Find a Cycling Holiday in Wales

Ideas for a cycling holidays and short breaks in Wales and holiday cottages - bestt for coastal cycling.

Holiday Cottage in Anglesey

125 miles of coastal trails on quiet scenic roads with the Snowdonia peaks as your backdrop make cycling on the small Welsh island of Anglesey a magical experience. Anglesey’s Coastal Path, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, includes a mixture of farmland, coastal heath, dunes, salt-marsh, foreshore, cliffs and a few small pockets of woodland – perfect if you like variety as you ride.

Where to stay: Y Stabl, an 18th century stable, renovated into a character stone cottage with sweeping views of the Snowdonia mountains. With its luxury rooms, pretty patio and short bike ride to the beach, it’s a great place from which to explore every corner of Anglesey.Y Stabl sleeps up to 6 – view Y Stabl Holiday Cottage and book.

What to do: The cycle route from Llangefni to Moelfre is a must. The route follows a series of country lanes to Mynedd Bodafon, a little gem of a village which offers gorgeous views of Snowdonia. The 8-mile Newborough Forest to Llangefni is ideal for those who do not like cycling uphill and is a pleasant ride through the estuary hamlet of Malltraeth into the centre of Llangefni, the county town of Anglesey. Romantics should take the cycle path to Ynys Llanddwyn, a stunning beach that’s linked to Santes Dwynwen, Wales’ very own St Valentine.

Where to stop: Anglesey is known for its good pubs so you will be spoilt for choice but the Four Crosses in Menai Bridge gets a big thumbs up from cyclists.

Where to park the bike: Between Llanfairpwll and Menai Bridge is a cracking view of two bridges crossing to mainland Wales and a panoramic view of the Snowdonia mountain range.

Anything else?Don’t miss a visit to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch which, not surprisingly, has the longest place name in Britain. Beaumaris Castle, one of the finest examples of medieval architecture in the UK and the last castle built in Wales by Edward I, is well worth a visit. 165-miles of glorious Blue Flag beaches are within easy reach, as are the challenging peaks of Snowdon.

Best for coastal and countryside cycling

West Wales’ quiet roads, stunning hills and glorious coastline provide endless variety for cyclists.

Where to stay:

Cycling Holiday in West Wales

If you can’t decide between coastal or countryside cycling, and enjoy walking and wildlife too, Yr Hufenfa could be just for you. Surrounded by historic towns, green rolling hills and blissfully quiet roads, this luxury holiday cottage is set within 35 acres of lush green farmland, woods and riverbank with fishing rights on the Clettwr River. The two-bedroomed cottage is as beautiful inside as out with loft bedrooms, south facing windows, and peaceful terraced gardens. More than four cycle paths start virtually from the doorstep which means no driving to get to your starting point. Highlights include National Routes 45 and 82 which runs from Aberystwyth to Fishguard taking an inland route via Lampeter. The friendly owners are a mine of information on everything from cycle paths to where to eat, and if you have a laptop, there’s WiFi access, too – handy for downloading cycle maps and local info.

Yr Hufenfa sleeps 4 – view Yr Hufenfa and book

Must do: The nearby Teifi Trail, part of the National Cycle Network, is stunning. Travel through wonderful woodland scenery to the coast at Cardigan or inland to the wild beauty of the nature reserves around Tregaron – great for birdwatchers, too.

Where to eat: Refuel at the Alltyrodin Arms pub in Rhydowen where cyclists and their hearty appetites are well catered for. This part of Wales is known for its fantastic produce – head west to the coast for superb seafood.

What to do: It’s more a case of what to leave out! There are some great walks which start right from the doorstep. The woodland trail takes you to the landmark glacial feature called Cerrig Hyllod – translated as The Ugly Stones – which is steeped in history and myth. Pay a visit to Rock Mills, one of the few working traditional woollen mills left in the country. The Honorwood Flock farm and shop is the place to pick up Shetland and Icelandic fleeces and Angora mohair. Dotted around the countryside are numerous ancient and medieval historical sites from Celtic hill forts to Roman mines and Welsh monasteries from the Middle Ages. Also worth a visit are the National Botanic Garden of Wales and the restored 17th century house and garden at Aberglasney in Carmarthenshire.

This article was published on Giddy Limits, an online magazine for men and women over 50.