route, so you can easily split the ride into sections. See ‘By rail’ below for further details.
If you are riding as a group you may be able to commandeer someone to drop you at one end and collect you from the other. Some lucky groups may have their support vehicle stay with them to move luggage between stops and provide catering support.
Travel
For details on all public transport journeys throughout the UK, including local bus services, tel 0871 200 2233 www.traveline.info or www.traveline.cymru.
By rail
All correctly ticketed awaiting the morning train
There are numerous stations where you can start or finish your bike ride around Wales as detailed in the notes below. But for general information on travel by rail tel 08457 484 950 www.nationalrail.co.uk
Cardiff Central Station, where the route description of the circular tour starts and finishes, provides direct trains to stations in West Wales and most parts of the UK. Great Western Railway provides services between the south of England and Cardiff, Swansea and beyond. They have space for bicycles on most trains but ask that you reserve your bike space when booking your tickets online, at a ticket office or by calling 0345 7000 125. See www.gwr.com for details.
Aberystwyth, Barmouth, Criccieth, Porthmadog, Harlech, and other stations on the Cambrian Coast Line, are close to the circular route and provide services via Machynlleth to Shrewsbury and Birmingham, with connections to most other parts of the UK.
Bangor Station, on the North Wales Coast Line, provides trains to Chester and Cardiff, with connections to most other parts of the UK.
Trafnidiaeth Cymru/Transport For Wales runs local and commuter services along the north coast tfwrail.wales. The train company provides bike space on all of their services except during peak hours on some Valleys and Cardiff Local Routes. They recommend that you make a reservation as far in advance as possible and reserve a cycle space at the time of booking. You can do this at any staffed national rail station or by calling their telesales office on 0870 9000 773. See tfwrail.wales for further details.
Virgin Trains runs mainline services to and from Holyhead and provides special bike storage areas with space for up to 4 bikes, but you will need to reserve a space for your bike before you travel. The service is free and reservations can be made at any booking office or by calling 0344 556 5650. On the day of travel, collect your bike reservation coupons at a FastTicket machine at the station by keying in your FastTicket reference number and the number of the bank card you used to make the booking. Then give yourself a minimum of 10 minutes to contact a member of the Virgin platform staff, who will help you load your bicycle. Once aboard, inform the Train Manager that you are travelling with a bicycle, and he will help you disembark at your destination station. It sounds complicated, but it seems to work even though local staff may not be entirely familiar with the process. See www.virgintrains.co.uk for details.
Wrexham General Station is on the Shrewsbury to Chester line, with connections to most other parts of the UK; visit tfwrail.wales for further details.
Abergavenny Station is on the Newport to Hereford line.
Chepstow Station is on the Newport to Birmingham line, with connections to most other parts of the UK; visit tfwrail.wales for further details.
By bus
National Express, Britain’s only scheduled coach network, says it will carry dismantled and folding bicycles if space is available, provided the bikes are suitably packed. However, the coach company also states that carrying a bike on a service does not guarantee that it will carry it on any subsequent service. As this provides cyclists with no reassurance that their bike will be carried, let alone any advice on what to do with the transit box when they start cycling, the company may as well say no.
The same goes for the TrawsCambria service between South and North Wales, which involves a number of stages each operated by a different bus company. Not all of the companies carry bikes, and you are advised to contact each operator individually. A further deterrent is that the journey takes 11 hours. For more information visit www.trawscymru.info.
By air
Cardiff airport, near the southern end of the route, provides international and domestic services. Anglesey airport, near the northern end of the route, only provides a twice daily service to and from Cardiff. Alternative airports include Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol, although arriving at any one of these airports still leaves you a journey of 100 miles or more, necessitating using public transport or hiring a car.
If you are planning to fly with your bike, you should contact your airline and make a reservation when you book your seat. The airline will charge you for carrying your bike and will ask that you follow their packing instructions; these typically include turning and locking the handlebars parallel with the frame, removing the pedals and front wheel and attaching them to the frame and deflating the tyres before placing the bike in a carrying bag or transit box.
By ferry
Stena Line operates between Dublin or Dun Laoghaire and Holyhead; visit www.stenaline.co.uk for details.
Irish Ferries Line operates between Dublin and Holyhead. Visit www.irishferries.co.uk for details.
First and last nights in Cardiff
Cardiff is easily accessible by rail and there is even an extension of NCN 8, which runs for 2 miles from the main station to the start of the route in Cardiff Bay. There is also a huge choice of accommodation, from five-star hotels to ultra-modern hostels with private rooms and internal bike storage. As Wales’s capital city, Cardiff is home to the National Museum, which houses the national art, natural history and geology collections, as well as temporary exhibitions. But there are plenty of other attractions, such as Cardiff Castle and Cardiff Bay, world-famous sporting venues, top-class entertainment and quality shopping – making it great place to spend an extra night.
Built in 1897 as the headquarters for the Bute Dock Company, the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay is now used by the National Assembly for Wales
When to ride
The best time to go is between April and October when the days are longer and the weather is at its best. But even then you may experience inclement days so always check the weather forecast before you set out, so you will know whether to keep your waterproof at the top of your pack and wear your overshoes from the start. But if you are struggling, and the weather forecast is atrocious, consider taking the train or see whether a local taxi service can move you and your bike along the route. You can always come back and ride the section you missed another time.
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