Wales Coast-to-Coast – Lon Las Cymru

We completed this Wales Coast-to-Coast (Lon Las Cymru) cycle tour in summer 2011. It was our second group cycle tour and followed on from the success of our Wainwright Coast-to-Coast the previous year. The tour team this year consisted of returnee’s Andy P, Andy S, Des and Clare. We also welcomed Sarah (on her first-ever cycling tour), Neil and Sandra.

Essentially, we followed the Lôn Las Cymru route (North and South). It is one of the toughest of all the long-distance routes on the National Cycle Network. We cycled from Cardiff to Maentwrog before turning east and finishing at Llandudno.

Sustrans describe the full Lon Las Cymru as ‘over 250 miles of quiet lanes, and family-friendly traffic-free cycle paths that take you over three distinct mountain ranges and two national parks, Lon Las Cymru takes in some of the most stunning and diverse landscapes in the British Isles’.

The rewards were more than worth it: the scenery was some of the most stunning in the British Isles, including the panoramic views enjoyed from Gospel Pass on the route through the Black Mountains, followed between Llangurig and Glasbury, the lovely valley of the River Wye, the atmospheric Mawddach Estuary and the majestic woodlands of Coed-y-Brenin Forest.

Our Wales Coast-to-Coast (Lon Las Cymru) daily itinerary was: