Self-Guided Bike Tours - Wales

The Iron Donkey self-guided Wales tours are built around the route network illustrated below. The overall network is a loop that starts and finishes in Cardiff, consisting of a series of linear routes* (A,C,E,G,I,K) and a series of circular routes (B,D,F,H,J). Routes L and M are linear routes that shorten the overall loop.

You can choose any combination of routes that starts and finishes in Cardiff.

Go here for a more detailed description of the individual routes.

Self-Guided Itineraries

Suggested itineraries, ranging from 7 nights to 12 nights include:

• Heart of Wales (7 or 8* nights)
  Cardiff – Brecon –Brecon – Hay – Hay – Monmouth - (Monmouth)* - Cardiff
  
  
• Heart of Wales (9 or 10* nights)
  Cardiff – Brecon –Brecon – Rhayader – Rhayader - Hay – Hay – Monmouth – (Monmouth)* – Cardiff
  
  
• Heart of Wales (11 or 12* nights)
  Cardiff – Brecon –Brecon – Rhayader – Rhayader – Knighton – Knighton - Hay – Hay – Monmouth – (Monmouth)* – Cardiff
  

It is possible to take a train between Cardiff and Knighton, so other possible 7 night itineraries include:

• Cardiff – Brecon –Brecon – Rhayader – Rhayader – Knighton – Knighton
  
  
• Knighton – Knighton - Hay – Hay – Monmouth – Monmouth – Cardiff

Choosing an Iron Donkey Wales itinerary

1. Decide how many days/nights you wish to include in your tour
2. Read the descriptions of the individual routes
3. Work out the itinerary that most closely matches your number of days/ nights and preferred routes
4. Make an availability enquiry, specifying your preferred itinerary and dates

If you have questions about any Iron Donkey tour, please don’t hesitate to email us or ask us to contact you by phone. We are very happy to respond to any questions that you may have.

The cost of your self-guided Wales tour

The price of your basic tour (to include accommodation, breakfast, maps, cue sheets and written directions, initial briefing and bike /equipment fitting, pre-trip planner and emergency backup etc) depends upon the number of nights. Single accommodation supplements (for solo riders) are also payable per night.

Bicycle rental (optional) charges depend upon the duration of your tour.

Luggage transfer charges (optional) depend upon the number of transfers and upon the number of riders in your group. If you choose to have luggage transfers, they are required on those days when you are riding linear routes. For example, on the Heart of Wales 7 or 8 night itinerary outlined above, a total of 4 luggage transfers are needed:

1. Cardiff to Brecon
2. Brecon to Hay-on-Wye
3. Hay-on-Wye to Monmouth
4. Monmouth to Cardiff

The cost of each luggage transfer is divided between the riders, with a small supplemental charge per rider.

Routes

• Route A – Cardiff to Brecon

This is a ride of contrasts. The first section cuts its way north through the Taff Valley. This was one of the heartlands of coal and iron production in South Wales for almost 200 years though . The latter part of the route introduces the beautiful scenery of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

From the centre of Cardiff the route passes through urban parkland, passing the fairytale-like Castell Coch on the way to Pontypridd, home to Glamorgan University. North of the town, the route stays above the Taff valley, passing through old mining communities, including Aberfan – scene of a disaster in 1966 when a spoil heap slipped down the mountainside and engulfed the village primary school. North of Aberfan is Merthyr Tydfil, once the heart of the industrial revolution in Wales. From Merthyr the route follows a traffic-free railway path north into the Brecon Beacons National Park. There is a steady climb followed by a wonderful 5 mile descent to the Tallybont Reservoir and Tallybont village. Country lanes are followed from here through pretty Llanfrynach and Pencelli to the town of Brecon. There is a sense of timelessness about Brecon that you will experience as you wander through the narrow streets and passageways lined with Georgian and Jacobean shop fronts. Brecon remains first and foremost a traditional Mid Wales market town - as you will see on any Tuesday or Friday!

The Taff Valley Railway line that runs from Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil stops at several intermediate stations along the way. This makes it possible to shorten the route by taking a train ride for part (or all) of the section from Cardiff to Merthyr.

• Route B – Brecon Loop

The Brecon Beacons National Park has sweeping mountains, lush green open-lands and moor land interlaced with a unique history, geology, flora and fauna. To the south at Ystradfellte there are spectacular waterfalls over the limestone landscape, wooded gorges and some of the best, and deepest caves in Britain.

