Lon Lâs Cymru

Lon Lâs Cymru is the centrepiece of the National Cycle Network in Wales. Stretching from Cardiff in the south to Holyhead in the north it encompasses the full range of 'Sustrans' cycling terrain from well made tarmac cycle lanes in flat landscapes to dramatic off road routes across exposed moor land in mountainous mid-Wales.

We decided to take four days to complete the route at an average of 62 miles per day. However, as mid-Wales is rather more challenging than the southern or northern sections of the route we did weighted the daily mileage accordingly. We also made a conscious decision not to be very purist about the route. We both ride 'race-style' road bikes and these are not suitable for some of the 'no traffic' sections marked on the Sustrans maps. Anyone wanting to stick rigorously to the route would probably want a hybrid style bike with robust rims and tyres.

We used B&Bs rather than camping and this suited us well. It reduces the amount of gear you have to carry by a factor of at least 50% (making more room for humbugs) and allows for a quick and well-fed start in the morning. On a four-day trip stopping places rather suggest themselves. We stayed in Builth Wells, Machynlleth, Porthmadog and Holyhead and were reasonably happy with them all.

A few words of warning, as with most things, preparation is the key to success. For Lon Lâs Cymru this means that you must have a reasonable bike and that you must know how to complete simple repairs. You must also be reasonably 'cycling-fit' i.e. if you are a rower or a runner you may suffer quite badly if you don't put some bike mileage in in the months before the trip. A couple of 30+ miles trips a week for a couple of months would be the minimum I would recommend. Indeed if you are over 30 and you haven't done any sustained exercise before I would recommend doing the Thames Valley Cycle Route over two days before attempting Lon Lâs Cymru.

Read our four day Lon Las Cymru diary for more details and, if you make the trip, mail us - we would love to hear about it.