| Biker Britain - Excerpt
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'In the early 19th century Tregaron
was a prosperous small market town which attracted drovers to
rest and feed their animals before trekking over the bleak Cambrian
Mountains to the markets of England. Pigs, sheep, cattle and
geese were driven over the mountains after being bought from
local fairs. Also, this still small town is famous as the birthplace
of outlaw Twm Sion Cati, known as the Robin Hood of Wales and
a local hero. Henry Richard, who founded the Peace Union, forerunner
of the League of Nations is immortalized as a statue in the
Market Square standing on a pedestal of pink Aberdeen granite.
George Borrow, a man adept at languages and widely travelled
in Russia in the 1830's wrote a book called 'Wild Wales'. When
in 1854 he visited the 13th century Talbot Hotel, which presides
over Tregaron square, he was conversant in Welsh to the amazement
of the locals. He stayed in the Talbot and declared, 'I experienced
very good entertainment at the Tregaron Inn, had an excellent
supper and a very comfortable bed'. In July 1848 an elephant
from 'Batty's Menagerie' died as the result of drinking lead
poisoned water and is buried, say people who know the town well,
in the field at the rear of the hotel.
Just by the Spar shop, opposite the hotel, I saw a single sign
pointing the way to Abergwesyn. Before setting off on the long
rough journey across the mountains the black cattle were shod
with iron plates in the local blacksmiths shop. Pigs were fitted
with woollen 'socks' with leather soles and geeses' feet were
coated with tar and sand to prepare them for the journey. The
old Abergwesyn drovers road which climbs east from Tregaron,
enters deeply into the Cambrian Mountains, crossing the spectacularly
remote Mynydd Elenydd Range of moorland. The single track road
filters up through the Brenig valley, passing through the forestry
where you ride onto bleak moorland which, like the Nullabor,
is almost treeless.
Now, four miles into the ride and by a small bridge, there is
one solitary red telephone box but no other form of civilization.
What a trek if you hadn't got a phone in your home, or, imagine
how many lovers conversations have been witnessed in this porthole,
how many secret deals transacted. When you think of famous mountain
passes in Britain; Hardknott Pass, Wrynose Pass, Pass of the
Cattle, they drip with intrigue; stage sets for something to
happen, movie sets certainly and fantastic places to rendezvous;
"I'll see you at the telephone on the pass!"
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