Welcome to our programme of half-day and full-day Saturday and Sunday rides. We ride at a steady-to-leisurely pace and always keep together as a group. We normally take in a café or pub stop for elevenses and/or lunch. It is your responsibility to ensure that your bike is in good working order, and that you have a means of getting home in the event of a breakdown. Mileages are the estimated total for the ride. Our rides are graded easy, moderate and strenuous. A guide to these terms, and a list of recommended kit items can be found at the foot of the page. Come and ride with us a couple of times and, if you want to continue, we ask that you join Cycling UK . Please note: you ride at your own risk. Sounds unfriendly but we have to say it. We look forward to seeing you.
Meeting points
CCR Cardiff Central railway station, Cardiff, CF10 1RH.
C#1 Coffee #1, 211–17 Cathedral Road, Pontcanna, CF11 9PP.
FLC Fourteen Locks Canal Centre, Newport, NP10 9GN.
PPO Pedal Power Café, off Dogo Street, Pontcanna, CF11 9JJ.
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June 2023
SATURDAY 3 June. Meet 9.45 a.m. PPO for a 10.00 a.m. departure. A Woodland Wonder Tour West. A 35-mile ride designed around lanes (and one gravel path) that take us through woods and forests, including Ty’n-y-coed, Llantrisant Forest and Hensol Forest. Some great high-road views too. Moderate pace but some strenuous climbs in the morning. There will be a café stop but bring snacks and a drink as back-up. Back in Cardiff by 3.00 p.m. Ride leader Clive, tel. 07910 820 345, clive.cazeaux[at]ntlworld.com
SATURDAY 24 June. 10.00 a.m. PPO for a 10.15 a.m. departure. A Tour of the Hills. A strenuous ride of approx. 45 miles with a number of challenging climbs and descents. We ride via Pentyrch and Efail Isaf to Pontypridd, where there’ll be an outdoor coffee break and an opportunity to buy food from the town centre shops for a picnic lunch. The ride will head to Ynysybwl, before the beautiful climb up to Llanwonno on a single track road. Lunch will be taken at Daerwynno Outdoor Centre, before a fast descent back to Pontypridd and a return to Cardiff via Upper Boat and Gwaelod y Garth. Ride leader David, tel. 07464 950 288.
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July 2023
THURSDAY 20 to TUESDAY 25 July. CTC Cymru Welsh Festival of Cycling. CTC Cymru’s annual festival will be based in Ruthin, north Wales, with its base of operations and camping facilities at Ruthin Rugby Club. Four days of rides and events. For further details, see the Cycling UK website.
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August 2023
SATURDAY 5 August. Meet 9.45 a.m. at the front of Calidcot Railway Station for a 10.00 a.m. departure. Tintern and the Wye Valley Greenway. A moderate 40-mile ride to Devauden, then a beautiful wooded descent into the Wye Valley and to Tintern. Café or pub stop. The Wye Valley Greenway, including Tidenham Tunnel, to Chepstow for tea. Back to Caldicot. Train from Cardiff Central 09:06 to Caldicot 09:35. Return 15:37 Caldicot, or 15:57 or 16:44 from Severn Tunnel Junction. Ride leader Clive, tel. 07910 820 345, clive.cazeaux[at]ntlworld.com
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September 2023
SATURDAY 2 September. Meet 10.00 a.m. PPO for a 10.15 a.m. departure. A moderate 35-mile ride to the Royal Mint, Llantrisant, via Beddau. Café stop at the Royal Mint, Llantrisant, but bring snacks and a drink as back-up. Back in Cardiff by 3.00 p.m. Ride leader Ken, tel. 07816 586 735.
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Rides with Spokes CTC
Cardiff CTC seeks to dovetail its weekend rides programme with the one offered by Spokes Cycle Touring Club, a UK-wide club with a concentration of members in Cardiff. The club is also part of Cycling UK. Full details of Spokes’ programme of day rides can be found here.
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Ride guide
Easy: ideal for the rider who may be fairly new to cycling in a group, has ridden a good number of times by themselves, has a reasonable level of fitness and would like to try and extend their riding by joining a group ride. We will take a fairly gentle pace. This being Wales, there will inevitably be hills, but we take our time, walk up if we have to, and regroup at the top. Distance: 25-30 miles on rolling terrain with occasional stiffish hill, average speed: 8-10 mph.
Moderate: ideal for more regular riders; a steady (but not a fast) pace, around 10-12 mph; a fair amount of up-and-down but no overly demanding climbs.
Strenuous: suitable only for confident or regular riders; a steady-to-brisk pace, 12-15 mph; possibly lots of up-and-down and some long, challenging climbs.
Recommended items to pack in your day bag: Multitool, including allen keys and tyre levers | Two spare inner tubes | Puncture repair kit | Lightweight rain jacket | Spare jersey | Wet wipes | Two/three pieces of your favourite energy food | Water, approximately 1 litre | ID incl. blood group and next of kin details | Lights (in winter).…
Cardiff Cyclists' Touring Club 