GO Cycling on Pembrokeshire Coast
Discover even more of Pembrokeshire Coast by heading out on your bike. Whether you’re looking for family rides, or just a get away with your bike, we’ve compiled a list of 10 spots to cycle in the UK’s only coastal National Park.
1. Cresswell Trail
Starting near Carew Castle, this pretty cycling trail is great for exploring historical sites, including a castle, tidal mill and an impressive old country house with a story to tell! If there’s time left after completing the trail, you can walk over the medieval bridge at Carew and all the way around the millpond, one of the most beautiful locations in Pembrokeshire.
More Information: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/cycle-pembrokeshire/cycle-pembrokeshire-cresswell-trail
2. Lon Teifi: Aberystwyth to Fishguard
As part of the Lon Teifi trail, the route between Aberystwyth and Fishguard is a popular one among the road cycling fraternity. Starting off in the town centre you’ll ride out into a number of beautiful Welsh valleys, seeing plenty of picturesque scenery before hitting the coastline. Of course, with every valley section comes a hill and there are plenty to test you throughout the duration of this 100-mile stretch, including a killer incline to finish as you exit Newport before heading down into the valley at Fishguard in the Gwaun Valley.
More Information: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-82/
3. Celtic Trail (West): Fishguard to Chepstow
The Celtic Trail is a real beast of a ride and one that is certainly for experts only. Covering a distance of more than 150 miles, riders will start out at Fishguard on the western edge of Wales and head inland towards the English border before arriving at Chepstow. With plenty of steep gradients you’ll be glad of a brief rest when a valley comes along, but you’ll soon be back on the leg-busting pedal. While it might sound like a true test of your cycling ability, and physical fitness, it’s a ride that is doable in a day for seriously competitive riders. Make sure that you take plenty of fluids and snacks to keep you going.
More Information: http://cycle.travel/route/celtic_trail
4. Preseli Hills Circular Trail
The Preseli Hills are a collection of rugged hills within the National Park that present some of the best mountain biking around. Wales is jam-packed with off-road trails, but the full ridge section in the Preseli’s is one for serious mountain bikers to test themselves on. The weather can change in an instant so be sure to pack plenty of waterproof clothing ahead of your ride, and the trails themselves are predominantly across moorlands so you’ll need your off-road tyres and plenty of concentration. The routes are around 6-miles long taking four to five hours depending on your ability.
5. Gwaun Valley Trail
Depending on your ability, your confidence, the time available and – probably most importantly – the weather, you have a couple of great cycling options in the Gwaun Valley. If you fancy getting off-road and pushing yourself and your bike to the max through the rugged terrain then there’s a 2.4-mile trail that works its way through the undulating woodland. Alternatively, if you just fancy a more relaxed ride around the beautiful Welsh countryside there is a 7.9-mile circular route that will take you around two hours to complete and follows the main road around the area.
Try this trail here: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/cycle-pembrokeshire/cycle-pembrokeshire-gwaun-valley-trail
6. Pantmaenog Forest Circular Trail
One of the most family-friendly, but challenging cycling trails in the National Park, Pantmaenog Forest is great for all ages. For beginners looking to get into mountain biking or experienced riders after a new thrill, the Forest offers a number of wide open trails that are easy to navigate but – depending on your chosen trail – not always easy to tackle. With a total of 8-miles’ worth of trails to ride out on you have plenty of opportunities to work your way up to the more challenging runs. Check out this forest circular route below.
More Information: https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/wales/pembrokeshire/pantmaenog-forest-circular
7. Llys-y-Fran Reservoir Trail
Some will describe the Llys-y-Fran reservoir trail as an easy route for mountain bikers, but if you don’t mind what kind of trail you’re on this is a must for any visitors to the area. Like most Welsh reservoirs, Llys-y-Fran is a beautiful part of the countryside and that adds to the quality of the riding. The trail itself covers 7.5-miles and the off-road circuit is predominantly stone and gravel with the odd bit of genuine off-road mud and dirt thrown in for good measure. There are two steep downhill sections but these are clearly signposted so they won’t catch you out if you’re relatively new to mountain biking.
More information: https://llys-y-fran.co.uk/the-reservoir-route-cycle-trail/
8. Brunel Trail
Starting out in Haverfordwest and covering the 8.25 miles to Johnston, the Brunel Trail follows a shared path that runs along what was Brunel’s Great Western Railway line. The railway line is no longer in use and has become a popular cycle route, and there are a variety of different ways that you can follow it. Mountain bikers can follow an off-road trail or you can stick to the full route which takes in the Cleddau Estuary and the Westfield Pill Nature Reserve giving you plenty to see on your journey.
Check out the route here: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/cycle-pembrokeshire/cycle-pembrokeshire-brunel-trail
9. Castlemartin Range Trail
The Castlemartin Range Trail is a stony bridleway that follows the stunning coastline, so if you plan on making a day of it be sure to take your camera with you to capture the views. If you’re more into the challenge of a tough ride then you’ll eat up the 6.5-mile route in no time if you’re confident in your off-road riding ability. For those who aren’t into the adrenaline-fuelled mountain biking approach there are plenty of sights for you to stop off at including the remains of an Iron Age fort and the sandy beach at Broad Haven where you can jump off an go for a paddle! There is now an extension to the route that takes you through a tank range (yes, a tank range) but make sure that it’s open before you venture out. This route takes the total distance up to more than 9-miles.
More Information: http://sanderlinghousedale.co.uk/things-to-do/item/74-castlemartin-coastal-trail/
10. The Dramway Trail
The Dramway is a popular cycle route in the south of the National Park that runs right along the coastline. At 3.5km it is one of the shortest trails in the Park, but there is still plenty for you to see and it’ll help to blow away some cobwebs after a big dinner around the campsite the night before! The trail utilises a disused railway line and passes through a number of the old railway tunnels, but it’s vital that cyclists dismount before passing through. If you do wish to push on a bit further, The Dramway eventually joins up with National Cycle Route 4 so you can plan a longer ride if you’d like to.
More information: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/cycle-pembrokeshire/cycle-pembrokeshire-dramway-trail
Before you head out on one of these fantastic trails on Pembrokeshire Coast, make sure you’ve got everything you need for your cycling adventure!
