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Home , Burry Port, Cenarth, Cross Hands, Kidwelly, Llandeilo, Llandovery

Find route notes, maps and profiles at: discovercarmarthenshire.com/explore/road-cycling /

WEEK1: gentle Leisurely Le g- stretch Explore West www.plotaroute.com/route/980710

The short version of the 63-mile West Carmarthenshire Pick from a menu of circuits of around Route starts from the lively town of , where you’ll find plenty of places to pick up supplies for the 30 miles, providing tasters of 31-mile loop.

Carmarthenshire’s diverse landscapes Llanbedr Pont Stef fan Head north towards Common – Lampeter on a moderate week of road roaming. and prepare for a climb:

Castellnewydd though this is far from Llanymddyfri

Llandovery A40 Most offer the option of extending your route the most challenging A40 circuit, you’ll be if you feel like testing yourself – and there’s ascending A40 plenty to see and do (and eat and drink) on around 850 A40 A483

metres over the A40 Caerfyrddin A48 A40 Sanclêr Brynaman days off. We’ve suggested a selection that A48 St Clears course of the day. 6 Rhydam an

A48 showcases the best of the county, along with A483 From up on the

Cydweli M4 practical details to help you plan a varied common, your route Porth week’s break, including links to maps and south (and mostly downhill) to passes a delightful curiosity: altitude charts as well as accommodation Jabajak Vineyard, a tempting place to stop for a sip or something and sightseeing possibilities. to eat. Whitland itself is home to the Garden and Interpretive Centre celebrating the achievements of that 10th-century king.

Continue south, climbing to the wonderfully named , then bear north-east for the downhill run back to St Clears , dropping in at The Gate to admire local crafts and enjoy a pick-me-up coffee. Duration: One week Bases: Newcastle Emlyn, Login, Llandeilo, Find route notes, maps and profiles at: discovercarmarthenshire.com/explore/road-cycling/

Newcastle Emlyn Circuit Around Llandovery www.plotaroute.com/route/982106 www.discovercarmarthenshire.com/explore/road-

Llanbedr Pont Stef fan cycling/llandovery-a-cycling-friendly-destination The abridged option of the Teifi River Lampeter Tour (a more- testing Llandovery is the hub for no fewer than Castellnewydd Emlyn 56-mile route) is an Newcastle Emlyn Llanymddyfri Llandovery A40 12 mapped routes around northern accessible 25-mile 5 A40 Carmarthenshire, ranging from 13km/8-mile adventure in the glides to 93km/58-mile knee-crunchers, A40 Llanbedr Pont Stef fan countryside of Lampeter Llandeilo but three of the circuits, north-west A40 A483 each a little under 2 Castellnewydd Emlyn Carmarthenshire. A40 Caerfyrddin A48 Newcastle Emlyn Llanymddyfri A40 Carmarthen Cross Hands Sanclêr 30-miles, provide Llandovery A48 Brynaman A40 St Clears Rhydam an A40 Ammanford moderate day-rides Starting from Newcastle A48 A483 for our week’s Emlyn , an appealing A40

Cydweli M4 Kidwelly break. riverside town with Llandeilo Porth Tywyn Llanelli A40 Burry Port plenty of places to fuel up (try Ty A483 Caerfyrddin First, explore the A40 A48 A40 Carmarthen Cross Hands Croeso deli for picnic treats), get the Sanclêr Brynaman A48 St Clears Beacons Rhydam an only real climb out of the way at the start of the day on the initial Ammanford south-east of the A48 southerly leg. Turning north-west towards and then A483 town, cycling past Cydweli M4 north-east back to the Teifi Valley at , where you can relax Kidwelly

the Llanddeusant Porth Tywyn Llanelli by the waterfalls – perhaps munching some of the local cheese Burry Port Feeding Centre and for which this area is renowned. Then it’s back along the Teifi to through the Glasfynedd Forest Newcastle, celebrating at the Gwesty’r Newcastle Hotel . above the Usk Reservoir. Then circle , passing near , site of the fascinating Dolaucothi Roman Mines . And complete the set with a dramatic climb onto wild Big Views, Lower Hills upland – now an MOD range – on east of town .

www.plotaroute.com/route/980667 Llanbedr Pont Stef fan Lampeter

The epic 62-mile Big What to see & do Castellnewydd Emlyn Newcastle Emlyn Llanymddyfri

Hills & Big Views route is Llandovery A40 among the toughest in A40 Newcastle Emlyn Castle Abbey – but our Picturesquely tumbledown ruins Picturesque ruins of a A40 on a grassy site overlooking a 12th-century abbey founded 33.5-mile version Llandeilo snips off the most A40 loop on the . by the monastic order of the A483 Caerfyrddin A40 A48 www.castlewales.com/ , or challenging climbs A40 Carmarthen Cross Hands Sanclêr A48 Brynaman St Clears Rhydam an while retaining the Ammanford newcas2.html White Canons. A48 3 loveliest stretches A483 https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/

Cydweli along the Towy and M4 Hywel Dda Garden places-to-visit/talley-abbey Kidwelly Porth Tywyn Llanelli & Interpretive Centre, Cothi Valleys. Burry Port Whitland Carreg Cennen (detour) The colourful hillside market town of Learn about the achievements One of most dramatic ruined Llandeilo is your starting point – and also one of the foodiest of Hywel, 10th-century king of castles in Wales, 6km east of destinations in the county: perk up with a coffee and breakfast at most of Wales, including his Fairfach. The Hangout , pack your panniers with picnic treats from Ginhaus groundbreaking legal code. https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/ deli , and follow your star north-east to Bethlehem. There’s a https://www.hywel-dda.co.uk/ places-to-visit/carreg-cennen modest climb approaching , but it’s only after history-of-the-centre.htm Llandovery (fortunately replete with fine coffee at Penygawse Tea Dolaucothi Gold Mines, Rooms ), another settlement guarded by a ruined castle, that you The Gate Craft Centre, Pumsaint (detour) turn west and the hills really begin. After Crug-y-bar, the trail veers St Clears Fascinating gold mines dating south and leaves the hilliest sections behind, passing the Gallery and artist studios from the Roman era, 4km photogenic ruins of en route back to Llandeilo. housed in a former mill, with north of Crug-y-bar. a popular café. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ www.discovercarmarthenshire. dolaucothi-gold-mines com/places/whitland-st-clears- How to get there the-west/the-gate/ Llanddeusant Red Kite Feeding Station (detour) Llandeilo is 19km/12 miles from Dinefwr, Llandeilo (detour) Watch dozens of these the western end of the M4 near Beautifully landscaped deer beautiful birds of prey gather ; the A40 links park and ruined castle south of Llandovery. Llandovery, Llandeilo, surrounding 17th-century www.redkiteswales.co.uk/ Carmarthen, St Clears and Newton House with appealing Whitland. Direct trains on the Heart café just outside Llandeilo. of Wales line, which carry bikes, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dinefwr link Llandeilo with Llandovery (20 minutes), Swansea (1 hour) and (3 hours). Whitland is 2.5 hours from by direct train.

Cycle repairs Beiciau Hobbs Bikes, County Cycles, Cross Hands Carmarthen Excellent, friendly bike shop Handy bike shop offering 20km/12.5 miles east of repairs and services. Carmarthen, housing a www.facebook.com/Beiciau wonderful café, Bean on a Bike. HobbsBikes/ www.county-cycles.com