This loop ride tour around the National Park takes in mountains, woodland, caves and waterfalls. From the start in Brecon you follow the River Usk westwards on quiet undulating lanes passing the old Roman Fort at Y Gaer before reaching the village of Sennybridge. Here you cross over the river and turn south, climbing on minor country backroads to Cray Reservoir. An out-and-back extension form here leads to the National Showcaves of Wales and the spectacular Henrhyd Waterfall.

From Cray reservoir, there is a short climb followed by a long thrilling descent along Mynyd Illtyd (a Roman road) back to Brecon. There are glorious views of the Brecon Beacons all along this stretch.

• Route C – Brecon to Rhayder

(The first section of the route to Builth Wells is also the fist section of Route L).

Riding north out of the town you pass Brecon Cathedral en route to the village of Upper Chapel. Here you turn west to ride over Mynydd Eppynt with wonderful views over the surrounding mountains. This area is also used as an army firing range – if there is firing you may have to wait for up to 15 minutes before proceeding! Dropping down, you can choose to ride a loop extension that takes you to lovely Llanwrtyd Wells and Twyi Forest, before continuing on the core route east along the valley of the River Irfon into the old spa town of Builth Wells – and a welcome lunch stop. From Builth Wells you continue north following the Wye Valley on quiet lanes through lush countryside. There is a short off road section between Newbridge and Rhayader, your destination town. Rhayader lies in the very heart of Wales, halfway between the Snowdonia mountain range and the Brecon Beacons. Set some 700ft above sea level in the beautiful Upper Wye Valley, Rhayader is cupped by hills rising to over 1500feet. During the Middle Ages the area around the town was important for the export of wool to Europe. Rhayader is the first town on the River Wye, lying just 20 miles from its source on the Plynlimon range to the north (Welsh spelling - Pumlumon). Nowadays it is best known as the gateway to the spectacular beauties of the flooded Elan Valley.

• Route D – Rhayader Loop

Set within 70 square miles of beautiful rolling hills, the Elan Valley National Nature Reserve is a magnificent succession of reservoirs and dams that form Wales’s ‘Lake District’.

At the turn of the 19th century the Elan River west of Rhayader was dammed to provide water for the ever-increasing populations of the English cities of the Midlands. It was a mammoth project employing some 50,000 people to build three dams up to 190 high. In 1952 a fourth dam was built and in total the Elan Valley’s dams hold over 21 billion gallons of water. Villages in the valley were cleared with 100 people losing their homes - a fact that still today evokes resentment in certain quarters.

Today the Elan Valley is one of the country’s most important ecological centres and a haven for bird life - particularly the magnificent red kite that can be seen soaring high through the valleys. The magnificent valley, once one of the remotest parts of Wales is still relatively undiscovered.

Your ride is a fantastic circular route from Rhayader taking you to Elan Village, now the area’s visitor centre, and then on around the huge expanses of lakes and dams with their impressive baroque style towers before returning to Rhayader. The Elan Valley Visitors Centre beside the Caban Coch Dam describes the construction of the lakes as well as the valley’s own natural history. Elan Village, beside the centre, is a model workers’ village built during the 1900’s to house the waterworks staff.

An extension ride takes you further west on the Aberystwyth mountain road.

• Route E – Rhayader to Knighton

The first section of the route (as far as Abbey-cwm-hir) is also the first section of Route M.

The route largely follows very minor country lanes, passing through woodlands and valleys and over sheep-dotted moorlands. For the most part you follow a section of the undulating “Raglan Ring” – a spectacular signed circular route that forms part of the National Cycle Network and passes through some of Mid-Wales’s most spectacular scenery. On this route there are a series of off-road alternatives to several of the standard on-road sections.

Shortly after the start of the ride you come to remains of Abbey-cwm-hir – The Abbey of the Long Valley – a building that once rivaled those at Durham, Winchester and York. At Llanbister Road you meet the beautiful Heart of Wales railway line which is then followed through lovely countryside to Knucklas, where you can admire the 13 arches of the fine railway viaduct. Snugly tucked away in the narrow valley of the River Teme, the market town of Knighton sits astride Offa’s Dyke – a huge earthwork built in the 8th century by Offa, King of Mercia, to defend Saxon Mercia from raids by Celtic Cymru. The town is overlooked by Caer Caradoc, a hill topped by the substantial remains of an Iron Age hill fort. The fort is linked in legend to Caractacus, a Celtic prince who resisted the Roman occupation.

