiles on all of our faces and memories of an extraordinary experience remain.
It was a much needed break for us here at Wild Cycles. We were ready to let our hair down and let rip on the mountain trails of Wales. To make it all the more special we were joined by a bunch lovely like-minded adventurers including a few legends from Neighbourhood Gravel CC as we set off for greener pastures. After a few hours' drive we hit the winding approach to base camp on Hangingheld Farm set deep in the lush green hills of Radnorshire, a little-known region of Wales.
We were met with a warm welcome at the farmhouse and immediately made to feel at home. 5 fluffy puppies and a hot cuppa thrust into our hands by our hosts completed the welcome experience! We soon forgot about the outside world and chatted with our amazing hosts until late into the night.
Our basecamp in Wales is hosted by Hamish, Nell, their two sons and daughter who run a small farm and charitable organisation called Degmo. We met Hamish when exploring the Pembrokeshire coast after Grinduro 2021 and were promptly invited to the farm to explore some of the surrounding trails. We spent a week there last summer and left brimming with ideas for an epic event in this incredible place. A year later and we’re super stoked to bring adventurers from far and wide to the farm for the first Wild Summer Campout in June '22.
Proceeds from event will go directly to Degmo, Hamish's charity which provides Somali families from inner cities throughout the UK with the opportunity to explore their nomadic roots, language and customs. Read more about Degmo @ http://degmo.org/. We're delighted to be supporting such a great cause and encourage donations which are optional when booking.
The beautiful green hills above New Radnor are a fantastic place to explore by bike, and that is what we set about doing. Our first day riding on Saturday had us riding a tough but rewarding 75km of undulating gravel, forestry roads, rivers and a healthy amount of mud. Sugar beets littered the trails which made for a tasty snack and new-born lambs greeted us with curiosity as we crossed their fields. Blessed with blue skies and sun, we ploughed ahead on a complete variety of terrain, from farm and fire roads to single track and rutted tractor trails. It was exhilarating and exhausting. We were totally knackered when are arrived back in camp just in time to catch a spectacular sunset - overwhelmed by the day filled with exceptional sights and experiences.
For seconds on the Sunday, we took on a 40km loop from the farm, charging over beautiful green hills and down undulating grassy natural pump track trails under bright blue skies.
Blown away by how bloody beautiful the place is, we’ve decided to design and offer a variety of routes at the event in June. On Saturday we'll have three loops - geared to a range of abilities - all of which take in breath-taking scenery on the farm’s doorstep. Sunday's hangover ride heads north of the farm and beyond. Routes (GPX's) will be shared in advance of the event in June.
We’re stoked to invite you all up to Wales for a an epic weekend of riding, camping, pizza, music and all-round good times. The event will go live for booking this Sunday (13 June '22) - so be sure to grab your spot on this unique event.
More information on the event and our fantastic partners to come.
Tickets for the 2022 Wild Wales Mountain Festival 3-5 June
with partners Neighbourhood Gravel CC and stohk
are available from this Sunday 13th.
Huge thanks to the rad recce'ers who made the weekend an unforgettable one:
Tom Hall; Lorah Pierre; Harvey Waller; Kate Greer; Brendan Hills; Mark James; Guillermo Balbastre; Hamish, Nell, Angus, Forbes & George Wilson.