A48 from Cardiff to Bridgend?

[Welsh wheels]

Does anyone know what the A48 from Culverhouse cross to Bridgend is like to cycle? It's the most direct non-motorway road to the coast but it seems to be dual-carriageway for some way. Has anyone done this road?

 

[Racing roadkill]

I rode on it briefly last year. It's not the worst A road I've ridden on, but there are better ways of doing that route.

 

[Welsh wheels]

I rode on it briefly last year. It's not the worst A road I've ridden on, but there are better ways of doing that route.

Yeah, there are definitely quieter roads but the advantage of the A48 is that you don't really have to plan your route, you can just stay on that road. Which is useful if you don't have a garmin or similar.

 

[mjr]

If you want an unplanned route, heading up Old Port Road / St Lythans Road (with one turn) until you hit Sustrans NCN 88 / 888 to Bridgend doesn't look too crazy and the recently-updated photographs makes me think it might have been signposted recently. I'd still keep a list of place names to pass through, just in case, though.

That would be 4 miles longer than riding the A48. If you're starting from central Cardiff, http://cycle.st/j56583551 suggests a back road "balanced" route which would add about 2 miles to the A48 route (shown as "fastest"), but yes, it looks as though an audax-style route card would be needed. It's rather irritating such routes aren't signposted.