Lane Recce: Llandrindod Wells, Hundred House, A44

[V]

I have just spent a few hours putting waypoints into Garmin Basecamp for a circular green lane trip east of Landrindod Wells, Powys. The trip totals 43 miles including 20 miles of green lanes (47%) and at least eight fords to cross. I reckon it will take around 3 hours, more if we stop at the pub 2/3rd of the way around. The route starts and ends at Crossgates services on the A44 (near A483 junction). I haven't checked online yet if latest RoW info is available so will probably have to book an appointment for a visit to RoW at Powys CC to check for TROs.

 

I need at least one, preferably two helpers with a willing explorer attitude, capable vehicle(s) and recovery kit to explore this route with me. I have driven more than 50% of these lanes many times before, but not in recent years so I have no idea what condition they are in now. The other 50% of this route I either can't remember driving or have never driven before. River levels and ground conditions will probably dictate when we do this.

 

I will put together another couple of routes before going to RoW department in case of closures.

 

Let me know if you are interested.

[TimC]

Hi Vince, I’d be interested in helping out on this recce with you, depending on dates and availability. Let me know when you have in mind.  

cheers, Tim

[V]

Thanks Tim. If Salisbury Plains is on, last weekend of January is out. I also can't do first weekend of Feb or last two weeks in March. The rest of the time, including weekdays I can juggle around.

 

I am working on way pointing some other routes in Powys so I can get all of the TRO checks done at one place. Byways in Powys that cross into Ceredigion seem to turn into footpaths at the county boundary (Elan Valley) so it has become an interesting exercise in trying to maximise the ratio of byways to paved roads in the routes.

 

I will see if I can find some old waypoints and track logs for Strata Florida but I usually don't like doing that one until after April when the river levels start dropping. Perhaps best leave that one for a while.

[V]

Cool! I will get a few more routes worked out and book an appointment with Powys CC RoW.

 

Attached is my first draft of the 'Llandrindod Wells' lanes in Garmin GPX format. The start and end is at Crossgates services. The routes are sequential LW.Leg1 to LW.Leg7. Subject to change depending on RoW meeting outcome.

Llandrindod Wells.gpx

[TimC]

I have a pretty clear calendar from February onwards and, if need be, can do weekdays. Although it means booking time off I prefer weekdays as they are usually less busy on the lanes ( not that they are ever really busy). If you want to pick a good date for you I should be able to fit in. Don’t know if you can still PM on the forum Vince, you might need to upgrade or have a word with the powers that be

[Matt]

Let me know when you plan to do it - would be great experience for me to tag along, weekday better.

[TimC]

Can’t seem to get these to load on my iPad

Only problem that I know of in the area is the permanent TRO on Monks Trod ( a real shame) at the top end of Claerwen Reservoir.

[V]

I remember having a vocal disagreement with a jeeper on that section that didn't want to turn back with the rest of us. I don't think I have been to Claerwen since. The problem is political and at the county line, the TRO'd section is in Ceredigion.

 

[V]

'Water Break Its Neck Byway' is closed until 31 March 2020. Will postpone recce until April. I have updated the GPX file to include the TRO'd section.

Llandrindod Wells.gpx

[V]

2 hours ago, Matt said:

Let me know when you plan to do it - would be great experience for me to tag along, weekday better.

Looks like mid April unless we just do the non-TRO'd bits.

[V]

2 hours ago, PDB said:

Yes, I can make a weekday and prefer it for laning.

 

I have uploaded the Cwn Gwalley leg Vince. Looks like a steep ascent!

 

I'll check it against Trailwise later. Thanks

P.

 

Altitudes on the map must be a feature of OS Maps. I only have them on my waypoints taken from track logs of where I have been. I prefer steep climbs over steep muddy descents particularly if they are rocky. Feel free to re-organise the route if you wish.

[V]

I have subscribed to OS Maps and tried importing the GPX that I created. It only worked for a small section that I had to plot manually in Garmin Basecamp. It looks like I will have to do the whole route again manually in OS Maps unless I can import/export in another tool to create a more compatible GPX.

