Overview

•  Date of event:  Sunday 2nd May 2010
• The event starts and finishes in Newport, Pembrokeshire (SA42 0RP)
• The event is part and parcel of the Newport Spring Festival – make a weekend of it!
• This year we have our own marquee, catering and cyclist "chill-out" garden - none of that fighting for attention after the ride this year; it's all about you!
  
• A special, short route has been created this year to encourage everyone to have a go.  The distance is 17 miles, is still very scenic and with minimal hilliness!  We are calling this route the Preseli Cherub and hope it attracts the youngsters, their mums, dads, aunts and uncles, etc....  come and have a go!
  
• For the Preseli Angel, two distance options are available, 47 miles or 86 miles comprising two 'loops' – Loop 1 (47 miles), Loop 2 (39 miles).  Our mileage claims were a little out last year - sorry!  But by general opinion, the first loop is challenging but still do-able and the second loop really raises the bar.
• Feed stations will be provided en-route and will offer banana’s, flapjacks (or similar), ritz crackers (yes, really), water and an energy drink (possibly SIS GO! in orange flavour – yum).
• There will be lots of climbing on the route (between 7000 and 8000 feet if you're interested).  If you’re new to this that translates to about four main hills on each loop, the worst hill on the route will take you about 25 minutes of steady pedalling to conquer...  You will conquer them, repeat after me "I'm a pedalling beast, I'm a pedalling beast..." [repeat to fade]
• Changing facilities with showers will be available - whether you want a shower before you set off is up to you, Smelly.
• The start time will be between 0900 and 1000 hours.  Again, if you're new to this, that means you may start whenever you're ready between these two times; we will note your actual start time for the record/post ride bragging rights.
• The scenery will be lovely.  Be prepared to have your breath taken away - not helpful on a climb, we appreciate that.
• The hills will be challenging.  Oh yes.  Read this line again.
• You will want to return for more.  Probably.

Registration / Sign-In

• Upon arrival at Newport, Pembrokeshire, competitors should make their way to ‘The Parrog’.  Brown, tourism roadsigns will guide you through Newport.
• Once at The Parrog, make your way to Registration within the Preseli Angel Marquee.  (That's a tent in lay-speak).
• The Sign-In will be organised by Surname for those who have pre-registered (God-bless you, one and all).  Please remember to bring your Surname with you.
• Surnames will be grouped A-F, G-L, M-R and S-Z or similar.
• Approach the Sign-In staff managing the grouping containing your surname and engage in polite conversation, which may include you indicating your surname.
• If you have not pre-registered, don’t worry.  On arrival, please go to the ‘Entry On the Day’ desk, or Leper’s Corner as we will be calling it…
• The Sign-In Staff will then present you with your Riders Envelope containing your event number, cable ties, timing card, event guide and emergency contact numbers.
• You will then be asked to sign the receipt paper.
• You are now free to enjoy the sea air at The Parrog or make your way to the Start Area.  Starting will be between 0900 and 1000 hours.  Have we said that already?

Start Procedure

• The start area is located close to the Registration/Sign-In tee-pee, sorry, marquee.
• In the Start Area you will be corralled into the first holding area - ‘Waiting for Start Time’.
• In groups, you will be called forward to a second area – ‘Give Me a Start Time’ - to be allocated a start time (your cards will be marked accordingly).
• From the Give Me a Start Time area, you will be called forward to the start line and released into the Community at the determined time.
• Riders will be released every two minutes between 0900 and 1000 hours.  We may form large groups for release, just because it looks spectacular and we like to show off a bit.

Going the Distance... Loop 1 and Loop 2 explained

In case you haven't seen them yet, there are some simple maps and bikehike.co.uk detailed efforts on this site that indicate the approximate routes.  Below is some simplistic narrative for those that like words...

