Where would you recommend cycling in Wales?

[User16625]

and of course as has been said the Mach loop. Also coed-y-brenin is a great place if you want to do some mountain biking. .

The Mach Loop?

Anyway I'm from south Wales but I recommend the north. Been going there for years by motorcycle but have lost interest due to speed cameras and more bastard cars. Recently done some cycling (rented) around Llanberys. Done the Llanberis pass many times but earlier this year it was a first for me to do it by push bike. ****ing breathtaking! Even better pedalling than by 1000cc motors.

Theres also a MTB trail next to Betws y Coed which I thoroughly enjoyed. Its also where I had my best accident. 2 paid weeks off work with a toe fracture and I could still drink beer! (altho not much else).

 

[User16625]

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[welsh dragon]

The Mach Loop?

Anyway I'm from south Wales but I recommend the north. Been going there for years by motorcycle but have lost interest due to speed cameras and more bastard cars. Recently done some cycling (rented) around Llanberys. Done the Llanberis pass many times but earlier this year it was a first for me to do it by push bike. ****ing breathtaking! Even better pedalling than by 1000cc motors.

Theres also a MTB trail next to Betws y Coed which I thoroughly enjoyed. Its also where I had my best accident. 2 paid weeks off work with a toe fracture and I could still drink beer! (altho not much else).

The Mach loop can be part of a much longer ride. It can be incorporated into the Llanidloes loop, and you can also go from Mach up to Barmouth and beyond depending on the distance you want to ride.

 

[John Peel]

The whole coastline from Llandudno to Talacre. It's really beautiful and there is a path for almost all of it right along the seafront, with a few very small exceptions. Cafe's and loads of places to eat too.

 

[Donger]

Everyone has their favourites! It's hard to go too far wrong in Wales if you enjoy climbing.

One thing I would say is don't automatically dismiss the Valleys of South Wales. You don't have to spend a complete day there - you can easily make a foray from the Brecon Beacons, as in this loop from Sennybridge which includes a bit of everything:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26601404

As you prepare to sweep down to Treorchy in the Rhondda Valley you'll be rewarded with this (seen in a 1987 photo I've posted before):

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Looks familiar -Reminds me of a terrific day out with @Banjo (my Welsh Passepartout) in 2016, when we followed up the Bwllch with the Rhigos on a 40 mile anti-clockwise loop out of Bridgend. What a great descent that was into Treorchy:

The Elan Valley near Rhayader takes some beating.

Yep. Takes some beating, Banjo. I also loved that ride we did together last year over the Newport transporter bridge and past Usk, then up the Tumble and back via Pontypool and Caerleon. Both of those rides are among my favourite rides ever.

 

[suzeworld]

I wonder if I can slightly hi-jack this thread to ask you Welsh experts for some route guidance.

My wife wants to cycle from Porthmadog to Swansea soon.
We know lots of routes around N Wales / Snowdonia but kicking off to go SE across the whole country offers almost too much choice! She can climb anything but will be doing it in a single day, so continuous climbing isn’t favourite. (She just did Chester to Dorchester in two days! )

She doesn’t mind using sustrans trail if that’s a good option.
What’s your suggestion?
Thanks.

 

[Ajax Bay]

My wife wants to cycle from Porthmadog to Swansea soon.
(She just did Chester to Dorchester in two days! )

Share her route from Chester to Dorchester and that'll give us an idea of what sort of riding/roads are her style of long distance riding. This gives options/suggestions:
https://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/64598286/
I would go down the coast to start with, through Harlech, across Barmouth bridge, round by Tywyn (again cycle path bridge), back road east to Machynlleth, A487 and divert through Borth to Aber (short cuts available) before striking off inland south to Tregaron (A485), back road down the Teifi valley and up and over to to Llandeilo, A476 and then minor roads via Pontarddulais and Gorseinon to the 'neck of the Gower', and turn east to Abertawe. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29434740?beta=false
Another longer option after Aber is: Devil's Bridge and over the Elan 'mountain' road to Rhayader, A470 to Builth and the Upper Chapel road (B4520) to Brecon. A470 and then SW after Libanus to the A4067, past Dan yr Ogof caves, and down the Tawe valley to 'Abertawe' - NCN 43 could take her all the way.
This [Edit: route plot] took me 6 minutes.

 

[suzeworld]

Fab.
I will show her these suggestions
I dont think she logged her last long ride anywhere for an easy look, but I will ask her.

I don’t know what you mean by “this took me 6 minutes”?

 

[Ajax Bay]

This took me 6 minutes to plot on RwGPS (drawing on rides covering some of these roads).
Her ride doesn't have to have been 'logged'. She/you could recreate the route (on RwGPS or other application) - assumes she knows where she went, of course.

 

[suzeworld]

I see.
She still isn’t home yet.

 

[suzeworld]

I could show you her record of the Dorchester route. She planned it with paper maps wrote it our on a few card strips that she tied onto her cross bar. Very old school.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Yes - an image of those cards would be fine.

 

[suzeworld]

Hello again - first time me n missis have been home alone with time to do something "not the routine"! She works long hours, but has time off now

These websites are amazing. Thanks so much for taking the time to do that.
Her cardboard things for her Dorchester ride wont photo very well - partly cos its brown card then she had a major nosebleed on some of it!
We are going to have a go at plotting her last long route.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

https://cycle.travel/route/lon_las_cymru

 

[berty bassett]

https://cycle.travel/route/lon_las_cymru

I done that route a couple of weeks ago - believe me it’s hilly ! Route 8 isn’t bad at all really. Using old railway lines now tarmaced over . Instead of Cardiff I went to Chepstow on route 42 - that was tough
Very small roads but some proper climbs
Can put link to gpx if you want