NEWPORT WETLANDS RIDE

Parking:  1st layby after Rock & Fountain (Travelling from Chepstow)

Arrival:  9.45 Start:  10.00

From the Rock & Fountain pub we will cross the A48 and take the St Bride’s Rd to Magor. From Magor we will ride off road through Llandevenny and pick up National Cycle Route (NCR) 4. This will take us on to Nash and the RSPB Newport Wetlands Reserve where we will stop for coffee/cake.

After coffee we will take a relaxed ride through the Wetlands and exit at Saltmarsh Lane. At the end of the lane we will take a right and follow the road through the village of Whitson and on to the picturesque village of Redwick where we will stop for lunch at the recently re-furbished Rose Inn (pre-orders may apply).

After lunch we will resume our ride on NCR 4 to Magor and make our way back to the Rock & Fountain via St Bride’s Netherwent.

Suitable for any bike.

Distance:  c25 miles Elevation:  Flat with the occasional gentle incline.

Pontardawe to Mumbles ( Route 43)

Meet 9.45 am for 10.00 start.

Parking - Bypass Pontardawe car park at a cost of £3.80. (Clearly marked on the internet)

This route is entirely off-road and in the main on paved surfaces. In total it is 26 miles of completely flat terrain.

From the car park we follow route 43 down the Swansea valley to Swansea.

This route takes us along the Swansea Canal to Clydach, where we turn to go through a wooded area before finding ourselves cycling along the River Tawe. When we arrive at Swansea.com Stadium we stop for coffee.

We continue to Swansea Marina, where we then find ourselves cycling along the sea front to Mumbles Pier.

Lunch stop at Mumbles pier at the Beach Hut Cafe / Copperfish cafe or take sandwiches if you prefer.

After lunch we trace our route back along the way we came.

Bristol to Bath Loop from Conham Park

Distance approximately 20 miles.

Some of this ride takes place on the wonderful tarmac cycle paths around Bristol. There it is easy riding and most of the ride is away from roads. You can get a feel for this part from this video:

https://tinyurl.com/y3mhkxkb

We will set off from the free Conham River car park at this location:

Conham River Car Park. Bristol BS15 3AW

https://w3w.co/smile.evenly.leaves

Our plan is to set off by 9:00 am so please be there by 8:30 at the latest to allow safety briefings etc. Do please allow time for traffic (there is quite a lot at that time of day).

Also please leave time to park elsewhere should the spaces all be gone and you would then need to  cycle back to the car park to meet up.

We have located street parking nearby at Troopers Hill Road and Conham Hill. Both less than 5 mins ride back.

We leave the car park and turn left onto Conham Road. A short while later you will spot a green electricity substation on the left and that is where we pick up the river path.

The path finishes at Netham Road where we emerge at a road crossing point. Across the road you will see the path pick up again.

This is at https://w3w.co/gates.pinks.mining

At the end of the path we emerge and turn right into Marsh Lane. Straight on into Mildred Street, left into Tichborne Road, Cobden Street and then we turn right into the main A420 road. Safer to cross t the crossing on foot and use the pavement until we turn left into Russell Town Ave.

This is at https://w3w.co/suffer.silent.slice

Where the road turns to the right you will see the entrance to the Bristol and Bath Railway path, when we join that path we turn right. After 20 mins we will emerge on the the path near a Morrisons where there are toilets and on the path there is a vintage Citroen van/cafe where we can take a rest and wait if anyone needs “the facilities”. 

This is at https://w3w.co/flash.appear.fuel

[Bear in mind that our morning stop is the even nicer former Warmley Waiting Rooms.]

At a point further down we use a bridge to cross the A4174 and we turn right. The signpost we want says “Railway Path Bath”.

Our mid morning stop is the Warmley Waiting Rooms. Possibly the best cycling cafe in the area.

This is at https://w3w.co/smug.gifts.scenes

After our rest we continue on the path and this will take us past Bitton Station that we’ve visited before. The path ends there and we join (carefully) the A431 Bath Road (turning right).

This is at https://w3w.co/wins.jokes.teach

Some of us might prefer to use the pavement here.

When we reach the roundabout we need to take the 2nd exit – continuing up Bath Road.

Half way up the hill most of us will be pushing our bikes on the path.

At the next roundabout we turn left at Court Farm Road where your brakes will get a nice test.

At the junction with Ferry Road we turn sharp left.

This is at https://w3w.co/pile.luck.facing

Ferry Road takes us to our lunch time stop on the river path where the two pubs (Chequers Inn and Old Lock & Weir) sit side by side with beautiful peaceful views over the river.

After lunch, the river path eventually leads us back to the car park. Be careful, as at a few places the river bank has eroded somewhat and you could get wet!

The car park does have toilets.

Gwent Levels - (Difficult for non-electric)

Meet 10.15 am for a 10.30 am start.

Free parking is available at ///potato.shams.artichoke. School Lane NP26 5AZ coming from Chepstow on the Caerwent High Street past the public toilets on your left turn immediately right just before the War Memorial the park is about 300 mtrs on the left. Don't use the larger Caerwent Roman village car park as it closes at 1600hrs prompt.

