Visiting Llantrisant

After I got a message from a fellow cyclist saying how much will I enjoy my tour if I like hills, I realised I should start getting used to them as my previous bicycle adventures were very enjoyable, amazing aaaand 99% of it was on flatland.

I was looking for a place, about 2 hours away by bike, to check out. As I was free from  1p.m. Llantrisant seemed to be the perfect circular route from Cardiff. I wanted to try out a local main road  on the way there, and to come back an alternative way which connects farms with the surrounding villages.

I decided to do it in reverse > so, I cycled on the way there on the country lane. I think I found the tightest road I've ever been on in my life - maybe only the Romanian rubbish-shoot with a bulldozered lane in the middle, presented on the map as a secondary road, could beat this. 

So, I find it just as I expected - thanks to Google street view. There is just one way, no chance of taking a wrong turn, but at the end of one short section under the cover of hugging trees on both sides of the road, there are two possible directions. One is closed, so no hesitation, I turn left- I would have chosen the left anyway, because in Hungarian "right" means "better", but for me the left is the better. Left-handed people are more sensitive about these implicit lingual codes. Anyway, after my left turn I reach a village where I have to ask for help.

BOOM! I CAN'T PRONOUNCE THE NAME OF THE PLACE WHERE I AM HEADING.

I don't know the name of the city. Luckily my guy is patient and starts giving me the names of all the towns around here. Oh, yeah! he says it. Even better, he gives me clear directions - I can't believe that in the UK there are so many Tescos, there is always one which you will be passing by or where you have to turn...

I want to see the castle - which is actually one high wall (similar to the one in my village called Pecze kastely). To get there I have to face a 16% gradient. No problem, I am here to fall in love with hills. On the way to the castle-wall Dr. Druid says hello in his self-designed wolf costume.

Pecze kastely in the 2000s

Llantrisant castle c. 1910

After sunbathing in the castle garden, and realizing that in this town everybody is walking at least one dog, it creates a very friendly atmosphere. It reminds me of the Serbian village Jankov Most where are more geese living there than humans. Maybe that's a bit more creepy, but there is no druid power radiation, so let's say they are similar.

Banat Geese Gang

Dr. William Price in his uniform

Okay, this post has gone on too long. I just wanted to say that I chose the farmer's path on the way back as well, because the A4119 road gets very busy after a while. Even if its cyclable , listening to the tweets of the lorries are much less fun than the puddly valleys.