The Wales Divide – Solo Bikepacking Adventure

Jul 17, 2024

I recently celebrated my birthday with a solo bikepacking adventure across Wales.

Watch the film of my Wales Divide Bikepacking adventure on YouTube

Inspired by Keep Smiling Adventure videos, I mapped out a “Wales Divide” route and took a train from Coventry to Prestatyn to begin my journey at the Talacre beach lighthouse. My goal was to ride from the northernmost point of mainland Wales to the southernmost, navigating some serious climbs and plenty of sheep and cattle along the way.

Day One (Evening): Talacre Beach to Ruthin – 23.7 miles / 1,175 ft climbing

Route on Komoot

Wales Divide Bikepacking Start at Talacre BeachThe train transported me from urban Coventry to the salty air of Prestatyn, a short ride from my “official” start line at the Talacre Beach lighthouse. As a Midlander far from the sea, I savoured the sound of waves and skimmed a few stones before pushing my heavy-laden bike over the soft sand to start my route.

In Prestatyn, I used Google Maps to locate my dinner – fish and chips from Karl’s Fish and Chips (they have a separate fryer for gluten-free batter, great for celiacs). I packed my meal in my pannier and headed up an old railway line out of Prestatyn. As I climbed, I enjoyed views of the sea and mountains, stopping on a well-positioned bench to soak it in and eat my chips. Seagulls eyed my dinner hopefully, but I wasn’t sharing!

I continued on undulating, quiet country lanes toward Ruthin. Unexpectedly, I heard bagpipes as I passed through Ruthin, where a small group were playing in the Rugby club car park. I found a woodland spot just outside Ruthin for wild camping, complete with a den built of fallen wood. It was perfect for setting up my bivvy and watching the sunset to the sound of bleating sheep.

Day Two: Ruthin to Newtown – 64 miles / 5,100 ft climbing

Route on Komoot

Bivi near RuthinI woke to the pitter-patter of raindrops but was cosy and dry in my woodland den. I lay there for a few moments enjoying that cosy feeling of being wrapped in your bivi bag protected from the elements. Now at this point, sensible folk would carry on with the route, but not me. “parkrunday” in our house, so I backtracked to Ruthin Memorial Playing Fields for a 9am parkrun. After a 5km run some lovely post parkrun chat over breakfast at the nearby Cafe R, I resumed my journey.

Time to get back on with my main mission, back up the hill out of Ruthin but this time continuing the climb, past my previous night’s camping spot and up to almost 1000ft above sea level. A bit of descent and some river valley cycling took me to near Bala where it was time to start the big climb of the day, Cwm Hirnant, valley of the long stream.

As I started the climb through the valley I could see the top of the pass shrouded in cloud with the road snaking up towards it. Time to dig deep and keep those pedals turning. I almost made it to the top without walking, but a last little up-kick a few hundred yards from the summit ground my legs to a halt and resulted in pushing to the highpoint of over 1,600ft.

Whooosh! Time to descend through the forest and down to the side of Lake Vyrnwy. As the dam appeared in view I had to take the little detour to ride out across and back to appreciate the view up and down the valley, before grabbing some crisps and Welsh cakes at the little village shop in Abertridwr, Llanwddyn.

The day’s big climbs had hidden, on the elevation profile, the reality of a rather “lumpy” last section heading to Newtown making my progress slower than expected as several of the short, sharp climbs had me off my bike pushing! I love my Tour de Fer, but the bottom gear really isn’t low enough steep climb when fully laden, definitely a lower will be spec’d when the current chainset wears out!

Arriving in Newtown, my target destination for the day, I fished out my phone for the Google Earth search for what might be a suitable spot for a wild camp the other side of the town. As I was scrolling I spotted what could be a real treat, a campsite on my route out of Newtown in the garden of a pub! This opened up the possibility of a proper cooked tea, hot showers and a cold pint of cider, happy days! A quick phone call confirmed space was available and the last few miles of climbing suddenly felt easy.

