The U.K. has a strong cycling culture that has spawned Tour de France champions. And although the U.K. is primarily an island, it contains the countries of Scotland and Wales. Wales has its own particular history and is where some well-known personalities come from, such as Anthony Hopkins, Tom Jones, Dylan Thomas, and Geraint Thomas, another Tour de France winner.
Wales also has a unique place in British cycling, with distinct scenery, language, and challenging roads. It is used as part of the Tour of Britain, a multi-day professional road race that started in 1945 and has been held, off and on, since then. If you’re not a pro cyclist but want a multi-day ride through Wales, sign up for RideCymru and experience the best food, scenery, and road riding the country has to offer.
About RideCymru
RideCymru is a 250 mile, three day ride across Wales from north to south. This event occurs in September. The inaugural event was held in 2025. It’s sponsored by Threshold Sports, the same organization that sponsors the Tour of Britain. The goal of RideCymru, according to Threshold Sports, is to highlight “Welsh heritage, local food, and iconic climbs like the Great Orme and the Vale of Ewyas.”
Cyclists ride 84 miles on the first day, 86 miles on day two, and 86 miles on day three, so the ride is really 256 miles. After each day, cyclists can camp out (with a tent and bathroom facilities supplied) or stay at a hotel along the route.
Full mechanical and medical support is available. Unfortunately, the event takes place on roads not closed off to general traffic, but Threshold Sports attempts to create a route with low traffic. This is not a race.
Routes for the Three Day RideCymru Event
The event starts in Llandudno, the most northern region of Wales, then moves south in a cross-section of the country. Threshold Sports states that Llandudno can be reached by a two hour train ride from Manchester. The ride finishes in Cardiff where participants can pick up a train to London, Birmingham, Manchester, or Bristol.
The scenery and climbing begin in earnest on day one from Llandudno to Machynlleth. Cyclists ride through Eryri National Park and encounter the Great Orme, a limestone peninsula that butts up against the Irish Sea. Day one features 8179 feet of elevation gain.
Day two, from Machynlleth to Brecon, contains some of the most scenic parts of Wales and is also the most isolated. Not many cyclists know about this area because it is so remote. This part of RideCymru has 7218 feet of elevation gain.
On the final day, from Brecon to Cardiff, riders face the highest road on the RideCymru route. Cyclists will ride over the Black Mountains, then face one additional climb before the event ends in Cardiff. Here are some of the highlights of the event:
- Great Orme
- Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park
- Coed-y-Brenin Forest
- Cambrian Mountains
- Sources of the Severn and Wye Rivers
- The Mighty Brecon Beacons Gospel Pass – The Highest Road in Wales
- Black Mountains
- Usk Valley
- Caerphilly Mountain
Registration, Cost, Inclusions for RideCymru
General entry for RideCymru is 750 pounds ($1,000 roughly). This fee covers your camping costs for two nights of the event. Your accommodations in Cardiff are not covered.
Your other option, if you are a solo rider registering for this event, is the Plus Package: Single Occupancy. Your fees cover all essential ride costs, plus accommodations in hotels the night before the event start and the two nights out on the road. The cost is £1,650.00 ($2200).
Participants also have the option to register as a charity rider for alzheimers patients and cancer research. Your entry fees are lower, but with these entries, you may be obligated to raise a certain amount of money for whichever charity you choose.
Last Thoughts
RideCymru looks like a great event to challenge your legs after a good season of riding. You’ll see and experience the best that Wales has to offer in terms of scenery, low-traffic roads, and challenging climbs.
This event doesn’t appear to have a rider limit, and the fact that RideCymru is also a charity-driven makes doing this ride even more rewarding. Just keep in mind that this is a pretty expensive event for a solo rider, but you may save some cash if you ride with or for a charity.
Next year will be the third year of RideCymru, so don’t be surprised if the organizers are still working on getting the kinks out. But if you’re interested, sign up now and get ready for a unique ride in Wales in September.
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