Until recently, I believed that Steven Seagal’s films were fantastic. He was never flustered, had ninja skills and an awesome ponytail… the perfect action man. Unfortunately, this was based on the memories of a teenage boy watching on a crackly TV set in the back bedroom. Now, many years later, I have rewatched those films and realised that they are utterly, utterly terrible. Except Under Siege. Point being, your mind can play tricks on you.
Holding that thought, I’m aware that my memories of the Doethie Valley might also be skewed. In my head, seven kilometres of immaculate singletrack snake down a wild Welsh valley. Red Kites play overhead, a beautifully clear river burbles below and the rolling hills are totally deserted. The only sounds are those of my tyres as I sweep round another perfect corner.