Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

The study of British and Irish roads - their construction, numbering, history, mapping, past and future official roads proposals and general roads musings.

There is a separate forum for Street Furniture (traffic lights, street lights, road signs etc).

Registered users get access to other forums including discussions about other forms of transport, driving, fantasy roads and wishlists, and roads quizzes.

Moderator: Site Management Team

Post Reply
User avatar
AAndy
Member
Posts: 3872
Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 20:28

Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by AAndy »

No thread for this iconic route over Foel Fadian, though a few fond memories have mentioned it in other threads... mostly Rhyds :) . One of my drives over it last summer provided some wonderful views so here is the video taken from the cattle grid upon entering Dylife. One of the most striking aspects of this drive in this direction, towards Mach, is the amazing bottom of the stomach feeling of travelling along the ridge with massive drops on either side which is at around 6 and a half minutes by the cattle grid. https://youtu.be/M08TbquUD10
swissferry
Member
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 20:42

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by swissferry »

Very scenic. As a bonus there is a pictorial cattle grid sign at 6:12. Is it only Wales that uses this sign?
User avatar
AAndy
Member
Posts: 3872
Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 20:28

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by AAndy »

swissferry wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 18:48 Very scenic. As a bonus there is a pictorial cattle grid sign at 6:12. Is it only Wales that uses this sign?
I don't know, I have seen it in other places, can't remember if outside of wales....Though I notice that this one is not bi-lingual either :shock:
Attachments
grid.jpg
User avatar
AAndy
Member
Posts: 3872
Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 20:28

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by AAndy »

I've had a look at 3 recent ones... and 2 are similar... all in Wales
Attachments
grid a.jpg
grid b.jpg
grid c.jpg
User avatar
owen b
Member
Posts: 9861
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 15:22
Location: Luton

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by owen b »

AAndy wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 20:04
swissferry wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 18:48 Very scenic. As a bonus there is a pictorial cattle grid sign at 6:12. Is it only Wales that uses this sign?
I don't know, I have seen it in other places, can't remember if outside of wales....Though I notice that this one is not bi-lingual either :shock:
I'm not Welsh speaking myself, although one side of my family is, but I do recall cattle grid signs in Wales as "Grid gwartheg".
Owen
User avatar
FosseWay
Assistant Site Manager
Posts: 19621
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 22:26
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by FosseWay »

owen b wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 20:40
AAndy wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 20:04
swissferry wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 18:48 Very scenic. As a bonus there is a pictorial cattle grid sign at 6:12. Is it only Wales that uses this sign?
I don't know, I have seen it in other places, can't remember if outside of wales....Though I notice that this one is not bi-lingual either :shock:
I'm not Welsh speaking myself, although one side of my family is, but I do recall cattle grid signs in Wales as "Grid gwartheg".
Yes, grid is the same in both languages, it's the word for cattle that changes. I've never seen these before; I presume they're a way of avoiding choosing one language over the other or putting up two signs.
Did you know there's more to SABRE than just the Forums?
Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki today!
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Try getting involved!
User avatar
Richard_Fairhurst
Member
Posts: 441
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 13:16

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by Richard_Fairhurst »

Even more fun when cycling... it's part of Lon Las Cymru (National Cycle Route 8, Cardiff-Chepstow) and indeed the highest point on the route. After the slog up from the Severn valley, the descent to Mach is a glorious experience.

Unfortunately I believe the Star at Dylife is currently closed, perhaps for good: https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/1944 ... rural-pub/
Help map the world: openstreetmap.org
User avatar
Bryn666
Elected Committee Member
Posts: 35755
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 20:54
Contact:

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by Bryn666 »

FosseWay wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 07:23
owen b wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 20:40
AAndy wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 20:04

I don't know, I have seen it in other places, can't remember if outside of wales....Though I notice that this one is not bi-lingual either :shock:
I'm not Welsh speaking myself, although one side of my family is, but I do recall cattle grid signs in Wales as "Grid gwartheg".
Yes, grid is the same in both languages, it's the word for cattle that changes. I've never seen these before; I presume they're a way of avoiding choosing one language over the other or putting up two signs.
Yes it's a Welsh special to avoid the need for four lines of text in a triangle.
Bryn
Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.

Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
X - https://twitter.com/ShowMeASignBryn
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrynBuck
User avatar
rhyds
Member
Posts: 13724
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 15:51
Location: Beautiful North Wales

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by rhyds »

AAndy wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 09:11 No thread for this iconic route over Foel Fadian, though a few fond memories have mentioned it in other threads... mostly Rhyds :) . One of my drives over it last summer provided some wonderful views so here is the video taken from the cattle grid upon entering Dylife. One of the most striking aspects of this drive in this direction, towards Mach, is the amazing bottom of the stomach feeling of travelling along the ridge with massive drops on either side which is at around 6 and a half minutes by the cattle grid. https://youtu.be/M08TbquUD10
Its a fine road alright! Its also our family's preferred route from the Machynlleth area to points south via the A470 and the godless heathen town of Llanidloes (As long as its not poor weather)

Glad to see you stopped at the Wynnford Vaughn-Thomas viewpoint as well. Is an absolutely stunning vista on a clear day, unfortunately there are few clear days up there!
Built for comfort, not speed.
User avatar
rhyds
Member
Posts: 13724
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 15:51
Location: Beautiful North Wales

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by rhyds »

Richard_Fairhurst wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 12:44 Even more fun when cycling... it's part of Lon Las Cymru (National Cycle Route 8, Cardiff-Chepstow) and indeed the highest point on the route. After the slog up from the Severn valley, the descent to Mach is a glorious experience.

Unfortunately I believe the Star at Dylife is currently closed, perhaps for good: https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/1944 ... rural-pub/
I giggled a few years back when the Tour of Britain cycle race chickened out of using the Dylife route over the mountain and used the B4518 from Llanbynmair, must have been judged too much for them.

As for that descent, it is a very fast and fun way down from the mountain, however when climbing you have to be wary. Before now my father was driving up at a steady pace in his car when two cyclists came flying down off the summit around a blind bend, not expecting to meet a Suzuki Grand Vitara! They were so surprised and had taken such a sweeping line that their only option to avoid a collision was to pass one either side of his car!

That said, my cousin did say that one of his most fun road rallying experiences was heading down from Dylife towards Aberhosan in a MK2 Ford Escort RS2000 on a road rally. Unfortunately the car had been converted from a gravel rally car and had a very low geared rear axle, which limited top-end speed. Apparently the driver only braked twice all the way down...
Built for comfort, not speed.
User avatar
rhyds
Member
Posts: 13724
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 15:51
Location: Beautiful North Wales

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by rhyds »

Bryn666 wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 15:23
FosseWay wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 07:23
owen b wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 20:40
I'm not Welsh speaking myself, although one side of my family is, but I do recall cattle grid signs in Wales as "Grid gwartheg".
Yes, grid is the same in both languages, it's the word for cattle that changes. I've never seen these before; I presume they're a way of avoiding choosing one language over the other or putting up two signs.
Yes it's a Welsh special to avoid the need for four lines of text in a triangle.
I only recall seeing these in Powys, Gwynedd tends to use a text plate.
Built for comfort, not speed.
User avatar
AAndy
Member
Posts: 3872
Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 20:28

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by AAndy »

rhyds wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 09:24
AAndy wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 09:11 No thread for this iconic route over Foel Fadian, though a few fond memories have mentioned it in other threads... mostly Rhyds :) . One of my drives over it last summer provided some wonderful views so here is the video taken from the cattle grid upon entering Dylife. One of the most striking aspects of this drive in this direction, towards Mach, is the amazing bottom of the stomach feeling of travelling along the ridge with massive drops on either side which is at around 6 and a half minutes by the cattle grid. https://youtu.be/M08TbquUD10
Its a fine road alright! Its also our family's preferred route from the Machynlleth area to points south via the A470 and the godless heathen town of Llanidloes (As long as its not poor weather)

Glad to see you stopped at the Wynnford Vaughn-Thomas viewpoint as well. Is an absolutely stunning vista on a clear day, unfortunately there are few clear days up there!
Your description of Llanidloes is a gem :D They take a lot of flannel there :wink: :lol: ...The chippy near the corner is fine...and well worth a drive around the Market hall.

I often split my journeys as time is rarely an issue with the A470, as I enjoy that route through clatter and llandinham...... and then another very fine route (from Mach south) is via nant y moch/Devils bridge and over some tops to join the A470 at Rhayader. ...Takes much longer though. as with Wynnfords favorite view in wales, I'm always stopping to admire them.
User avatar
rhyds
Member
Posts: 13724
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 15:51
Location: Beautiful North Wales

Re: Dylife Mountain Road. 1670 feet. Pumlumon Range

Post by rhyds »

AAndy wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 07:45 Your description of Llanidloes is a gem :D They take a lot of flannel there :wink: :lol: ...The chippy near the corner is fine...and well worth a drive around the Market hall.

I often split my journeys as time is rarely an issue with the A470, as I enjoy that route through clatter and llandinham...... and then another very fine route (from Mach south) is via nant y moch/Devils bridge and over some tops to join the A470 at Rhayader. ...Takes much longer though. as with Wynnfords favorite view in wales, I'm always stopping to admire them.
To be fair Llanidloes is fine, however when you go to school in Machynlleth its the nearest high school in the county of a similar size so they would often be our rivals in sports etc. It also has Hafren Furnishers, a fine independent supplier of furniture conveniently sharing a car park with the Co-Op, so you can both buy a sofa and crisps to eat while sitting on it.
Built for comfort, not speed.
Post Reply