[V]

I found a GPX converter that has successfully converted my Garmin Basecamp GPX files to text, then converted the text file to a more compatible GPX that OS Maps can work with. I am learning how to use OS Maps now and will look to see if I can combine the seven route legs that I made into one route at a text file level before importing again.

[TimC]

Sounds good, will give it a try

I do like OS maps, I have Memory-Map and Outdoors GPS  but never used them as they are so much more expensive to actually get the maps. One of the good things about OSmaps is that if you don’t want to subscribe ( it’s only 25 quid but anyway ) and you want to buy a paper map of the area you are interested in the paper map now comes with a code so you can download that map in digital form and just used that on the app for free(ish)

[TimC]

Even if you have to plot out the route again in OS maps to save it it is really quick and easy to do. The hard bit is checking out the route in the first place.

[V]

I love text editors. I'm 'hacking' the XML in the GPX and learning how to hand craft the routes. I'm not expecting to have to manually re-enter or draw out the route now.

[Stew the Jeep]

Clun forest way methinks some good lanes not driven them for a few years

Edited January 11, 2020 by Stew the Jeep
Spelling

[V]

1 hour ago, Stew the Jeep said:

Clun forest way methinks some good lanes not driven them for a few years

I know where you mean, that's a good choice.

 

I have reworked my GPX file for Llandrindod Wells in OS Maps, now one 43 mile route. See attached.

Llandrindod Wells OSM.gpx

[Stew the Jeep]

Defeated with technology I think I'll stick to paper OS maps!

[TimC]

Wouldn’t open in my app either, says file is either invalid or empty

[V]

The last attachment was an export from OS Maps browser on my PC. I was curious and looked at the XML inside the OS Maps created GPX and it looked messy. I assumed that OS Maps can read it that way as it creates it that way. I will try the gpx-to-text-to-gpx conversion to create a 'clean' structured GPX and delete the route from 'My Routes' before trying to import the filtered GPX back into OS Maps browser.

 

OS Maps had no problem importing my 'hacked' XML that I crafted from the gpsvisualizer.com text-to-GPX conversion. That version did not contain altitude data as I didn't have it in Garmin Basecamp.

 

I suspect Ordnance Survey want users to make their routes public in order to share them instead of using the GPX export facility. I guess the process of creating a universally importable GPX is as follows:

1. Draw the route in OS Maps and save it.
2. Export the route from OS Maps as a GPX.
3. Convert the GPX route to text on gpsvisualizer.com with all optional elements enabled.
4. Convert the text file to a sanitized GPX on gpsvisualizer.com.
5. Examine the sanitized GPX in a text editor.
6. Delete the route from OS Maps 'My Routes'
7. Import the sanitized GPX into OS Maps
8. Check the route in OS Maps

Sorry for problems, I'm still learning how to get the most out of using OS Maps. Thanks for the feedback.

[V]

I followed the process that I listed above and I have a GPX file that I can successfully import into (an empty) OS Maps browser and do a 3d fly-through on. It also has synchronised with my Lenovo Android tablet. The route is visible on my tablet and I think I am downloading the map for offline use, it is taking a while.

 

Llandrindod Wells OS Maps Sanitised.gpx

[V]

There is one large section that is currently TRO'd (Water Break its Neck Byway). I still need to work out how to make waypoint markers visible in OS Maps. In Garmin Basecamp I had a special route section with each end of the TRO marked with Unhappy Faces and the TRO route coloured with a black line so it was clearly visible.

Edited January 12, 2020 by V

[TimC]

Could be a bit of a glitch maybe with OS maps. I could see the file on my iPad in iOS and opening it automatically opened the OS app to save and annotate but the app would not save it. However downloading the file on my PC in Windows10 and importing it via the OS webpage opens it and saves straight away as I'd expect. Then if I go back to open the app on the iPad the route now shows in 'my routes' and opens normally ………..anyway works and looks good. Keep us posted for dates

I might even make a couple of days of it and camp out!

[Stu2985]

i have driven a lot of  the lanes around there and i ahve driven WBIN since beign repaired and the seasonal coming into affect.  Happy to pass on my knowledge if you let me know the route you are thinking of  i can also check trailwise