Cheltenham -> Wales Ride Recommendations Wtd

I tend to head 417, pick up Hereford direction, cross gates, south to Abergavenny to loop back up via Monmouth way and Ross

 

I do similar to bradders or head to Leominster and then on to Rhayader and the Elan valley.

 

I do a40 though the forest of Dean, Head out on the Monmouth Road, either head towards tintern Abbey and Chepstow.

 

Or for a full day head to Abergavenny then north and keep going up the 423/470 towards north wales, back via Rhayader, Leominster way to m50 or stay 417 to Gloucester

 

A variation on one of my favourite routes into mid Wales and out to the coast. I live in Cheltenham but route here starts at the BP at Ashcurch (M5 jct9) and ends at Ross on Wye as the group rides I organise work this way. Obviously adapt to suit your own start and end points. Download the GPX here.

Examples of the way that you can vary this as follows:

1/ At Crossgates, just to the east of Rhayader where the route crosses itself, head North up the A483. This is a great road but too busy and heavily policed on weekends for my liking. In weekdays worthy of a detour as it's a great flowing road. Once at the Newtown by-pass carry on down the A470 to Llanidloes to re-join the route as shown

2/ Cut out the Northern part of the loop near the coast, instead ride the Elan Valley part in the opposite direction and either turn South at Devils bridge on the B4343 to Tregaron and the A485 to Lampeter before joining the A482 and A40 to Llandovery and then A4a3 to Bulah joing the route as shown there. Or still go to Aberystwyth but then ride to Tregaron from there cutting across via the A485.

These will both add to the some 230 miles of the route as shown with the given start and end points. Both will add and take away from the route in some way or form.

A good day's ride. Plenty of shorter options available if you don't have a full day of riding planned.

For eample:
Shobdon airfield and Honey Cafe - GPX
Baffle Haus, Abergavenny - GPX

The immediate in and out routes in a Westerly direction from Cheltenham aren't great (A40 to Ross or B4215 via Newent), congested 50mph limits in the main. Tewkesbury to Ledbury road (A438) further North is better or around Gloucester and into the Forest of Dean.

 

If I may add a little deviation to your Newtown suggestion. The B4569 from Newtown to Llanidloes is a much quieter road and has better views. We used to use the A Road but there are too many double white lines on it for me, my lad hates the A road but finds the B road very enjoyable.