Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • Lon Cambria: Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury. Anyone done it?
  • themilo
    Free Member

    As per title, just looking at planning this in for late spring next year.

    Any advice about camping options (wild or otherwise)? Bike suitability – looking at rigid mtb with rack and panniers? Plan to take our time over 4 days. I’m diabetic so I can’t mess about food wise. Either take a shed load or are there useful pubs etc near ish the route?

    Anything, in general, we need to be mindful of?

    Many thanks,

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    I’ve done parts of it, all the paths are made up. Rigid will be fine, get bars less than 650 if you can to help with those **** gates. A lot of it is along side roads on little paths and a lot of it is just on little used rural roads. There are better more scenic routes tbh

    themilo
    Free Member

    Recommendations Jekyll? Thanks.

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    jekkyl
    Full Member

    where do you live and what have you done before?

    twowheels
    Free Member

    I did part of it (Caersws to Pont-Rhyd-y-Groes) as part of this -> http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=zeghvwlkguoljatu, with minor deviations to the TransCambrian way (e.g. round Esgair Ychion forest). A rigid mtb with panniers will be fine on the sustrans route.

    There is no food between about Pont-Rhyd-y-Groes and Llangurrig (which has at least 2 pubs and a small shop).

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    Yes did it with my partner. Excellent route. We did it very slowly. Wrote something on crazy guy on a bike.

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    Found it.

    https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=tS&doc_id=14883&v=2N

    Can find details of campsites if you want, email me.

    themilo
    Free Member

    Jekkyl – cardiff so usual s Wales centres and beacons stuff. Got some manc lads coming with me though and they’ll be unfit and shit – hence 4 day plan.

    Brick – cheers, will have a good look at that.

    Two wheels, that’s really useful, many thanks.

    drovercycles
    Free Member

    There’s a nice campsite just above Cwm Ystwyth. Plenty of wild camping all along the way.

    I’d not rely too much on pubs for food along the way – many rural pubs have erratic opening hours/days and some are closed completely at random. Take plenty with you!

    It’s a great route. Almost all surfaced – mainly minor country roads. Rigid MTB would be fine; you could do it on a road bike.

    Shout if you want more details – it’s one of the routes we offer as a tour but happy to share details informally.

    Speshpaul
    Full Member

    I’ve done the Rhayader to Aber section (well I started from RHY and went up Elan)
    Loved it.
    But remember if you start at Aber its up hill from sea level to Elan:-)

    twowheels
    Free Member

    Other accommodation options near Elan are the 3 bothies around there. Seeing as you’re taking camping gear anyway, you could keep them in mind in case the weather is awful.

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    the C2C is a pretty nice alternative route and a lot more scenic than aber to shrews as it goes through the lakes and over the penines but appreciate the logistics might be difficult if you’re in Cardiff.

    Simon-E
    Full Member

    IIRC it’s nearly all on-road nowadays, though I think it runs on a well surfaced path alongside the canal most of the way between Newtown and Welshpool.

    The section from Cwmystwyth to Rhayader is bleak and empty, and you’re unlikely to get a mobile signal. Between Rhayader and Newtown it’s mostly narrow and winding lanes with the occasional tight bend and short, steep pitch. Steep climb after Caersws and another stupidly steep climb from Buttington to the top of Long Mountain. After crossing the Breiddens at Bulthy (a much easier drag) and the descent to Crew Green it’s flat all the way to Shrewsbury.

    Llangurig has a village shop (http://www.llangurigpostoffice.cymru/) and a pub but not much else.

    Llanidloes has a Co-Op, Spar, cafes (inc. vegetarian at Great Oak Cafe, decent pub grub at The Angel) and lots of pubs. They like their beer in Llanidloes.

    Newtown and Welshpool are considerably larger and have large Tesco and Morrisons stores along with the usual others.

    I know of a nice campsite on the route, run by an old schoolfriend of mine, 1 mile East of Llanidloes – http://dolllyscaravancampsite.co.uk/

    Would recommend the chip shop in Caersws.

    Might be worth noting some bike shops – Summit cycles in Aber; Clive Powell in Rhayader; Brooks Cycles in Newtown and Welshpool; Dave Mellor, Urban Bikes and Stan’s Cycles in Shrewsbury.

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