Is there any easy cycle touring in Wales?

[TwoInTow]

I'd like to do a tour with my son (12, like me not very fit, but does love cycling!). Ideally we would do about 200-300 miles, and as we live in Cheltenham and have not seen anything of Wales yet, I thought that would be nice - but perhaps flying in the face of the actual terrain! Something easy to moderate would be ideal. With just the two of us, I think we would probably do B&Bs, although we could camp if there were lots of campsites close together (since we rarely do more than 40 miles a day).

If not Wales, any other suggestions? I don't mind getting on a train at the beginning and end, but if we are taking camping kit then I'd much prefer it if there is a direct train as changes can be a hassle fully loaded and being the only adult. This would probably be at the beginning of July. Would love some suggestions!

 

[Muddyfox]

Send Banjo or Lukesdad a PM .. one of them will be able to help you out

Simon

 

[Crankarm]

If you like hills, yes. If you don't, try the New Forest or Holland.

 

[Crackle]

I did Anglesey last summer with my two lads, both older. A trip around the island would be about a 100 and there are NCN routes to it and off it. For the Anglesey bit, I did a write up which may or may not be of any use. You can go onto Chester from Anglesey or there's an NCN5 to Anglesey as well. You could make it into a 300 mile tour, using trains for beginning and end if there's just two of you.

 

[bikepacker]

If you are going into Wales you will have to meet hills somewhere along any route. A route I take from Worcester for an few days ride which I don’t find too strenuous is: Ledbury, Hereford, Hay on Wye, follow river to Builth then onto Rhyader. From there I go over to Aberdovey and up the coast to Harlech before heading back via Bala, Welshpool and Craven Arms.

 

[ufkacbln]

To be quite honest the Celtic Trail is flat from Chepstow to Newport and the low level route is hilly but not unmanageable

Also has frequent stations on route to allow return or an escape route

Also lots of interesting churches, and other features to keep you amused and entertained

 

[Cycleops]

How about East Anglia? Very flat but fairly featureless.

 

[TwoInTow]

OK, I looked up bikepacker's route through Wales (thank you!), and started playing around with it. (The train connections are ideal.) I ended up with a route starting in the north (Bangor) and going down to Newport. Thought this was a great idea and then after about two hours of clicking realised that about 80% of it was the Lon Las Cymru route, which is one of the hardest around according to reviews I've read! I'm not sure if I made it slightly easier by plotting a route that says on the coast for longer, and some of the A-roads looked a little narrow and daunting, so I was toying with a train for some stretches. (I am not a purist.) When I realised what I had done, I started to dismiss the idea, but now that I've been reading up on it, everyone's reviews of it are so enthusiastic that I'm toying with whether we should go for it. Until now, Boy has been held back by the pace of his younger sister on tours, and has chafed a bit. Perhaps it's time to rev it up, get both of us fit for once - I am sure I will be the dead weight! If we did that route, I think we would do Tour-Lite, and probably not camp, which would ease the burden a bit.

East Anglia - is it pretty?

Another thought - I have never spent any time in Scotland, and have heard of the beauties of the west. Was thinking maybe Edinburgh to Glasgow and then some island-hopping. I know midges are supposed to ruin all the fun, but I read some journals on CGOAB and none of them even mentioned them, so perhaps... I'd like to do something quite scenic and a bit special, as it's not often I get time with Boy all to myself.

 

[ufkacbln]

Following the canals from Edinburgh to Glasgow along the Sustrans routes is fairly simple and straight forward.

Slightly OT (And there are arguments for and against Sustrans routes) there is an excellent site called Cycle-n-sleep that lists many of the main routes with details and elevation profiles

 

[Tigerbiten]

When plotting a route I tend to use Bikehike. -> http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php
You can switch from google map to the OSMcycle map which is both colour shaded for contours and shows Sustrans routes.
The other panel can show either the OS map or heights or gradients.
This comes in handy when plotting routes as you can see the max slope or where the long climbs are.

One idea.
Get the train to Chester and cycle home ..........
NCR 45 will take you most of the way home and is reasonably flat.
If you go more west, NCR 44 or 81, it will get more lumpy.
Actually Chester -> 45 -> 81 -> 8 -> Hay on Wye -> Home looks not to bad. Just over 240 miles and 12k feet climbing.

 

[bikepacker]

NCR 45 will take you most of the way home and is reasonably flat.
.

Take it all the way to Tewkesbury and as you pass Stonehall Common you can pop in for a coffee.

 

[Morris]

Last year I cycled with my grandson (12) from La Rochelle to Caen (Normandy beaches), about 250mls fairly flat with lots of campsites. Took easy jet flight to La Rochelle (bikes in CTC bags, one bag with tents etc in and carried as much hand luggage as possible) then ferry back to Portsmouth and train home. It went well early booking makes it cheaper.

 

[Crankarm]

How about East Anglia? Very flat but fairly featureless.

Oi!

 

[Cycleops]

Oi!

Knew I'd upset somebody with that!

 

[HelenD123]

Another thought - I have never spent any time in Scotland, and have heard of the beauties of the west. Was thinking maybe Edinburgh to Glasgow and then some island-hopping. I know midges are supposed to ruin all the fun, but I read some journals on CGOAB and none of them even mentioned them, so perhaps... I'd like to do something quite scenic and a bit special, as it's not often I get time with Boy all to myself.

I did the Loch and Glens north last year from Glasgow to Inverness and thoroughly enjoyed it. That was in April though pre-midge season. It's 217 miles so the sort of length you're looking for. The terrain is hilly enough to give you a bit of a challenge at times but much easier than some bits of Wales.