Rides around Gower and Swansea area
- Thread starter PeteXXX
- Start date
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- Location
- London
I'd encourage him to play around with routes on cycle-travel - its particularly good for circular routes - you can see all the climbing/altitude info.
Thanks @Blue Hills I routed this from memory Ridewithgps
It's a bit short but would be OK for an early morning ride, I think.
It's a bit short but would be OK for an early morning ride, I think.
- Location
- London
Don't know the area for cycling (last there I was in a big car) so can't comment on that route
https://cycle.travel/map
for anyone interested.
I use it a lot for circular routes in the NW - very easy to select a start and finish, then ask for circular route, then twiddle with it.
https://cycle.travel/map
for anyone interested.
I use it a lot for circular routes in the NW - very easy to select a start and finish, then ask for circular route, then twiddle with it.
That's my home turf - ask me anything!
Nowt wrong with the loop you've suggested, but personally I don't like the South Gower road between Parkmill and Llandewi, especially on a weekend, unless s/he is keen to visit one of the beaches on the south of the peninsula, or get to Worm's Head for the view (both of which are worth doing). South Gower is lovely if you don't mind going down dead ends to the beach and then climbing back up again - if not the best riding leans to the North. In order to include a couple of really special roads you need to do a figure of eight rather than a loop. Something like this, assuming the same start. There's only one tough climb on it - Cefn Stylle - plus a bit of a short sharp shock over the top from Llanmadoc. If your pal likes to make life hard for him/herself, you could replace the flat section through Penclawdd with the bit of your route that goes up from Crofty through Blue Anchor, go down Cefn Stylle (it's lovely as a descent), and if you were a real glutton for punishment go back up Cae Mansel Road from Gowerton. But personally I am never climbing up Hermon Lane from Crofty again, unless it's on an mtb. Conversely, to make it easier, miss out the Cefn Stylle climb and pick up the bike path at Gowerton, which is the old railway track that runs all the way back to Blackpill.
Nowt wrong with the loop you've suggested, but personally I don't like the South Gower road between Parkmill and Llandewi, especially on a weekend, unless s/he is keen to visit one of the beaches on the south of the peninsula, or get to Worm's Head for the view (both of which are worth doing). South Gower is lovely if you don't mind going down dead ends to the beach and then climbing back up again - if not the best riding leans to the North. In order to include a couple of really special roads you need to do a figure of eight rather than a loop. Something like this, assuming the same start. There's only one tough climb on it - Cefn Stylle - plus a bit of a short sharp shock over the top from Llanmadoc. If your pal likes to make life hard for him/herself, you could replace the flat section through Penclawdd with the bit of your route that goes up from Crofty through Blue Anchor, go down Cefn Stylle (it's lovely as a descent), and if you were a real glutton for punishment go back up Cae Mansel Road from Gowerton. But personally I am never climbing up Hermon Lane from Crofty again, unless it's on an mtb. Conversely, to make it easier, miss out the Cefn Stylle climb and pick up the bike path at Gowerton, which is the old railway track that runs all the way back to Blackpill.
Eric Olthwaite
Guest
My advice to your friend would be to get up early in the morning, cycle as far as humanly possible away from Swansea, and stay there.
He's from the south of Brazil (but lives here in the UK) .. Is that far enough 😂
I reckon so. There are a few rustic surfaces in some of the lanes up over Blue Anchor but it's all part of the mix. A few notes:
At the start (and finish) I'd definitely use the B4290 Jersey Marine Rd instead of the bike path by the M4, which is grotty and depressing. And at the roundabout at the end of it, the easiest thing to do is to hop across the pavement and take the road (Fford Amazon) which goes round the back of Amazon and the field hospital - this cuts out the worst of the rest of the continuing grotty bike path, which isn't too bad when you rejoin it, a few silly wiggly bits notwithstanding.
At Quay Parade at 10.9km (or earlier on the bridge at 10.2), get on the road - there's a huge development underway that wipes out the bike path. He gets to go under the horrible new beige bridge (it's supposed to be gold) that looks like the inside of a Crunchie bar. The pattern in it is supposed to be swans... I'd rejoin the bike path at 12.2km where it's just a straightforward hop up the dropped kerb. It's fine then all the way to Mumbles - there's no need for the diversion marked at 14.6.
Gower section all looks good, except I'd stay on the main road where you have the little diversion via Church Lane at 27km - it's pretty but swaps a nice swoopy fast dip for a little ford followed by a bastard climb. Fine if he really does like punishing himself with gratuitous hills tho.
The section from 82.8 is a bit of a weird no-man's land but you're going to hit some of that one way or another so no problem. Middle Rd is a good call for avoiding the horrible Carmarthen Rd. The picturesque stuff is all over by this point but that's Swansea for you. New Cut Road is ugly but you can hurtle down it fast enough not to notice...
Postscript, and nowt to do with Gower, but for someone who likes climbing he's starting at quite a good spot for a ride in the other direction - via Neath Abbey and Cimla over the Bwlch to Treorchy, up the Rhigos and then back down the Neath Valley...
Many thanks for this, @theclaud Very kind of you. I'll sort the sections you mention, especially the bike path at the start.
He's way too fit so a few extra climbs will not be a problem.
We've done some tough MTB rides together in the past including Mt Snowdon and the Peak District but I can't do stuff like that anymore, sadly..
He's way too fit so a few extra climbs will not be a problem.
We've done some tough MTB rides together in the past including Mt Snowdon and the Peak District but I can't do stuff like that anymore, sadly..
@theclaud Is this a decent Road bike route, please? Neath Abbey Bwlch etc
I don't know this area at all (apart from the M4!)
I don't know this area at all (apart from the M4!)
Yep looks good. I would simplify the route through Neath. It's a dire traffic system in the centre and Neath is not a highlight to be lingered over and savoured. The main road up through Cimla is quite a climb and can be a little busy but it's one of those nice optimal gradients with a good surface, and is wide enough for traffic to pass easily - I don't think it needs dodging.
Other than that the only question is whether to take the road (A4107) or the bike path out of Pontrhydyfen up to Abergwynfi. There's nothing wrong with the path except faffing at the few villages, and the bottom end of it is pleasantly wooded, but for me if you are on a road bike and confident with moderate traffic the road suits the scale and rhythm of the route better, and I enjoy the way it scoops through the village of Cymer.
It's not necessary to point out the viewpoints to stop at on the two mountains as they are obvious! I think sadly Carpanini's Cardiff Arms Cafe in Treorchy might now be closed - classic Valleys Italian with amazing 60s decor. But there are plenty of places to get food in the main drag, or with a detour into Ton Pentre he could have fish n chips from A Fish Called Rhondda! On the descent from Rhigos the pit on the left is Tower Colliery.
