South Wales
-
- Posts: 8399
- Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
- Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)
South Wales
Any advice on sustrans type routes, old railway routes... fairly flattish / old railways for someone recuperating from a break, in the South Wales area..... around the Tredegar area (I know of the one that passes the town) but any others, will have transport so can travel further afield.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Re: South Wales
There are several routes that go south-ish through the valleys in that area. They are all on the Sustrans map, sequentially numbered 465 to 469. They vary in quality from mediocre shared side path to decent surface & entirely motor traffic free. I'm afraid that I don't remember which is what, but if no one else comes along with better information, you can probably figure out which ones you want to try using a combination of Sustrans' NCN map, and Google Earth.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
-
- Posts: 8399
- Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
- Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)
Re: South Wales
Thanks VorpalVorpal wrote: ↑22 Jun 2021, 3:52pm There are several routes that go south-ish through the valleys in that area. They are all on the Sustrans map, sequentially numbered 465 to 469. They vary in quality from mediocre shared side path to decent surface & entirely motor traffic free. I'm afraid that I don't remember which is what, but if no one else comes along with better information, you can probably figure out which ones you want to try using a combination of Sustrans' NCN map, and Google Earth.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Re: South Wales
There are one or two old railway lines that go up the old mining valleys. These aren’t flat but only gently sloping.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
http://www.jogler2009.blogspot.com
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
http://www.jogler2009.blogspot.com
Re: South Wales
The Sirhowy Valley Country Park has cycle route along a former railway track.
https://greenspacescaerphilly.co.uk/sir ... untry-park
You can join it at Crosskeys
https://greenspacescaerphilly.co.uk/sir ... untry-park
You can join it at Crosskeys
Richard M
Cardiff
Cardiff
-
- Posts: 2035
- Joined: 2 Mar 2008, 4:57pm
- Location: Charlbury, Oxfordshire
Re: South Wales
The Heads of the Valleys route (NCN 46) is very much worth doing, and just a short way from Tredegar:
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021 ... on-beacons
https://cycle.travel/route/heads_of_the_valleys
(I wouldn't count the Neath Canal section as recuperation though - bit too rough for that!)
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021 ... on-beacons
https://cycle.travel/route/heads_of_the_valleys
(I wouldn't count the Neath Canal section as recuperation though - bit too rough for that!)
Last edited by Richard Fairhurst on 22 Jun 2021, 7:25pm, edited 1 time in total.
cycle.travel - maps, journey-planner, route guides and city guides
Re: South Wales
Tredegar is at the head (North) of "The Valleys" which run due South to the Severn Estuary.
It is an old coal mining area and as such well blessed with railway tracks with many now converted to cycle ways.
The surface of these is pretty good tarmac. The one that runs South from Tredegar into the Sirhowey Valley is not entirely joined up and ends at Pochin then starts again at Holybush and runs for a further five or six miles.
To the West, there is a reasonably quiet road that leads to Merthyr, still a fairly unprepossessing town. It parallels the heads of the valleys road, the A465 so that takes most of the traffic But North of Merthyr are the Pontsticyll Reservoirs and a nice narrow gauge railway that runs along the Eastern shores to the foot of the Brecon Beacons.
Further afield, there are also a number of canals. eg that from Newport to Brecon is a great ride through quite beautiful scenery; especially North of Cwmbran.
The section from Abergavenny to Brecon is particularly lovely and has some nice (if a bit posh) pubs along side.
It is an old coal mining area and as such well blessed with railway tracks with many now converted to cycle ways.
The surface of these is pretty good tarmac. The one that runs South from Tredegar into the Sirhowey Valley is not entirely joined up and ends at Pochin then starts again at Holybush and runs for a further five or six miles.
To the West, there is a reasonably quiet road that leads to Merthyr, still a fairly unprepossessing town. It parallels the heads of the valleys road, the A465 so that takes most of the traffic But North of Merthyr are the Pontsticyll Reservoirs and a nice narrow gauge railway that runs along the Eastern shores to the foot of the Brecon Beacons.
Further afield, there are also a number of canals. eg that from Newport to Brecon is a great ride through quite beautiful scenery; especially North of Cwmbran.
