Celtic Trail cycle route

Last updated

Marker on the Celtic Trail cycle route (National Cycle Network 47) National Cycle Network 47.jpg
Marker on the Celtic Trail cycle route (National Cycle Network 47)

The Celtic Trail is a network of dedicated cycle routes in the National Cycle Network, crossing West, South and Mid Wales, and covering 377 miles in total. It is divided into east and west sections. The west section links Pembroke and Fishguard on the west coast to Swansea, and the east section covers the area from Swansea to Chepstow, Abergavenny and Hay-on-Wye in the east. It is largely traffic free but sections along the route are still being upgraded and improved. In some places there is a choice of a low-level route, or a high-level route for mountain bikes.

The network includes Route 42 (Glasbury, Mid Wales to Gloucester, England), Route 43 (Swansea to Builth Wells), Route 46 (Hereford to Newport), Route 47 (Newport to Fishguard), Route 49 (Abergavenny to Newport), and 492 (Cwmbran to Brynmawr), the Welsh section of Route 4 (London to Fishguard), a large part of Route 8 (Lon las Cymru, Cardiff to Holyhead), and other short links.

A view of Bedwas and Caerphilly from a side path through Ynys Hywel Activity Centre, which diverts from the main NCN 47 just before Cwmfelinfach. Celtic Trail.jpg
A view of Bedwas and Caerphilly from a side path through Ynys Hywel Activity Centre, which diverts from the main NCN 47 just before Cwmfelinfach.

Places along Route 47 (from west to east) include:

Further reading




Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A40 road</span> Road in Great Britain, connecting London to Wales

The A40 is a trunk road which runs between London and Goodwick (Fishguard), Wales, and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road (A40) in all legal documents and Acts. Much of its length within England has been superseded by motorways, such as the M40, and has lost its trunk road status, though it retains it west of Gloucester, including its length within Wales. It is approximately 260 miles (420 km) long. The eastern section from Denham, Buckinghamshire to Wheatley, Oxfordshire is better served by the M40 and its former function of linking London with Cheltenham and Gloucester has been taken by the M4, A419 and A417 via Swindon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cycle Network</span> Bicycling route network in the UK

The National Cycle Network (NCN) is the national cycling route network of the United Kingdom, which was established to encourage cycling and walking throughout Britain, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. It was created by the charity Sustrans who were aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. However Sustrans themselves only own around 2% of the paths on the network, these rest being made of existing public highways and rights of way, and permissive paths negotiated by Sustrans with private landowners, which Sustrans have then labelled as part of their network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A48 road</span> Trunk road in Great Britain

The A48 is a trunk road in Great Britain running from the A40 at Highnam, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Gloucester, England, to the A40 at Carmarthen, Wales. Before the Severn Bridge opened on 8 September 1966, it was a major route between England and South Wales. For most of its route, it runs almost parallel to the M4 motorway. During times of high winds at the Severn Bridge, the A48 is used as part of the diversion route and is still marked as a Holiday Route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European route E30</span> Road in trans-European E-road network

European route E30 is an A-Class European route from the port of Cork in Ireland in the west to the Russian city of Omsk, near the border with Kazakhstan in the east. For much of the Russian stretch, it follows the Trans-Siberian Highway and, east of the Ural Mountains, with AH6 of the Asian Highway Network, which continues to Busan, South Korea. The total length is 6,530 km (4,060 mi)—3,300 km (2,100 mi) from Cork to Moscow, and 3,230 km (2,010 mi) from Moscow to Omsk. The naming is by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taff Trail</span>

The Taff Trail is a popular walking and cycle path that runs for 55 miles (89 km) between Cardiff Bay and Brecon in Wales. It is so named because it follows the course of the River Taff. Along much of its length, it follows the National Cycle Network Route 8 that continues to Holyhead, and is substantially off-road.

