West to East Coast to Coast

laurentian

In a couple of weeks, myself, the good lady and a couple of mates are going coast to coast from Britain's most westerly point at St Davids to the most easterly at Lowestoft.

We have a mate driving a support vehicle and plan on doing around 80 miles per day. Overnight stop off points are St Davids, Llandovery, How Caple (between Ross and Hereford), Daventry, Ely and finally Lowestoft.

I'm guessing the Brecon Beacons will be the biggest challenge, but if anyone has any advice on what to do, roads to take (or avoid!), good stop off cafes etc. or any advice at all, it would be very gratefully received.

Thanks

rolf_f

laurentian wrote:

In a couple of weeks, myself, the good lady and a couple of mates are going coast to coast from Britain's most westerly point at St Davids to the most easterly at Lowestoft.

We have a mate driving a support vehicle and plan on doing around 80 miles per day. Overnight stop off points are St Davids, Llandovery, How Caple (between Ross and Hereford), Daventry, Ely and finally Lowestoft.

I'm guessing the Brecon Beacons will be the biggest challenge, but if anyone has any advice on what to do, roads to take (or avoid!), good stop off cafes etc. or any advice at all, it would be very gratefully received.

Thanks

If you want to cycle from Britains most westerly point to its most easterly, you shouldn't be going anywhere near St Davids - and you have a much longer ride than you think you have.......

markhewitt1978

Rolf F wrote:

If you want to cycle from Britains most westerly point to its most easterly, you shouldn't be going anywhere near St Davids - and you have a much longer ride than you think you have.......

Yeah but it's worth it, even just to see the scenery at the start of the ride, one of my favourite parts of the world

laurentian

Rolf F wrote:

laurentian wrote:

In a couple of weeks, myself, the good lady and a couple of mates are going coast to coast from Britain's most westerly point at St Davids to the most easterly at Lowestoft.

We have a mate driving a support vehicle and plan on doing around 80 miles per day. Overnight stop off points are St Davids, Llandovery, How Caple (between Ross and Hereford), Daventry, Ely and finally Lowestoft.

I'm guessing the Brecon Beacons will be the biggest challenge, but if anyone has any advice on what to do, roads to take (or avoid!), good stop off cafes etc. or any advice at all, it would be very gratefully received.

Thanks

If you want to cycle from Britains most westerly point to its most easterly, you shouldn't be going anywhere near St Davids - and you have a much longer ride than you think you have.......

Quite right Rolf! I didn't quite describe the route properly - basically we are doing the widest crossing of Britain from West to East . . . I think . . . anyway, St Davids to Lowestoft!

florerider

I assume you will be avoiding the A40.

The A487 to Fishguard then Eglwyswrw is fine, but it is a steep climb out of Fishguard (probably the worst of the whole trip). The B4332 to Newcastle Emlyn, A475 to Lampeter and A482 to Llanwrda then the A40 to Llandovery should be fine. I have done all these in the past. I use the A40 by car quite a lot and would avoid it by bike.

I would have routed north via Builth and Hay on Wye rather than go down into the Beacons. You could do that and come down the B4348. There are few roads running east west over Black Mountain which makes the Beacons a difficult option. You might want to rethink the stopping point south of Hereford. Have not cycled these though.

Good coffee shop just up the road on the right of the main road through Newport Pembs - towards the church. The next is Newcastle Emlyn and then Lampeter - few and far between is the issue.

Would be interested to hear how your route develops.

rolf_f

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

If you want to cycle from Britains most westerly point to its most easterly, you shouldn't be going anywhere near St Davids - and you have a much longer ride than you think you have.......

Yeah but it's worth it, even just to see the scenery at the start of the ride, one of my favourite parts of the world

I hope you mean the Ardnamurchan peninsula otherwise I think I am causing more confusion than I meant to! :oops:

laurentian

florerider wrote:

I assume you will be avoiding the A40.

The A487 to Fishguard then Eglwyswrw is fine, but it is a steep climb out of Fishguard (probably the worst of the whole trip). The B4332 to Newcastle Emlyn, A475 to Lampeter and A482 to Llanwrda then the A40 to Llandovery should be fine. I have done all these in the past. I use the A40 by car quite a lot and would avoid it by bike.

I would have routed north via Builth and Hay on Wye rather than go down into the Beacons. You could do that and come down the B4348. There are few roads running east west over Black Mountain which makes the Beacons a difficult option. You might want to rethink the stopping point south of Hereford. Have not cycled these though.

Good coffee shop just up the road on the right of the main road through Newport Pembs - towards the church. The next is Newcastle Emlyn and then Lampeter - few and far between is the issue.

Would be interested to hear how your route develops.

Great stuff Florerider - thanks (are you from Flore?)

markhewitt1978

Rolf F wrote:

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

If you want to cycle from Britains most westerly point to its most easterly, you shouldn't be going anywhere near St Davids - and you have a much longer ride than you think you have.......

Yeah but it's worth it, even just to see the scenery at the start of the ride, one of my favourite parts of the world

I hope you mean the Ardnamurchan peninsula otherwise I think I am causing more confusion than I meant to! :oops:

Indeed I do! Lovely place!

rpherts

Hope you have the prevailing wind behind you - would be more difficult east to west, in general.

laurentian

rpherts wrote:

Hope you have the prevailing wind behind you - would be more difficult east to west, in general.

. . . all part of the plan, fingers crossed for "normal" conditions

markhewitt1978

We've had more Northerlies and Easterlies than the normal Westerlies at the moment! Luck of the draw I suppose.

southdownswolf

I'm doing C2C in a day on Saturday (Seascale - Whitby), wind forecast is easterly

Don't forget to dip your back wheel in the sea on the west coast and front wheel in the sea on the east coast

markhewitt1978

southdownswolf wrote:

I'm doing C2C in a day on Saturday (Seascale - Whitby), wind forecast is easterly

Don't forget to dip your back wheel in the sea on the west coast and front wheel in the sea on the east coast

Hardcore way! Good luck!

florerider

If you start at St Davids - then it will be Whitesands to dip your wheel.

rolf_f

southdownswolf wrote:

I'm doing C2C in a day on Saturday (Seascale - Whitby), wind forecast is easterly

Don't forget to dip your back wheel in the sea on the west coast and front wheel in the sea on the east coast

I'm doing this too. Don't know where you are getting your forecast from though - Met Office puts it at NE to NNE - which still isn't great but it could be worse and everything else about the weather is looking ideal.

florerider

On reflection you might want to avoid the A487 climb out of Fishguard, I usually descend this, climbing it might not be so good if there are any busses or lorries about.

Instead, in Fishguard take the B4313 to the Gwaun Valley and Llanychaer. Then the minor road to Pontfaen, Cilgwyn and back up to the A487 at Newport. I think this is the NCN 82 between Fishguard and Newport. All very quiet country lanes through some lovely scenery on the Preseli hills - I use them on loops around the Preselis from Newport, no massive climbs on that bit.

The little cafe in Newport is the Fron Las on Market street. Coffee and bara brith is a good staple for cycling!

PM me if you want to discuss more.