Barry Sidings cafe and visitor centre

The ride down the Rhondda was pretty straight forward, using mostly riverside and old railway paths. A few sections are a little muddy, or gravelly, but nothing particularly technical.

Heading down into the heart of the vallyes, slag heaps (spoil tips from the region's numerous coal mines) dominated many of the hill tops. This was a strange, thought provoking contrast to the windfarm. The south Wales coal field, with its high quality anthracite, powered much of the industrial revolution, not to mention the great battle fleets of Royal Navy. There doesn't seem to be an easily obtainable figure for just how much; my estimate (based on a proportion of UK wide output) is that about 3 billion tonnes were extracted since the mid 1800s (which would account for around 8 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions when burned).

In many ways, Wales has already been through a seismic change in moving away from unsustainable practices, similar to that now facing the rest of globe. The end of mineral extraction and most heavy industry in the region has left significant economic and social challenges; it has at least left behind some beautiful industrial archeology and some wonderful infrastructure for sustainable tourism. like the old mineral railways, turned paths.

Clearly there is a long way to go on the evironmental, economic and wider social challenges from decarbonisation, and industrial/imperial hisotory. The jucstapositons of nature, sustainable transport and industrial history on this trip leave me feeling hopeful that positive change is possible.

Soon the Rhondda Fach met the Rhondda Fawr, to form main run of the river. About half way from the confluence to where the Rhondda meets the Taff, we stopped for our final break at Bary sidings cafe.

When I walked in for coffe, they were playing the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations' , and had a bicycle artistically installed as part of their signage. A lovely spot to stop on a cycling trip.Read more