Arriving at the Dolau Inn, I was given a warm welcome by the barman, who checked with the kitchen that despite the late hour they could still sort me a hot meal and sent me off to pitch my tent while they cooked it. Tent pitched (the pitch was a bargain £5), I headed back inside and treated myself to a cold of pint of cider to enjoy with my steak and ale pie, what a perfect finish to the day. To add icing on the cake I was sat next to a couple who were also touring cyclists, they’d arrived there from Shrewsbury, so we enjoyed a nice chat about our day’s experiences and gave me an excuse for a second pint.

Day Three: Newtown to Llangynidr – 55 miles / 3,275 ft climbing

Route on Komoot

Ccockrell at Dolau Innock-a-doodle-doo! An early wake-up call for my birthday from the pub’s cockrell. Brewing a coffee I opened my farthest travelled birthday card that I’d brought with me from my sister in Tanzania as I enjoyed my croissant.

Hot shower, tent struck, bike loaded, it was time to start climbing, the day started with 700ft of climbing from the very first pedal stroke. But with that climb out the way I settled in to enjoy a day which had a good mixture of quiet country lanes and open moorland surrounded by mountains.

The day’s ride included quiet country lanes, open moorland and mountain views. The biggest challenge was eating, my route passed through very few places of habitation and of course, being a Sunday, many places were closed anyway.

So at 3pm I was thinking my lunch was going to consist of my last slab of flapjack when, like an oasis in a desert, appeared the Erwood Station Cafe. Surrounded by motorbikers enjoying an informal meetup, I tucked into a tasty breakfast toasty and a delicious sticky toffee and biscoff cake and a welcome coffee, just what I needed to keep me going to my destination that night, a primary school friend now living in the village of Llangynidr in the Brecons. It was a definite treat to spend my birthday evening enjoying a home-cooked meal and catching up with one of my oldest friends who shares my love of cycling and outdoor adventure.

Day Four: Llangynidr to Cardiff Bay – 53 miles / 2,025 ft climbing

Route on Komoot

The last day just one big climb between me and the south coast of Wales.

But an easier start to allow my legs to warm up with the first few miles being along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal before the long climb began first up to Talybont Reservoir. Crossing the dam, I joined the Taff trail a wide gravel through the woods steadily climbing up the hillside as the Talybont Reservoir drops down in the valley beneath you. Though never steep enough that I had to get off and push, it was a tough upward struggle for over seven miles before reaching the top of the pass, where the sound of a shepherd and his dogs herding sheep reached me from the hillside above.

Time to descend and wow, what a descent, following old railway lines for the most part through Merthyr Tydfil over the viaduct there and down to Pontypridd, other than occasional sections where you were being directed off what would have been the railway route, I think you could have spin-wheeled the whole way!

Pontypridd presented a slight challenge, the park I passed through on the Taff Trail (NCN 8) was partly closed off due to the upcoming Welsh Eisteddfod, then a gate completely closed the path. I had to go back to find a park worker to open the gate to allow me to continue on my way.

Finish of Wales Divide at Cardiff BayThis cemented the decision that I knew really I had to make, in order to catch my train, I couldn’t head all the way to the southernmost point of Wales (Breaksea Point, near Barry) as I would miss my train, so I decided to continue on the Taff trail direct to Cardiff and instead finish my ride at Cardiff Bay, which is somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit as a Martyn Joseph fan anyway.

Decision made I continued to enjoy the steady downhill all the way to Cardiff and entered the city without even realising as I was following the beautiful green corridor along the river. Cardiff Bay, what a beautiful spot to finish, I headed to the end of the board walk jutting out into the wetlands, sailing boats moored all around and swans swimming by.

Taking a moment to savour the achievement, before heading back into Cardiff to catch the train back home to my family and a welcome celebratory curry!

Should you do the Welsh Divide?

Exploring Wales this way was fantastic, revealing parts of the country I’d never seen. Be warned: it’s undulating! The big climbs are significant, but the smaller ups and downs add to the challenge. I’ll definitely return to explore more of the Taff Trail with my children and discover more of Wales on two wheels.

What shall I do for next year’s birthday adventure, suggestions welcome!

Planning Information Summary

Route Details on Komoot

Quick acces to links of places visited

Getting There

  • I was able to catch a Transport for Wales train direct from Birmingham International Station to Prestatyn with a bike booking.
  • For the return I was able to catch a Cross Country train direct from Cardiff to Birmingham New Street with a bike booking and then just used a local train to get me back to Coventry.