• Route F – Knighton to Knighton

This loop route joins Knighton and Presteigne, following the Rivers Teme and Lugg and passing a series of castles, battle sites and historic houses along the way. Leaving Knighton to the south west, the highest point on the route on the top of Bailey Hill is reached early into the ride. There are fantastic views from here and on the descent to the village of Llangunllo, situated on one of the ancient drovers’ routes leading from Wales to England. Impressive Scots Pines line the ancient pathway. South of Llangunllo is Monaughty, a grand Elizabethan house which was once the largest house in Radnorshire. The town of Presteigne is just about the half way point on the loop and offers several excellent lunch and refreshment options. In the town you can visit the imposing Judges Lodging, described as being at one time the most commodious and elegant apartments for a judge in all of England and Wales. St Andrew’s Church is home to a superb 16th Century Flemish tapestry. The village of Pilleth was the setting for Owain Glyndwr’s over the army of Henry IV, while Brampton Bryan is the site of a famous siege in the Civil War. Crossing the River Teme you arrive at Bucknell from where there is a gentle end to the ride as you follow the river back to Knighton.

• Route G – Knighton to Hay-on-Wye

Heading south from Knighton, you again pick up a section of the Radnor Ring National National Cycle Network route. There is a fairly strenuous start to the day with a climb up to Offas Dyke along the border between England and Wales. You then follow the dyke south, passing the Powys County Observatory before dropping down through sheep-dotted fields to Presteigne. From Presteigne there is an easy ride through lush, gently undulating countryside to Kington - the obvious lunch stop on the route. Hergest Croft Gardens on the outskirts of the town comprise 50 acres of fine parkland created over a period of 100 years. To the south of the town is the Small Breeds Farm Park and Owl Centre. The gentle prior to Kington is the prelude to a series of challenging climbs and steep descents through magnificent countrysidee en route to Hay-on-Wye. Book-lovers from all over the world descend upon this quaint border town every year for the annual Festival of Literature – the town has more than 30 second hand bookshops. Hay Castle – a 17th century mansion stands in the grounds of the original 13th century castle - dominates the quaint little streets, with their antique, art, craft and curio shops.

• Route H – Hay-on-Wye Loop

The route is a very scenic (and somewhat testing) circuit to the southeast of Hay-on-Wye that takes you back and forth across the border between England and Wales. The Golden Valley of the River Dore, lying in the shadow of the Black Mountains is especially tranquil and picturesque. The ride follows this river as it flows south east to Abbeydore where the old abbey church stands in beautiful surroundings. The return route climbs through the more remote and atmospheric Grey Valley. Largely undeveloped, the Golden Valley and the Grey Valley offer a step back in time to an almost forgotten England, where on a warm summer’s day time seems to stand still. The Pandy Inn in the pretty village of Dorstone is reputedly the oldest inn in Herefordshire, having been built by Richard de Brito to house his workers employed in the construction of Dorstone church. This project was atonement for de Brito’s involvement in the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. Oliver Cromwell took respite at The Pandy Inn during the civil war of the 17th century. Above the village on Dorstone Hill stands Arthur's Stone, a great slab, reputed to be the entrance to an ancient burial chamber (circa 3000BC).

• Route I – Hay-on-Wye to Monmouth

The day starts with a tough climb up from Hay through the magnificent Vale of Ewyas to the summit at Gospel Pass, with the steepest section being at the beginning. As you approach the pass itself the gradient eases and the views become more and more impressive. Once over the your efforts are rewarded by a long descent to Llanthony Abbey, founded by the Augustines in 1108. The ruins have fine early English archways and decorative stonework. The next stopping off point on the ride is Abergavenny, a lovely market town that dates back to Tudor times. You may want to spend a little time browsing in the quaint shops before choosing your spot for lunch. Leaving Abergavenny you ride east to historic Monmouth, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Wye and Monnow. Monmouth Castle was started in 1068 and continued into the 14th century. The town also houses the Nelson Museum, describing the life of Horatio Nelson, Britain’s most famous and best loved sailor.

• Route J – Monmouth Loop

The ride is a circuit of the Forest of Dean. Once called ‘The Queen of the Forests All’, this is one of the most fascinating regions of Britain. Its relative isolation created by the valleys of two great tidal rivers, the Severn and the Wye, together with its hilly terrain, have helped preserve a pattern of land use, culture and heritage unlike anywhere else in the country.

