Chepstow to Merthyr route?

craker
craker Posts: 1,739
edited December 2008 in Tour & expedition
Possibly o/t - it's less than 50 miles. Can anyone recommend a route?

There's three possibilities so far as I can see, west to Cardiff then up, next there's up to Abergavenny and across the Heads of the Valley, otherwise I can sort of make up a cross country route up and down all the valleys, possibly the most direct but chock full of hills (all the routes are though).

That sort of distance I'd be happiest on a road bike (I've got a triple so steepness isn't out of the question).

A good day's ride I think but maybe one for the summer.

Comments

  • Bodhbh
    Bodhbh Posts: 117
    My knowledge of the area is just a couple of days cycling thru so take with a pinch of salt. Could go up the Vale of Ewyas, thru Gospel Pass and head back down the backroads via Brecon? Would be more like 70miles, but the view from Gospel Pass (450m or so) over Herefordshire and the Welsh border is nuts. Hard work tho, had me on the bottom gear on my MTB, although did have camping stuff on board.
  • andrew_s
    andrew_s Posts: 2,511
    NCN42 or B4235 to Usk, B4598 towards Abergavenney, turning left at Llanfair Kilgeddin, then Llanellen,B4628 to Llanfoist, Gilwern, Crickhowell, B4558 to Talybont on Usk, then S over the hill & into Merthyr via Pontsticill resr. (50 miles ish)

    Alternatively, it is possible to follow the A465 heads of the valleys road on parallel roads fairly directly from Gilwern to Merthyr.