Route notes

A few things crossed my mind as I was riding this tour that I thought would be worth sharing with others who might ride this way, and sustrans, who publish the map and guide book.

Accommodation

I took a lightweight 1 man tent and camped, but if I were to ride the route again, I'd definitely use B+B's. I hadn't realised just how few campsites there are along the eastern section of Lon Cambria (west of Newtown and east of Devils Bridge). There are plenty of B+B's, and had I been blessed with a bit more presence of mind I'd have stopped at one of them on day 1, rather than riding on into the night to make it to the bunkhouse.

Using B+B's all the way would also have significantly reduced the weight I had to carry. In such hilly country where you're continually climbing, descending, and climbing again, a lighter bike would make a big difference to the distance you could cover in a day. I was riding a 36lb expedition touring bike with 4 panniers and a bar bag, and I knew about it!

Surprisingly, my daily distance wasn't limited by my energy, they were simply limited by how fast I could travel and the time I spent in the saddle. I easily spent several hours each day climbing, often at under 4mph in an 18" gear. If I'd been able to make those climbs at 6mph (or faster) it would have had a big impact on my average speed.

Tricky sections

The B4518 to Woodhouse Farm

This road isn't actually a section of the route, but if you choose to stay at Woodhouse Farm (like I did on day 1), you'll find yourself riding it, cutting out Llangurig.

I'd recommend taking the B4518, were it not for the fact that it's so hilly. Though it was dark, I could tell the geography was quite impressive, so if you have no problem with hills or are travelling light, give it a go. It's a much smaller road. You can check them both out on Google Street View.

The guide book

It ought to list more campsites, and rather than just providing URLs for the accommodation you might want to stay at, it should also list phone numbers. Much of the route doesn't have good mobile reception, so even if you have a smart phone you won't be able to get online in order to find the phone number.