The Saxons were the first people to realize its potential for hunting. Thereafter it became the hunting reserve of kings for hundreds of years. Many of the Dean’s ancient rights and privileges come from its unique heritage as a Royal Hunting Forest. The Norman kings loved to hunt deer and wild boar and they introduced Forest Law and officials called Verderers who were charged with looking after the animals and the woods they inhabited.

The Forest of Dean boasts a spectacular range of natural beauty combined with an aura of magic and mystery that has been the inspiration for many great artists and writers including JRR Tolkien, Dennis Potter and JK Rowling. There are signed traffic free cycle trails through the forest. Passing through the renowned beauty spot at Symonds Yat, you should be able to see rare Peregrine falcons nesting high up on the cliffs above the river.

Standing high on a rock outcrop above the River Wye, Goodrich Castle is one of the region's most striking ruins.

• Route K – Monmouth to Cardiff

Leaving Monmouth you ride south to the pretty village of Raglan – site of the magnificent Raglan Castle, which is well worth a visit. Your next destination is Usk, a small market town dominated by the ruins of a 12th century castle. The town has a very attractive main square and a beautiful bridge spanning the River Usk. Continuing south through the beautiful and gentle countryside of the Usk Valley you arrive at Caerleon. This site, together with York and Chester, was one of only three fortress settlements built for the Romans’ elite legionary troops during the Roman occupation of Britain. The National Roman Legion Museum houses a superb display of artefacts found in the region, as well as having demonstration rooms and the reconstruction of legionaries' quarters. From Caerleon you ride into the town of Newport. From here you have the choice of riding the last 10 miles into Cardiff along a signed National Cycle Network route or boarding a train for a more relaxing end to your ride.

• Route L - Brecon to Hay-on-Wye

Riding north out of the town you pass Brecon Cathedral en route to the village of Upper Chapel. The origins of the Cathedral, a Brecon landmark, reach back to a fortification built by the half brother of William the Conqueror after he captured the town in 1094. 300 years later, the priory he established within them was developed into the fortified Priory Church of St John the Evangelist 'half Church of God and half castle against the Welsh' as it was then described. The Brecon Cathedral Heritage Centre tells its fascinating history. At Upper Chapel you turn west to ride over Mynydd Eppynt with wonderful views over the mountains. This beautiful section is also used as an army firing range – if there is firing you may have to wait for up to 15 minutes before proceeding! Dropping down from the ridge, you can choose to ride a loop extension taking in Llanwrtyd Wells and Twyi Forest, before continuing on the core route east along the lovely valley of the River Irfon into the old spa town of Builth Wells – and a welcome lunch stop. From Builth Wells you turn south to follow the eastern bank of the River Wye. From the craft centre and the old station at Erwood the road follows the course of the old railway. Your destination is the quaint border town of Hay-on-Wye. Book-lovers from all over the world descend upon the town every year for the annual Festival of Literature – the town has more than 30 second hand bookshops. Hay Castle – a 17th century mansion stands in the grounds of the original 13th century castle - dominates the quaint little streets, with their antique, art, craft and curio shops.

• Route M – Rhayader to Hay-on-Wye

This route largely follows very minor country lanes, passing through woodlands and valleys and over sheep-dotted moorlands. For the first part you will follow a section of the undulating “Radnor Ring” – a spectacular signed circular route that passes through some of Mid-Wales’s most spectacular scenery. Shortly after the start of the ride you come to remains of Abbey-cwm-hir – The Abbey of the Long Valley – a building that once rivaled those at Durham, Winchester and York. Riding south from the abbey you reach the village of Crossgates and continue to Llandrindod Wells. This charming, elegant and genteel spa was particular popular in Victorian times, when up to 80,000 visitors a year came (mostly by train) to sample the health-giving waters. Besides having lunch in the town, you may also want to visit the Rock Park Spa and the Llandrindod Wells Museum. The National Cycle Collection is a fascinating and well presented exhibition of bicycles – from the earliest prototypes to the present day models.

Leaving the town you face some testing climbs through rolling hills to Hundred House and on to Paincastle. From here you ride south to Hay-on-Wye. Book-lovers from all over the world descend upon this quaint border town every year for the annual Festival of Literature – the town has more than 30 second hand bookshops. Hay Castle – a 17th century mansion stands in the grounds of the original 13th century castle - dominates the quaint little streets, with their antique, art, craft and curio shops.

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