The Wonder of Loop 1 

• From The Parrog, you will be heading up the road to the main road, the A487 and turning left.
• You will stay on the A487 passing through the beautifully named Felindre Farchog after which you will be turning left onto a small lane.  I said turning left AFTER Felindre Farchog, not IN Felindre Farchog...
• Along this lane there is a ford after about a mile.  No, not a Capri Ghia or Cortina Crusader (look them up youngsters), but a stream crossing point.  You can make a splash on society or take a footbridge to the left - your choice.
• This lane will continue winding its way along until you bear left and eventually join the B4582 where you will turn right.
• After about 2 miles and a dive down into Glanrhyd followed by a short sharp climb out the otherside, you briefly emerge back onto the A487 at Croft.
• Stay in the A487 for about, ooh, 20 metres before turning left (sign posted Moylegrove/St.Dogmaels).
• The route will now present lovely views of the Teifi Estuary on your right before plunging you into the village of St.Dogmaels or Llandudoch as it's known locally.  I'm afraid you won't have time to view the historic Abbey or feed the ducks in the mill ponds.
• You will leave St.Dogs (see that local phraseology?) and head towards the throbbing metropolis of Cardigan (Aberteifi) turning left and crossing the historic old bridge that links Pembrokeshire to Ceredigion and into the beating heart of Cardigan (er-hem).
• No time for shopping in Cardigan High Street, you will ride through and on up North Road until you see a Cenotaph where you will bear left toward Gwbert on Sea on the B4548.
• Riding along the "Gwbert Road" you will be passing the home of Velo Teifi's Chairman - please try not to disturb him as he will have overslept and missed the start of the Preseli Angel.  Prepare you self for pleasant ride along the foreshore at "Patch" and then on to Gwbert on Sea where a devilish hill awaits your legs.
• After this hill you will drop into Ferwig and then follow quiet back roads towards Mwnt (beautiful, tiny little whitewash church above a picturesque sandy cove - sorry, you'll have to come back again and see that) and on past the Butterfly Centre and through Felinwynt.
• After Felinwynt, you will turn right and then take a quick tour of the fantastic new airfield development at West Wales Airport (right at the first roundabout - check out the space-age buildings on your left) before briefly re-joining the A487 (left at the next roundabout) for a few hundred metres before turning right and ducking down another quiet back road in Blaenannerch.
• A long-ish, but easy hill will bring you to a cross roads where you will turn right and drop down to a T junction.  Turn right (B4570) and continue along for about a mile until bearing left onto Lady Road towards Llechryd.
• At the bottom of this hill you will turn right (A484) towards an old bridge crossing the pretty River Teifi.
• Over the bridge and grab yourself some nourishment at the Feed Zone - don't forget to say "Thank You" to the volunteers.
• From here we will be following the Teifi Valley before bearing right and up towards Boncath.  I know, I know, it's got "Bonc" in the name - stop sniggering at the back.
• After Bon... That Place, you will be heading towards Blaenffos (B4332, A484) and then, at Blaenffos, turning right for a dash across country towards Crosswell (Ffynnongroes) on undulating but fairly fast roads.
• At Crosswell you will go straight on at the cross roads - TAKE CARE on the next descent, it's steep and nadgery.
• A short climb after said nadgeriness will then see you on a fast cruise back towards Newport and your finish at The Parrog or the commencement of Loop 2....

The Loop 2 Experience

• The Finish Line of Loop 1 will be on the outskirts of Newport on the A487.  However if you're doing both loops i.e. the full 86 miles, as you enter Newport on the A487 you will be - if you want to be that is - timed and recorded as having started Loop 2.
• Continue on through Newport until directed to turn left (Fordd Bedd Morris).  Enjoy the jaunt up one of the prettiest Preseli Hills with Carn Ingli (Angel Mountain) on your left… don’t forget to breath.
• Take care on the descent towards to the Gwaun Valley - the word nadgery is coming to mind again.
• Thereafter you will gallop along Cwm Gwaun (Gwaun Valley) before being diverted right, up another climb (signposted Gellifawr Hotel – where the Author got married incidentally, sorry, I digress...).  On this climb you will have splendid views of Carn Ingli (Angel Mountain) to take your mind off the purgatory you will be enduring.  Again, remember to breath.
• After passing Gellifawr (did I mention I got married there?) you will eventually come to a T junction where you will be directed to turn left and off towards New Inn / Rosebush you will go...
• The next Feed Zone is at Rosebush – fill yer boots.
• From Rosebush you will follow the road at the foot of the Preseli’s Mountains for about seven miles (see how the hills taunt you...) until you reach Crymych.
• Turn left onto the A478 for about 1/4 of a mile.
  
