Into the Void: Embrace the Darkness and Escape the Week

Mid Week Adventure into the Wind Farms of Gilfach Goch

As the nights draw in, the temperature drops and the weather deuterates, it can be difficult to muster the motivation to get out in the week, especially after a long day of work and you are cozy at home.

However, it is very important to motivate yourself and get out, there is something special about being out at night and being guided by a beacon of light that makes riding through the darkness a surreal thing and is a completely different experience than riding in the day.

Your mind starts to play tricks on you.

Known climbs seem to double in length and disappear into the darkness. Descents require all your concentration as casted shadows seem to form giant voids into the abyss. Limited visibility causes your hearing to enhance, picking up on every strange sound around you.

Riding through the wind farms of Gilfach Goch was pitch black and eerily quiet. You only knew these giant wind turbines were around by the drone of the rotating blades. Sheep litter the tracks and stare you down with their glowing eyes as you pass on by.

It gets pretty cold at night so it is essential to layer up and dress for the cold. I do not own winter shoes and thought 2 layers of socks would be enough. But I was wrong, should have put on over shoes to keep the wind off or invested in a pair of winter shoes.

The roads are pretty quiet after work in the week and riding in the lanes seems safer as you can see car headlights approaching corners and cars appear to give you more room when passing.

Being out in the week is good for the mind, breaks up the week and means you don’t just live for the weekends. It is a fun experience riding in the night and feels like a proper mini adventure.

Wrap up warm, get out there and escape the week. It’s good for the soul.

Find more about the route on Komoot (that rhymes)