Touring around wales.. Who's done it?

[mysterious_rider]

Hiya guys. Me and a friend are planning on hitting up wales within 6 months so if you've been before and have any info that'd be amazing!

It looks like a fantastic place to go, although I'm sure it's pretty wet that way? (from brighton myself!)

Things that would be handy to know

petrol stations; far between or are they common?
weather?
any specifics in gear? (will probably be using hotels and stuff to stay in though)

ultimately anywhere to get certain maps/ points of interest? Will be using a satnav so hopefully it will recognise wales (part of uk so it should).

Amount of money for a week away;

Bikes we are bringing is a zzr600 and a hornet 600.

Cheers lads!

[james1988]

[mysterious_rider]

Ah fantastic. Mostly doing it for the views! Will be bringing a camera and I'm a sucker for an awesome view.

Yeah I think I'll bring textiles it makes sense really. Possibly with some waterproofs too.

Not really after clubbing. getting bored of that now mehthinks.

Yeah sure history sounds good. Can't go wrong there.

I'd like to get hold of a leaflet of things to do. Tryna find em though. maybe there's a book for it.

[james1988]

If you or your mate has an iPhone there's an app called "Show Me Wales" or something similar. It's great, I've downloaded it myself. It has lists of things to by category.

Another app named Best Biking Roads is also worth a punt as there are some spectacular roads over here.

The Elan Valley is a beautiful place with a road that runs straight through it and over the mountain to Aberystwyth. It's not a balls to the wall flat out run but one of scenery. Definitely worth checking that out.

Tenby and St Davids are beautiful seaside resorts (not cheap! ).

Cardiff Bay is great if you want a drink and some tidy scoff (the area is far to pretentious in my opinion).

Cardiff itself is a good night out.

If you head over from Cardiff, the A470 is a great run in Brecon although I prefer to head up through the Rhondda across Penderyn and into Brecon that way (I live in the Rhondda).

There's often a beer and cider festival in Brecon town that is definitely worth going to!

Penyfan is a nice walk if you have time and somewhere to store your kit. Again there's plenty of scenery - but fuck all else - in the Rhondda - and it's full of chavs.

I've not done much of North Wales myself but I'll help where I can.

When I think of more, I'll post it up.

James

[sidewinder]

i live in mid wales as a guess your garanteed to find a garage at least every 40mls or less.Weather as said no worse than any were else in the uk.textiles and waterproofs will be enough.

Here's a sample route with roads and views your after.Includes the a483 newtown to builth

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=213048549459858065612.0004b2b9cd221510d332a

A slight alternative is to turn west at Rhayadar and drive through the Elan valley and past the dams. Head for Cwmystwyth and Devils Bridge and back onto the A44. heading for aber.

Think you might also like a tour of some of the welsh castles as well .

[flyer]

Youll love it, drive the Ogwen valley from Betws y coed to Bethesda and on to Bangor. I live in West Wales but this is one of my favourite bike roads. Its awesome! LOng and sweeping with amazing views, it wont disappoint, and you may even get some sun. Good luck!
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Stand up paddle surfing wales Caravan decking wales

[mysterious_rider]

Thanks for all the info guys!!!

[yen_powell]

The good news is that the M4 is cobbled nearly all the way to Swansea now. You'll need knobbly tyres after that though.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[mattress]

On Tuesday a few of us rode from Haverfordwest to Cardigan via the Preseli Hills and on to Aberaeron and Aberystwyth on the coastal A487. Just before Aberystwyth we took a right turn towards Devil's Bridge onto the A4120. The scenery around here is fantastic and it's difficult at times to keep your eyes on the bloody road!

So, we followed the roads to Rhayader via the unbelievably spectacular Elan Valley and its reservoirs. This place is home to a thousand postcard vistas but just watch out for the sheep.

From Rhayader we headed for Llandovery and Llandeilo. Great riding roads with superb twists, turns, peaks and troughs. Next we headed for Carmarthen and then back home in the deepest south-west Wales.

A superb day out and one that I would thoroughly recommend to anyone who lives in south/south west Wales.

So good in fact, if the BBC are correct in saying the weather is great tomorrow, I'll be off to do a lap at about 11am.
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Current bike: Ducati Diavel Carbon Red

[yaigi]

If you're a sucker for a view and you enjoy taking photos then you absolutely should go to Portmeirion on your travels! It's like being in a different country!


https://www.jimmylemon.co.uk/blog/images/20090214164537_45-portmeirion.jpg
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Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[stinkwheel]

[nowhere.elysium]

[mattress]

[stinkwheel]

[ocatoro]

i live in west wales, few things i'd try to see on way through would be the black mountains, llyn brianne on the road through from llandovery to tregaron (empty mountain roads), devil's bridge is always a good shout, nant y moch reservoir and dam is fantastic, as is the elan valley.

most of the roads in between are very nice but most have crap surfaces so take care.
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CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[jetski]

I live in south wales, you will have to go through the beacons, a large mountain range with fantastic scenery, a camera is a must. there's plenty of petrol stations all over wales, it's not Australia lol. there is a lot of countryside but we are quite domesticated the weather is the same as the rest of Britain, pretty rainy most of the time. it can get quite misty/foggy/cloudy up in the hills on the wrong day rendering your view of the mountains nil but catch it on a clear day and you can see for many miles

[Tzemran]

I used to go to touring in Wales a lot when I lived in Cirencester and on one occasion it actually stopped raining long enough for me to get a glimpse of the scenery, it really was fantastic. The Elan Valley is great and the castles on the coast really are worth a visit but make sure that your watch is good for at least 3 atms.