Bikes & Boots - Cycle Touring & Walking in Wales

We decided to do a small weekend cycle tour for Sarah's birthday but also to test our bikes and kit out for the big cycle tour to France in July.

Join us (cycling and walking - no talking) as we cycle along canals and lanes to the beautiful ruins of Llanthony Priory.

We then spent a day on the hills and cycled back the same way. (Route details below).

Bikes:

💚 Paul is riding his George Longstaff touring bike. Find out more in this video:    • My Touring Bike - A Bike Mechanics Beautif...  

🩵 Sarah rode her 19 year old Trek touring bike. Find out more about the upgrades this bike has had here:    • Why You Should Upgrade Your Old Bike #bike...  

📍Route:
We parked in Pontypool and cycled on the Brecon and Monmouth Canal which is a Sustrans route 49.
Close to Abergavenny we switched onto route 46 and 42 into the town.
*We carried the South East Wales Cycle Map (available from Sustrans shop) which was handy as some of the sign posts had worn away or were missing.
We then cycled the NCN 42 to Llanthony.
On the way home we did the same route in reverse (much easier as mostly downhill!).

🛏️ Stay:
We have been visiting and staying in Llanthony for years but this was the first time we stayed at the Llanthony Priory Hotel. Run by Annabel and Jamie, it was amazing. Super comfy beds, accommodating with the bikes, fantastic food and the best views of the priory I have ever seen. We stayed in the Top Tower Room, not for the faint hearted with around 50 spiral steps to reach it! Find out more on their website: https://www.llanthonypriory.co.uk/

There is also wonderful basic camping at Llanthony: https://www.llanthonycamping.co.uk/

If you liked this video my friend Jenny and I did a longer version last year (100 miles) that included taking in the highest road pass in Wales:    • A Mini Cycling Touring Adventure  ⛰️