Wales End to End

There are few 'end to ends' that can be completed in just a long weekend, encompassing the beautiful landscapes of the Brecon Beacons, Mid-Wales valleys and Snowdonia. A challenging 15,000ft of ascent awaits as you cycle for 3 days between Chepstow and Caernarfon castles including the Gospel Path and Bwlch y Groes, which is a top 100 UK climb.

The Welsh version of end to end has failed to adopt the same folklore status as others such as LEJOG. Might be that it's name 'Lon Las Cymru' does not trip off the tongue or could be fact it has several different starting and end points. Either way the lack of attention it receives is quite perplexing, as our version of this humble Welsh route offers some of the finest climbs, quietest lanes and most incredible views of the lot.

We start in Chepstow which is easily accessible by road or rail (via Gloucester), plus with free car parking at our Hotel for the duration of the tour and a coach back to Chepstow at the end, the logistics have been made as hassle free as possible. 

Starting from the Chepstow Castle on Friday morning, we cycle along quiet lanes and wooded valleys via pretty Welsh villages such as Usk towards Abergavenny. From here the terrain changes to open moorland as we climb steadily towards the Gospel Pass. After descending into Hay on Wye we venture deeper into the Welsh countryside on to Llandrindod Wells. 

With an optional diversion through the stunning Elan Valley, we continue to traverse alongside beautiful wooded river valleys, flanked by lush green hillsides littered with sheep. Then at Dinas Mawddy we begin the epic climb up Bwlch y Groes, before an exhilarating descent down to the lakeside into Bala.

We journey through Snowdonia for large part on the 'Fford Brailsford Way' on route ways British cycling supremo and local lad Dave Brailsford has created. As we do the landscape becomes more rugged and dramatic with a majestic Snowdon towering above us on the climb towards Llanberis pass, where the views down the valley are breathtaking, it is hard not to smile as we descend, sweeping past stunning vistas at every turn towards and onwards to Caernarfon castle.