The ride starts at Caerwent stopping at Parc Seymours quaint coffee shop the to the newly opened Rose pub at Redwick back over the Caldicot levels to Caldicot and back to Caerwent. There's a couple of short get off and push hills around Whitebrook but riders would rewarded with a mostly flat ride back to Caerwent. There's also about a kilometre of gravel over Caldicot Moor which will be OK for thin tyres if care is taken.

The Rose Pub has a variety of starter snacks and sandwiches available for £9/10.

Thornwell to Oldbury on Severn (via Olveston)

Meet 9.45 am for 10 am start.

From the car park in Tenby lane ST 539917 (2nd on the right up the hill from the
mini roundabout by Tesco Express in Bulwark), we make our way over the old
Severn bridge via Olveston to Olbury on Severn along quiet country lanes

Approx 20 miles, there and back

Lunch at the Post Office, Oldbury on Severn.

Strawberry Line

Meet at 9.45 am for a 10.00 am departure from the Yatton Railway Station car park (charge payable).

Yatton (Mainline Railway) Station, Yatton Somerset. BS49 4AJ. Go over the bridge over the railway line and then turn right into the car park. Pay and Display. (40 mins but allow extra time if school holidays)

The ride will take us along the Strawberry Line and at Winscombe we will have a stop for a coffee. Back on the strawberry Line, we will go through a tunnel and then ride through Axbridge and go on to cycle round Cheddar Reservoir before returning to Axbridge for some lunch.

After lunch we will return back to Yatton station.

About 20 miles and flat, shorter if you choose not to see the reservoir.

Sirhowy Valley

Meet at 9.45 AM – Ride will start at 10 AM

Park either on the road or in car park before the barrier.  ST 212 913, What3words – “breaches.barrel.circulate”, or enter “Sirhowy valley Country Park, Newport” into Google maps.

The ride is 22 mile, all off road on good surface, and is there and back rather than circular.  Please bring your own coffee for coffee stop.

There is a snack kiosk at our destination which opens 12 – 2pm but takes cash only, no cards.

Sharpness to Saul

Meet 10.15 am for start ride at 10.30 am.

Ride 22 miles approx

We will meet at Sharpness Docks picnic site car park GL13 9UF.

Follow Severn Way through Sharpness and Newtown villages to pick up cycle route 41.   Slimbridge will be coffee stop, there  is cafe/pub or bring your own coffee.

We will follow route 41 to Saul junction.  Then make our way back to Frampton via cycle route 45 to stop for lunch. Pub there if anyone doesn’t have packed lunch.

Continuing on cycle route 45 back to the canal, which we will follow all the way back to Sharpness. At Purton we can stop to look at the sunken ships and at Sharpness where the railway bridge would have been.

Severnside

SEVERNSIDE (Caldicot – Magor – Penhow – Caerwent)
Approx 22.5 mls 3hrs in the saddle !
Meet at 10.15 in the Caldicot Castle Car Park in front of the Castle (free parking ), to be ready for prompt 10.30 start. (note: there is a toilet block here to get yourselves comfortable before we start, or on your return ). Entrance to the Castle Country Park is next door to the Castle Inn on Church Road which runs from Caldicot Town Centre
to Caerwent.
The first half of this cycle ride will be largely flat, travelling along a mixture of ash, gravel and tarmac surfaces taking us south-west alongside the Severn Estuary.
From Caldicot Castle we will go to Black Rock, then on the Coastal Path to Sudbrook Severn-Tunnel Pumping Station and on to Caldicot Railway Station where we pick up the National Cycle Route 4 . Following this Cycle route will take us to Undy where there will be a stop for refreshment . Note that there is no cafeteria here, please bring your own light refreshments.
The remainder of the ride is all on tarmac lanes. From Undy we will again follow Route 4 to Redwick village church before turning back and taking the lanes to Magor Square. Here we will stop for lunch. There are several options to purchase coffee, sandwiches, or even tapas, in Magor Square, but note that the establishments are small and as we will be arriving around 12.30pm, they may be busy. Cycles can be parked and locked in the Square. If you are bringing your own food note that seating may be limited as the outside tables are largely associated with the eating establishments.
From Magor we will cross the B4245 to take the St.Brides Rd. to Penhow, by the
Rock & Fountain Inn.
We will have covered 2/3rds of the ride thus far, there being about an hour’s cycling still to do. In this final part there are a few small climbs that take us from Penhow and up to the picturesque villages of Llanvaches and Llanvair-Discoed. From Llanvair it will be downhill to Caerwent where we can spend a short time to take in the ruins of the ancient Roman settlement. Leaving Caerwent via it’s East Gate we will cycle the 2 miles, taking the Route 4 cycle way, back to Caldicot Castle and your vehicles.

Pontypool to The Big Pit Via the Blaenavon Railway Line

Meet at the Pantymoile basin. Fountain road, Pontypool. NP4 8ER.

Free car park that holds several vehicles but parking spaces on Fountain road if full. The car park must be vacated by 4pm

Coffee and Toilet facilities available at the start.

Good tarmac track all the way. Slight gradient but manageable and we will stop along the way to pace ourselves. 

Good news – it’s downhill all the way back… with little or no effort! Approximately 20 miles there and back.

Lunch at the Blaenavon Big pit. Restaurant available for those who don’t want to make sandwiches. 

Toilet facilities and Museum free to access.

Please bring bike locks as bikes need to be left outside.