Where to in Wales?

[Supermofo]

For our group trip this year we are thinking of heading to Wales for a couple of days riding, I'd imagine travelling to Wales Fri, Sat/Sun ride outs and then head home Monday. Most of us will be coming from the SE and from what I've seen/read mid Wales might be a good location to enable us to maybe do a northern loop one day and maybe a coast/southern route the next. I'm just starting to look at routes but began with Chris Northover's rough route. Any recommendations on places to stay/visit/particular roads? All welcomed.

This was Chris's vids which both looked good.




I'm hoping to create some gpx routes to share around the group.

Will also look at RIDE as they usually have gpx routes.

[MyLittleStudPony]

I remember enjoying Llanberis Pass many years ago.

[Pirahna]

Channel Tunnel then head to the Ardennes for a couple of days.

https://www.ardennes.com/en/itineraries ... -ardennes/

[Bustaspoke]

3 years ago a couple of mates joined me on the following B roads route that I found in Ride magazine,we only got as far as Rhayader as we enjoyed the 'Mountain road' so much that when we got to Rhayader we turned around & did it in reverse.
If your mates are into fast A roads it's probably not the route for you but if you like fairly quiet,twisty B roads you might enjoy it,we did
Start; Lampeter head north to Devils Bridge on the B4343
Devils Bridge Take the 'Mountain road',B4574 through Cwmystwyth to Elan Valley & Rhayader.From Rhayader you can head north to Bala & Denbigh but we enjoyed it so much that we turned around & went back to Lampeter,then Aberaeron where we were camping.
From the South East, Rhayader could be a good base as it's pretty much mid-Wales.
This arch is on the Mountain Road,it's a bit of a landmark

[Dickyboy]

World enduro GP is being held in Rhayader 7th to 9th August so I'd avoid that weekend as it'll be rammed.

I find the best time to ride in Wales is during an unexpected lovely spring or autumn week day, otherwise it usually gets rammed these days, I'd been up to Snowdonia one spring & was showing my wife all the great empty roads I'd been riding but on Google street they were all chocker

[Supermofo]

if you like fairly quiet,twisty B roads you might enjoy it

This is exactly our thing. We mainly tour on b roads.

[Supermofo]

World enduro GP is being held in Rhayader 7th to 9th August so I'd avoid that weekend as it'll be rammed.

Looking June or 1st 2 weeks of July before kids break up. Or early Sept worse case.

[Dickyboy]

Looking June or 1st 2 weeks of July before kids break up. Or early Sept worse case.

Ah, only just clocked you were the OP, got friends near Rhayader so don't really know anywhere to stay myself as I always just rock up at theirs - how many of you are going and I'll ask them for recommendations - can recommend a couple of decent pubs too? I'm going up for the enduro GP & have already bagged going there for tour de France 2027

[Supermofo]

Looking June or 1st 2 weeks of July before kids break up. Or early Sept worse case.

Ah, only just clocked you were the OP, got friends near Rhayader so don't really know anywhere to stay myself as I always just rock up at theirs - how many of you are going and I'll ask them for recommendations - can recommend a couple of decent pubs too? I'm going up for the enduro GP & have already bagged going there for tour de France 2027

Thanks
Not 100% on numbers yet but likely 5-7

[gremlin]

Channel Tunnel then head to the Ardennes for a couple of days.

https://www.ardennes.com/en/itineraries ... -ardennes/

Yeah. Avoid that language barrier.

How are the Welsh roads in terms of likelihood of getting points? I've heard that the plod over there are quite enthusiastic.

[Dickyboy]

How are the Welsh roads in terms of likelihood of getting points? I've heard that the plod over there are quite enthusiastic.

Enthusiastic & stealthy by all accounts, but avoid the usual hot spots & keep it sensible through the villages should be okay, place was full of ageing adventure riders now though...

Forest Inn, on the A44 (LD8 2TN) is great for food - but doesn't look it.
Triangle Inn in Rhayader is good for food & looks like they do accommodation too - edit, scrap the accommodation, only 1 bedroom
Arvon Ale House in Llandrindrod Wells is a great watering hole

[gremlin]

place was full of ageing adventure riders now though...

Oi.

Oh, hang on. I'm an ex-old adventure rider.

