Lôn Las Cymru (Central)
The Lôn Las Cymru (Central) runs from Llanaber to Llanelwedd over 2 stages: 131 km and 1,671 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 131 km
- Climbing
- 1,671 m
- Stages
- 2
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 66 km
- Longest stage
- 101.3 km
- Most climbing
- 1,373 m
- Riding time
- ~9 h
- Surface
- Mixed surface
- Bike
- Road bike with sturdy tyres, or gravel bike
- Best months
- May to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Llanaber
- Finish
- Llanelwedd
Full route map
Itinerary: 2 stages
Average 66 km and 836 m a stage. Longest day: stage 1 (101.3 km). Most climbing: stage 1 (1,373 m). Shortest: stage 2 (29.9 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Llanaber to Rhayader | UK | 101.3 km | 1,373 m | Mixed surface | Hard | 7 h 14 min | GPX |
| 2 | Llansantffraed-Cwmdeuddwr to Llanelwedd | UK | 29.9 km | 298 m | Mostly paved | Easy | 2 h 08 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
131 km and 1,671 m of climbing over 2 stages: 66 km and 836 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 1, Llanaber to Rhayader (101.3 km); the most climbing is on stage 1, Llanaber to Rhayader (1,373 m); the shortest is stage 2, Llansantffraed-Cwmdeuddwr to Llanelwedd (29.9 km).
At 66 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 50–90 km.
Riders can go faster or slower than the documented itinerary: the same 131 km is 3 riding days at 60 km a day, 2 riding days at 80 km a day and 2 riding days at 100 km a day.
Surface and traffic
Mixed surface: 87% is mapped as paved and 12% as gravel or unpaved.
19 km (14%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 5 km (4%) is on main roads without one, and 1 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 42 km, on stage 1.
Signed routes this tour follows
- Lôn Las Cymru (Central) - stages 1, 2
Best time to ride
From ten years of weather at the stage towns, May to Sep are good for riding along the whole route.
Logistics
- Llanaber (station) is near the start in Llanaber.
- 2 of 2 stage finishes have a hotel, guesthouse or campsite mapped within a short ride of the finish.
- The longest stretch without a café, shop or water on any stage is 42 km, on stage 1.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
Lôn Las Cymru (Central) covers 131 km across two stages, beginning at Llanaber and finishing at Llanelwedd. The route moves generally eastward through Wales, passing numerous towns and villages along the way.
The first and longest stage spans 101.3 km from Llanaber to Rhayader, featuring several climbs. The notable ascents include a 4 km climb gaining 245 m at 6.1% average gradient, followed closely by a 2.1 km climb averaging 8.3% with a maximum of 11.1%, and a longer 7.9 km ascent of 430 m at 5.5%, reaching the highest point of 508 m. Smaller climbs occur towards the latter half of the stage. The terrain changes significantly, offering a mix of steady gradients suitable for varied cycling ability.
The second stage is shorter at 29.9 km between Llansantffraed-Cwmdeuddwr and Llanelwedd with a total elevation gain of 298 m. This stage includes three climbs ranging from 1.1 km to 2.1 km with moderate gradients mostly under 6%, culminating at a height of 248 m. The overall profile is less demanding compared to the first stage.
Water and food stops are well distributed, with 33 available in stage one and 12 in stage two, aiding planning for hydration and nutrition. The data contains no specific month or temperature records for this tour. The route remains within Great Britain throughout, passing through communities such as Barmouth, Dolgellau, Machynlleth, Rhayader, and Builth Wells.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Llanaber to Rhayader 
Stage 2 · Llansantffraed-Cwmdeuddwr to Llanelwedd
Questions riders ask
How far is Llanaber to Llanelwedd by bike?
131 km along this route, in 2 stages averaging 66 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Llanaber to Llanelwedd?
Moving time is estimated at about 9 hours. At 60 km a day it is 3 days, 80 km a day it is 2 days and 100 km a day it is 2 days.
How much climbing is involved?
1,671 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 1,373 m on stage 1, Llanaber to Rhayader.
How difficult is the route?
At 66 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 50–90 km. The longest day is 101.3 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
87% of the route is mapped as paved and 12% as gravel or unpaved (1% has no surface data). Based on that: road bike with sturdy tyres, or gravel bike.
Is there a GPX file?
Yes. Every stage has its own GPX download, and the whole tour is available as one GPX file with a track per stage.
What is the best time of year?
From ten years of weather at the stage towns, May to Sep are good for riding along the whole route.