Roundtrip from North Bristol via Wye Valley and Brecon Beacons National Park
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert Ian Street
Last edit: 19-05-2021
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Verdict
Duration
5h 19m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
198.35 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review Well, we start this ride from the Mason Arms public house, which is situated on the main A38, not far north off the M5 motorway (J16). There is a BP petrol station about halfway between the M5 motorway Junction and the Masons Arms. The Masons Arms has a good size car park with a good firm surface, the pub is a chain pub which serves fair price meals, so ideal for a nice all you can eat breakfast before you start.
The start of the route takes you north through some the little back roads near Sharpness and close to the rear of the Slimbridge wetlands centre. The roads here and on other section of the route are suitable for all bikes as there is no off-road sections, but you will get them dirty as there is a fair few farm roads. The speed limits range from 20mph up to the national speed limit, but caution must be taken as these are small country roads with some farm vehicles around. As you travel from the start RP No 1, to RP No 9, you will see some castles, museums and other POI, all which can provide good stopping off points, I have included them on this route as something to see, but this could be for another day as you may just want to enjoy the scenery. As you go through from RP’s 6 - 8, you may be lucky to see some of the birds coming and going from Slimbridge, Wildfowl & Wetlands as you pass close by. There is an admission cost to visit the WWT Centre, RP 9, please see their Website for further info.
The Stables Cafe, Sandfield Bridge, Canal Bank, Saul, RP 10, is next to another bridge over the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal and where it meets the Stroudwater Canal, while here you may be very lucky to see some tall ships, as Saul junction is on the route that the tall ships take from the River Severn to Gloucester docks a few miles up the canal. Today the junction is still popular with boaters and there are many lovely walks along the idyllic
waterways. A short walk away is Saul Junction Marina and Saul Junction Visitor Centre. The centre is run by the Cotswold Canals Trust. There is PAY & DISPLAY in operation.
There are another two stopping off points to see some birds, RP 14, the Barn Owl centre, which I have only marked down for information and RP 20, the International Centre for Birds of Prey, near Newent, Gloucestershire. They have over 200 birds of prey and more than 75 different species to see up close, some of which are critically endangered. The site boasts 3 daily flying demonstrations and fantastic opportunities for taking photos. This site charges an admission fee to enter, please see their Website for further info.
Locks garage near Allensmore, Hereford, RP 23, is a fantastic place to stop off for an ice cream. The larger than normal ice creams are the staggering price of £1.25 each and this includes a flake. (Dec 2020)
If you ride often in the Brecon Beacons national park, you will have passed along the A40 and straight past the little bottle neck of Crickhowell on to the bigger places in mid Wales, or you will have just stopped at the Oasis snack bar in the Abergavenny bus station. Either way Crickhowell RP 27 is a lovely little place to stop with its selection of public houses, cafes and quirky little shops. While here it is worth walking to see Crickhowell bridge, RP 28, the present structure, is the longest stone bridge in Wales.
As we ride back, we go through the village of Raglan and close to Raglan Castle, you know - that old building to your right as you fly down the A40 to get a coffee in Abergavenny from Gloucester, it’s well worth a visit. Raglan Castle the unmistakable silhouette of Raglan crowning a ridge amid glorious countryside is the grandest castle ever built by Welshmen.
Starting point: The Masons Arms, 94 Gloucester Road, Rudgeway, Bristol BS35 3QJ
End point: Severn View services, M48, J1.
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Wales
About this region
Wales (Welsh: Cymru [ˈkəm.rɨ] (listen)) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total area of 20,779 km2 (8,023 sq mi). Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of coastline and is largely mountainous with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate.
Welsh national identity emerged among the Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's death in 1282 marked the completion of Edward I of England's conquest of Wales, though Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored independence to Wales in the early 15th century. The whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism, exemplified in the early 20th century by David Lloyd George, was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over the century; a nationalist party, Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925 and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. Established under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament, formerly known as the National Assembly for Wales) is responsible for a range of devolved policy matters.
At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, development of the mining and metallurgical industries transformed the country from an agricultural society into an industrial nation; the South Wales Coalfield's exploitation caused a rapid expansion of Wales' population. Two-thirds of the population live in South Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and the nearby valleys. Now that the country's traditional extractive and heavy industries have gone or are in decline, the economy is based on the public sector, light and service industries, and tourism. In livestock farming, including dairy farming, Wales is a net exporter, contributing towards national agricultural self-sufficiency.
Wales closely shares its political and social history with the rest of Great Britain, and a majority of the population in most areas speaks English as a first language, but the country has retained a distinct cultural identity. Both Welsh and English are official languages; over 560,000 Welsh-speakers live in Wales, and the language is spoken by a majority of the population in parts of the north and west. From the late 19th century onwards, Wales acquired its popular image as the "land of song", in part due to the eisteddfod tradition. At many international sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, Wales has its own national team. At the Olympic Games, Welsh athletes compete for the UK as part of a Great Britain team. Rugby union is seen as a symbol of Welsh identity and an expression of national consciousness.
Read more on Wikipedia
Welsh national identity emerged among the Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's death in 1282 marked the completion of Edward I of England's conquest of Wales, though Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored independence to Wales in the early 15th century. The whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism, exemplified in the early 20th century by David Lloyd George, was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over the century; a nationalist party, Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925 and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. Established under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament, formerly known as the National Assembly for Wales) is responsible for a range of devolved policy matters.
At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, development of the mining and metallurgical industries transformed the country from an agricultural society into an industrial nation; the South Wales Coalfield's exploitation caused a rapid expansion of Wales' population. Two-thirds of the population live in South Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and the nearby valleys. Now that the country's traditional extractive and heavy industries have gone or are in decline, the economy is based on the public sector, light and service industries, and tourism. In livestock farming, including dairy farming, Wales is a net exporter, contributing towards national agricultural self-sufficiency.
Wales closely shares its political and social history with the rest of Great Britain, and a majority of the population in most areas speaks English as a first language, but the country has retained a distinct cultural identity. Both Welsh and English are official languages; over 560,000 Welsh-speakers live in Wales, and the language is spoken by a majority of the population in parts of the north and west. From the late 19th century onwards, Wales acquired its popular image as the "land of song", in part due to the eisteddfod tradition. At many international sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, Wales has its own national team. At the Olympic Games, Welsh athletes compete for the UK as part of a Great Britain team. Rugby union is seen as a symbol of Welsh identity and an expression of national consciousness.
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There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be ridden.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelstory of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your email.
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