[Beancounter]

Was in Wales for Easter with @Bigyin and a few others. We stayed in Bala at the Plas Coch Hotel. Basic best describes the accommodation, not a place to take the missus for a pleasant weekend away but good for 10 blokes just looking for bed, breakfast, beer and riding. It did have off-street parking for the bikes which was a bonus. Pub stayed open late for guests. Bala is well placed so that you can satellite out to where the weather is best. There's a pizzeria, bistro and curry house (bring your own booze) in Bala which all serve good food.

Crossgates is a bit further south and just on the A44/A483 junction but I can't remember the name of the B&B we stayed in - it was 20 years ago to be fair. Llandovery is another biker haven though I was camping/glamping at Erwlon Camping Park.

Day 1 we headed north/north-west to Llandudno and Bangor, taking in the Llanberis Pass. Lunch stop at Caffi Siabod just outside Capel Curig. Expect to ride through some alpaca shit.

Easter Tour day 1.jpg (161.93 KiB) Viewed 1169 times

Day 2 headed south to the Brecon Beacons. Lunch stop at the Ascona Cafe (Ascona Services) at Crossgates on the A44 with cake/coffee stop at the Owl's Nest Tea Room outside Llandovery.

Easter Tour day 2.jpg (219.3 KiB) Viewed 1169 times

Lots of good riding roads - the A483 Newtown to Builth Wells, the A470 Builth Wells/Llanidloes, B4518 Llanidloes towards Machynlleth, the A487 Machynlleth to Dolgellau, the A494 Dolgellau to Bala.

[Dodgy69]

Does depend on road type preference, but I can guarantee you'll enjoy the roads I did the other week, Mountain roads is where it's at.

Take your choice how you go through Brecon, black Mountain pass, Sarn Helen or maybe a quicker road, all good. At Llandovery either head for Llyn Brianne dam and reservoir heading north then connecting to the Abergwesyn pass and left to Tregaron, up to Devils Bridge, then Mountain Road to Rhayader. Stay at Ty Morgans and they have bike parking around the back. It's a cafe with rooms but good pubs around.
or
from Llandovery head north up 483 to Llanwrtyd Wells then left on the Abergwesyn pass taking in Devil's staircase. All great up there.

If you go to Llanidloes, take the 4518 towards Clywedog Reservoir ( might be diversion) then left signed Machynlleth, Forge road. Superb. Chippy opposite in Mach.

From Mach you could head for the coast at Aberdyfi and up or head to Mallwyd and the 470 over Dinas Mawddwy and head to Barmouth, I'd do the latter.

From Barmouth you could go up the coast to Blaenau Ffestiniog and get on the B4391, one of the best, quick and twisty with a great surface and head over to Bala.

These are some of Wales finest for sure.

[Dodgy69]

Channel Tunnel then head to the Ardennes for a couple of days.

https://www.ardennes.com/en/itineraries ... -ardennes/

Yeah. Avoid that language barrier.

How are the Welsh roads in terms of likelihood of getting points? I've heard that the plod over there are quite enthusiastic.

Ime, plod hang out on the quick bits, fast straights on A roads. B road twisties never had a problem, good point though.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The A470 is very good, but you need to be out early to avoid the traffic.
Avoid the Lamb and Flag in Rhayader - it was a bit shit when I stayed there, and fucking cold.

[Supermofo]

The A470 is very good, but you need to be out early to avoid the traffic.
Avoid the Lamb and Flag in Rhayader - it was a bit shit when I stayed there, and fucking cold.

Sadly, early mornings isn't a thing with this group. If I had my way I'd be out by 9 latest, 8 or earlier ideally, but it's not happening so it's all good

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The A470 is very good, but you need to be out early to avoid the traffic.
Avoid the Lamb and Flag in Rhayader - it was a bit shit when I stayed there, and fucking cold.

Sadly, early mornings isn't a thing with this group. If I had my way I'd be out by 9 latest, 8 or earlier ideally, but it's not happening so it's all good

I'm a dawn patroller, my neighbours all think I'm great, who doesn't love the sound of a 1000cc inline 4 at 6 in the morning on a weekend, at least I haven't got a race pipe on it.

[ZRX61]

What ever that road is that runs North/South up the middle used to be hooligan central back in the day. Wasn't so much a ride as a qualifying session.

[Supermofo]

Playing around with easy accommodation we can get a Prem Inn in Abergavenny which looks close to Brecon and then looking at all your comments above/RIDE route it looks like that should be ok to use a base for rides outs to Lampeter, Devils Bridge,Rhayader, the coast etc? Would rather somewhere central but then Abergavenny is on the A40 for home and Prem Inns work well for say 5 rooms.