Are there any websites or apps for long distance route planning? Trying to piece together a route using as much off road as possible. I’ve been having a manual scroll through online OS maps and it’s proving a bit tricky. Using additional tracks like forest access tracks, which are usually rideable and there are plenty of, might make auto planning tricky but I suppose I can tweak it. Also need to think about the hilliness. Going from Chepstow to Nant yr Arian if anyone has any ideas or good sections.

RideWithGPS is good for route creation/checking/editing, use OpenCycle map layers and reference back to OS maps. BikeHike.co.uk potentially better as it has the OS map layer as a second window when creating a route. Good to check the satellite layer for a hint of what an open track might be like, bridleways in Wales can be ‘in theory’ rather than something that exists on the ground.
Komoot and Wikiloc are useful for other rider’s loops if you need ideas.

bridleways in Wales can be ‘in theory’

And there are a lot of mental horsey type women around, so the bridleways that do exist on the ground are often poached to hell and back 🙁

What timespan are you planning? One of the more direct routes passes through The Green Desert. There are a few bothies there. Head for Moel Prysgau, Nant Syddion or perhaps? Nant Rhys bothy to help focus your route if you are going for a multi-day ride. The middle of Wales tends to be wet and tussucky off the main trails.

FWIW, if you can find the tracks left by the ‘mental horsey women’ I’d rely on them. They will be local, so will know the best way to go. Having said that, in 30 years of riding here I hven’t once met any nutters, either on a horse or off one.

Using additional tracks like forest access tracks, which are usually rideable and there are plenty of

One other point, there are a lot of forest access roads seen on OS Cycle map layer and satellite view but many are on private land with no entry signs. They might not be gated but you might come round a downhill corner and meet a logging lorry coming the other way filling the road.. I’m pretty careful with those tracks now, reference OS to be sure.

I use forestry tracks a lot here. Generally work ok, but I usually have a quick look at the satellite imagery on the OS map to get a sense of whether felling might be taking place (cleared areas, wide white tracks). Not foolproof as the images aren’t live.

I’m more wary of old RoW after a few mishaps. Whatever you do, never NEVER try to follow the alleged track between Dagfa (SN 808 326) and the A40! I ended up portaging down an adjacent stream bed…

You will be wanting the Strava global heat map that shows you where people actually ride.

If you subscribe to Strava premium, even for a short time, you get more detail I think and you can use their route planner with the heat map overlaid.

The downside being you end up riding the same stuff as everyone else. Aside from the occasional ‘adventurous mishap’ it usually works out, and I very rarely meet others on the stuff I do here.

The downside being you end up riding the same stuff as everyone else.

Down here there are thousands of trails on the heat map and seeing another biker is a rare event, so I wouldn’t worry about that.

Is much of the Cambrian Way footpath only? If not, that could be good to use parts of.

Have pm d you with suggestions plus

The Cambrian Trail MTB route goes from Llandrindod Wells to be Mach.