Where to Ride: Wales

Best known for its profusion of mountain biking centres, Wales has so much more to offer including iconic road rides and a well developed network of traffic free trails. A prime holiday destination for many families, why not add bikes into the equation and enjoy Wales from a whole new perspective?

Wales has a fine selection of traffic free routes including The Taff Trail in Cardiff and the spectacular Mawddach Trail near Barmouth. Wales is also blessed with a number of well signposted long distance cycling routes, including the Celtic Trail which straddles the country from Pembrokeshire to the English border and Lon Las Cymru, which runs the length of Wales from Cardiff to Holyhead in Anglesey. Sustrans Wales has an excellent resource of route information here.

If you're into mountain biking, you're spoilt for choice in Wales, with world-renowned MTB destinations such as Coed y Brenin near Betws y Coed, Afan Argoed in South Wales and Coed Llandegla in North Wales. The welsh trail centres are one-stop-shops for Mountain Biking, with graded trails for all abilities, bike hire, cafes and bike wash facilities. MBWales is perhaps the best place to start planning your mountain biking trip.

Ride Ideas

MTB: Brechfa Trails: Three trails graded from green for families through to black for experts, situated in Mid Wales just 10 miles north east of Carmarthen.
LEISURE: Lake Vyrnwy: Lake Vyrnwy is the best kept secret in mid Wales. A nineteenth century reservoir nestling between two of Wales' most celebrated cycling climbs, the Bwlch y Groes and the Hirnant Pass, the lake has an almost Tyrolean quality, with its mountainous location and ornate pumping station.
LEISURE: Taff Trail: Wide variety of urban and suburban landscapes. On and off-road trails.
LEISURE: Millennium Coastal Path: Great views over the Gower for families to escape traffic-filled roads. Flat, partially tarmaced terrain. Ideal for families and small children.
LEISURE: Mawddach Trail: The Mawddach trail must be one of the best short cycle rides in Wales combining spectacular mountain and coastal scenery with a totally unspoilt estuary trail.  Follows old Barmouth to Ruabon railway track.
LEISURE: Saundersfoot (Carew Castle):  Great network of country roads, dozens of beaches, incredible coastline, prehistoric monuments and medieval castles. Fairly flat with occassional hills.
LEISURE: The Hallelujah Trail: Hilly but lots of quiet roads and bike paths. Huge local investment in local cycle routes. Keep your eyes peeled for the llamas roaming the Llangeitho road as you descend into the quaint village of Capel Betws Lleucu. Quite surreal!
LEISURE: Elen Valley Trail: If you have never cycled off-road before, here's the place to start! Great for families - it takes you along the side of three 100 year old reservoirs. Relatively flat route that's good for families.
ROAD: Llyn Peninsula: Being a peninsula, the road here is noticeably quieter without any 'through traffic' which means you can cycle along the lanes for miles with only the cows to whizz past! Fairly easy but beautiful ride.
MTB: Machynlleth: A variety of off-road trails set in stunning scenery, near Wales' ancient capital. Various trails ranging from easy mountain biking to very challenging. Mostly off road forest tracks with some sections in the town.
MTB: Coed Trallwm: Family-run fun at this dedicated mountain biking centre. Three trails on forest tracks. The blue trail is the easiest and has the least height gain, but care is needed in wet weather, and there is a stream crossing. The centre is totally focussed on mountain bikers and has every facility you could want for the perfect MTB break.
MTB: Afan Forest Park: Close to the big population centres of Swansea, Cardiff and Bristol, with four man-made trails to choose from, Afan is number one MTB destination in South Wales.
MTB: Coed Llandegla: Excellent IMBA award winning trail centre, an hour away from Liverpool, Manchester and the Midlands with everything you need onsite.
MTB: Coed y Brenin: The undisputed epicentre of Welsh MTB centres, with routes for everyone.  Coed Y Brenin is located in Snowdonia National Park, near the towns of Dolgellau and Bala
MTB: Gwydyr Forest: Sporting the seminal Marin trail and close to outdoor capital of Snowdonia, Betws-Y-Coed.
MTB: Llanwrtyd Wells: Top trails, MTB friendly to the core and bog snorkelling championships make Llanwrtyd Wells a unique mountain biking destination.
MTB: Nant Yr Arian: A choice of three challenging wilderness trails at 9km, 15km and 35km. Though the trails are windswept and exposed in places, you'll be rewarded with a true wilderness experience, quite different from the lower-level forest routes.