Travel
A new multi-day trail through moors and mountains of Eyri (formerly Snowdonia) invites cyclists to delve deep into one of Wales’s wildest landscapes.
BySam Kemp
Published October 25, 2023
• 3 min read
This articles was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Draped in heather, studded with boulders and capped by jutting peaks, the mountainous landscape feels unimaginably ancient. Already laced with pathways, this elemental region of North Wales can now be experienced on a multi-day cycling adventure thanks to a new route from Cycling UK, the charity responsible for developing other long-distance trails such as King Alfred’s Way and the West Kernow Way.
Opened in August, Traws Eryri begins in Machynlleth, winding 122 miles through untamed portions of Eryri National Park, the Mawddach Estuary and the forests of Coed-y-Brenin before reaching the medieval town of Conwy on Wales’s north coast. Newly negotiated access rights mean that cyclists can explore this spectacular landscape almost entirely off-road, with snaking forest trails giving way to rocky mountain scrambles. The route is certainly challenging, with more than 13,000ft of climbing, and takes four or five days to complete if tackling it in full. Those wanting to pedal at a more relaxed pace have the option of breaking the trail into sections using the railway stations at Machynlleth, Barmouth, Betws-y-Coed and Conwy, the last of which is home to one of the UK’s best-preserved castles — a sprawling and turreted stronghold that looms above the town like an all-seeing sentinel.
Three more long-distance routes in the UK
1. Trans Cambrian Way
Try linking Traws Eryri with this classic Welsh trail, which begins on the English border and concludes just south of Machynlleth. By the time you reach the market town, you’ll have travelled 108 miles, climbed 13,000ft and passed through the moody Black Mountains.
2. King Alfred’s Way
Pedal back in time with this 217-mile circular route around historic Wessex. The trail begins and ends in Winchester, the supposed resting place of Alfred the Great, passing ancient pagan monuments and cutting through the sprawling South Downs.
3. The Caledonia Way
Stretching up to Inverness, this 234-mile route kicks off on the Kintyre Peninsula on Scotland’s west coast. From here, it heads north, taking in views of Jura and Arran before meeting with Ben Nevis and the Great Glen Way.
Published in the November 2023 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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