• From Crymych you will be directed back onto quiet back roads for the run back to Newport.  However, there is a sting in the tail... <ha ha ha ha ha... hysterical laughter into the distance>
• Once you reach Crosswell (after a fast undulating section you will have ridden once before today) you will be turning left, sparing you that tricky descent/sharp climb from Loop 1... but how you will wish you were on that Loop 1 again...
• After the short scoot from Crosswell you will be directed to turn right down a pokey little lane.  TAKE CARE going down here.
• After the ford at the bottom (yep, another one), you begin a climb up Alpine switchbacks (sort of) whilst enjoying yet more splendiferous views of the Preseli Mountains (you have now circumvented the whole range – well done!).
• Through some crossroads and on to the top where you will turn right and then drop down towards Nevern.
• You will eventually come to the A487 (below Temple Bar) – TAKE CARE crossing this road, turning right up towards Temple Bar then left at the top of the short hill.  Scorch down to Nevern, over the pretty little bridge that crosses the trout-laden River Nevern.  .
• After the bridge, turn immediately left and prepare yourself for the last climb of the day – and our last attempt to finish you off.  The switchback/zig-zags don’t last for long honest and, eventually, you will emerge, turning left onto the coast road above Newport.
• NOW FOR THE BIG FINISH – IT’S DOWNHILL ALL THE WAY.  Whoo-hoo!
• The Finish Line of Loop 2 is just after the bridge at the bottom of your swooping run down to Newport.  See you there!

 Finish Procedure

• Please hand your card to the Finish Line Marshal who will enter your undoubtedly impressive time onto the card and then hand the card back to you.
• You should then make your way back to The Parrog and hand the card in at the Registration/Sign-In area in the Preseli Angel wig-wam, for inclusion in the event’s results compilation and, most importantly, to recive your goody bag and meal voucher. 

• Start at Parrog car park in Newport and proceed up to the T junction with main A487, where you turn left, keep on for 1/4 mile through the town until get to 'beach road' signposted Moylegrove, where you will turn left.
• Keep on this road for approximately 2 miles of gentle climbing (it's the only 'proper' hill on the route, honest! The rest of the route  is on top of a 'plateau' and only has gentle rises from here on) until reach T junction where you will turn right towards Moylegrove.
• Keep on this road for approximately 1&1/4 miles where you will turn right onto a side road.
• Keep on this lane for just short of 2 miles where you will turn right (this will be the 2nd lane you'll have reached).
• After 1/2 mile go straight across at crossroads (remeber to give way!) and continue for 1 mile unitl T junction where you will turn left.
• After just 1/2 mile turn left again.
• In 1 & 1/4 miles turn left at crossroads.
• At next crossroads (after 1 mile) turn right.
• After further 1 mile turn left heading 'home' (at this point, because you will be full of the joys of Pembrokeshire, you will be wishing you'd enter the Preseli Angel Loop 1...!)
• Keep on this road for 3&1/4 miles admiring views to both sides!
• Turn left, hitch up your skirts/get your feet on the cross bar because its all down hill (the hill that you came up at the start).
• Take care at the bottom (over the bridge over the River Nevern) as the road narrows and priority traffic rules are in place.
• Finish 1/4 mile after the bridge in entrance to small business unit on left.
• Congratulate yourself on a ride well done; that should have been 16 miles or thereabout.
• Now return to Parrog through the town for rest and refreshments.