Cwmfelinfach is a small village located in the Sirhowy valley of south-east Wales. It is part of the district of Caerphilly within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is located north of Wattsville, about 5 miles north of the nearest town Risca, and south of Blackwood. To the east the valley is bordered by the hills of Pen-y-Trwyn. To the west is Mynydd y Grug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Wales Main Line</span> Railway from Bristol to Swansea

The South Wales Main Line, originally known as the London, Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway or simply as the Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway, is a branch of the Great Western Main Line in Great Britain. It diverges from the core London-Bristol line at Royal Wootton Bassett beyond Swindon, first calling at Bristol Parkway, after which the line continues through the Severn Tunnel into South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Wales</span> Overview of the transportation system in Wales

Transport in Wales is heavily influenced by the country's geography. Wales is predominantly hilly or mountainous, and the main settlements lie on the coasts of north and south Wales, while mid Wales and west Wales are lightly populated. The main transport corridors are east–west routes, many continuing eastwards into England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millennium Coastal Path</span> Walkway and cycleway in Carmarthenshire, Wales

The Millennium Coastal Path is a 13 miles (21 km) pedestrian walkway and cycleway along the south coast of Carmarthenshire, providing a link between Llanelli and Pembrey Country Park. The cycleway forms a section of both the Celtic Trail cycle route and the National Cycle Network NCN 4.

The South Wales Railway was a main line railway which opened in stages from 1850, connecting the Great Western Railway from Gloucester to South Wales. It was constructed on the broad gauge. An original aspiration was to reach Fishguard to engender an Irish ferry transit and transatlantic trade, but the latter did not materialise for many years, and never became an important sector of the business. Neyland was the western terminus of the line until 1906.

National Cycle Network, Route 43 is part of the National Cycle Network and the Celtic Trail, which connects Swansea with Builth Wells. Most of the route is still awaiting development. As of June 2006, there is a 13-mile section out of Swansea that is open and signed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cycle Route 4</span> Cycle route in the United Kingdom

National Cycle Route 4 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from London to Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. Between these, the route runs through Reading, Bath, Bristol, Newport, Swansea and St David's. Within Wales, sections of the route follow branches of the Celtic Trail cycle route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cycle Route 8</span> Route of the National Cycle Network in Wales

National Cycle Route 8 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from Cardiff to Holyhead. The route passes through the heart of Wales, and is also known by its Welsh name Lôn Las Cymru. It is largely north–south from Holyhead to Cardiff or Chepstow, and in total measures some 400 km (250 mi) in length. Some of its route follows the trackbed of former railway lines, such as Lôn Las Menai, Lôn Eifion, the Mawddach Trail and the Taff Trail; in other places, the route is on public highways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cycle Route 21</span> Cycle route in the United Kingdom

National Cycle Route 21 is part of the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network. It runs from Greenwich in South-East London south to Crawley, then east to Groombridge and south to Eastbourne, with a short final loop northwards again to its end at Pevensey.

National Cycle Route 42 is a part of the National Cycle Network running from Glasbury in Mid Wales to Gloucester in England. It provides a north–south link from Route 8 to Route 4, and provides an alternative south route for Lon Las Cymru for those starting at Chepstow instead of Cardiff. It is also part of the Celtic Trail.

National Cycle Route 81 in the British National Cycle Network runs from Aberystwyth to Wolverhampton, with the section running through Wales called Lôn Cambria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cycle Route 57</span> Cycle route in the United Kingdom

National Cycle Route 57 is part of the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network. When complete, it will run west to east from Farmington, Gloucestershire near Northleach to Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cycle Route 88</span> Cycle route in the United Kingdom

National Cycle Route 88 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from Newport to its planned finish site at Margam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cycle Route 64</span> Long distance cycle route through the English East Midlands

National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 64 is a Sustrans National Route that runs from Market Harborough to Lincoln. The route is 68 miles (109 km) in length and is fully open and signed in both directions. There are three sections to the route, NCN 63 and NCN 15 form the links between these sections.