The section from Abergavenny to Brecon is particularly lovely and has some nice (if a bit posh) pubs along side.
Re: South Wales
I second the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal endorsement - very pretty - though it can get a little bumpy and mucky in parts towards the Brecon end. Not bad, but more like a muddy towpath than a gravel cycle path. But the B4558 runs parallel to it and is fairly quiet so that's a good standby option in wet weather. And of course you get to visit the wonderful Talybont-on-Usk with its pubs, accommodation, shop/cafe, bike shop and bike hub (a facility by the village hall with coin-operated showers, bike-washing facilities and basic tools). Everything you need, packed into one village.jimlews wrote: ↑22 Jun 2021, 7:25pm Tredegar is at the head (North) of "The Valleys" which run due South to the Severn Estuary.
It is an old coal mining area and as such well blessed with railway tracks with many now converted to cycle ways.
The surface of these is pretty good tarmac. The one that runs South from Tredegar into the Sirhowey Valley is not entirely joined up and ends at Pochin then starts again at Holybush and runs for a further five or six miles.
To the West, there is a reasonably quiet road that leads to Merthyr, still a fairly unprepossessing town. It parallels the heads of the valleys road, the A465 so that takes most of the traffic But North of Merthyr are the Pontsticyll Reservoirs and a nice narrow gauge railway that runs along the Eastern shores to the foot of the Brecon Beacons.
Further afield, there are also a number of canals. eg that from Newport to Brecon is a great ride through quite beautiful scenery; especially North of Cwmbran.
The section from Abergavenny to Brecon is particularly lovely and has some nice (if a bit posh) pubs along side.
From Talybont you can also pick up the Taff Trail south over the hills towards Merthyr to take in the reservoirs that jimlews mentions. There's the makings of a circular route in there somewhere.
"Merthyr, still a fairly unprepossessing town" - isn't that the Visit Merthyr tourist office slogan?
-
- Posts: 8399
- Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
- Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)
Re: South Wales
Thanks all for suggestions, plenty to go at.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Re: South Wales
Under the heading of further afield...
I've just remembered, there is a nice circular route around Llangorse Lake. This is a natural lake, not a reservoir and the remains of an artificial island village or crannog have been found therein.
https://archaeology.co.uk/articles/revi ... einiog.htm
The route is mostly set back a couple of fields from the lake shore, but when the hedgerows part, the views over the lake are quite evocative.
I've just remembered, there is a nice circular route around Llangorse Lake. This is a natural lake, not a reservoir and the remains of an artificial island village or crannog have been found therein.
https://archaeology.co.uk/articles/revi ... einiog.htm
The route is mostly set back a couple of fields from the lake shore, but when the hedgerows part, the views over the lake are quite evocative.
-
- Posts: 8399
- Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
- Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)
Re: South Wales
Thanks for that.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Re: South Wales
Just to be clear, the circuit round Llangorse Lake is entirely on public roads - it's not a Sustrans-type traffic-free route. They're very quiet roads, though there will be a little bit of traffic on the 'B' road between Llangorse and Cathedine. It's worth taking two detours down to the lakeside: one just west of Llangorse village, past the campsite and common to the jetties, where you get a good view of the crannog; and one on the south side down to Llangasty-Talyllyn where there's a pretty church and a good view of the wildfowl reserve.
-
- Posts: 8399
- Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
- Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)
Re: South Wales
Thanks again, not looking for specifically for off road routes but not too hilly while recuperating, while hoping I will have regained some leg strength and fitness when we are travelling to Wales.AndyK wrote: ↑27 Jun 2021, 2:21pm Just to be clear, the circuit round Llangorse Lake is entirely on public roads - it's not a Sustrans-type traffic-free route. They're very quiet roads, though there will be a little bit of traffic on the 'B' road between Llangorse and Cathedine. It's worth taking two detours down to the lakeside: one just west of Llangorse village, past the campsite and common to the jetties, where you get a good view of the crannog; and one on the south side down to Llangasty-Talyllyn where there's a pretty church and a good view of the wildfowl reserve.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells