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Conwy Valley Cycle Route

70 km road cycling loop1,005 m climbing5 hGPX

Conwy, United Kingdom · Road

A hilly 70 km road cycling loop from Conwy through Llwydfaen, Maenan and Llanrwst, with 1,005 m of climbing.

Signed route The waymarked Conwy Valley Cycle Route (local route), traced from OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

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At a glance

Best for
Short, climbing-heavy rides for fit, experienced riders
Distance
70.1 km
Loop
Elevation gain
1,005 m
14 m per km
Riding time
5 h
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
98% paved · 1% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Some main roads
25.1 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 4.5 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Regular
51 cafés and restaurants · 12 shops · 3 water points · 1 petrol station · 6 public toilets · 2 bike shops
Best months
Jun to Sep
Conwy climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Conwy

Map and elevation profile

This is a photo of listed building number
Photo: Llywelyn2000 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,005 m
Distance
70 km
0100200300400m0 km20406070 km339 m · highest, at 37.0 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Conwy
  2. Llwydfaenkm 5
  3. Maenankm 13
  4. Llanrwstkm 18
  5. Penmachnokm 34
  6. Trefriwkm 52
  7. Tal-y-bontkm 58
  8. Llanbedr-y-cenninkm 59
  9. Rowenkm 62
  10. Conwykm 70

Starting from Conwy, the route heads south through Llwydfaen and Tal-y-Cafn with initial climbs of 50 m at 5% and 42 m at 3.7%. After Tal-y-Cafn, riders face a longer climb of 172 m at 7.5% over 2.3 km before descending into Maenan and Llanddoged. The route continues to Llanrwst and then climbs for 5.7 km gaining 281 m at 4.9% average gradient to reach 292 m altitude near km 36.2. Past the high point, there is a 4.7 km descent dropping 280 m to Nebo at 25.2 km. Further climbs include an 8.6% gradient section for 2.2 km near Penmachno starting from km 34, reaching 343 m elevation, the highest point on the route.

The return leg passes Betws-y-Coed, Trefriw, Dolgarrog, and Tal-y-Bont, including a modest climb of 42 m at 3.1% near the end. Roads are mostly minor (59%) and main roads (35%) with about 25 km on main roads lacking cycle lanes and 4.5 km on fast roads with limits of 80 km/h or more. The surface is primarily paved (98%) with minimal gravel or track sections. There is a longest stretch without café, shop or water between km 6.2 and 17.9 (11.7 km). Various food and drink options are located mostly near towns, with pubs, cafés and shops at Tal-y-Cafn, Llanrwst, Betws-y-Coed and Tal-y-Bont.

Why ride this route?

  • Tops out at 343 m, 36.2 km in.

Highlights

  • Climb to 343 m near Penmachno at km 36
  • Longest descent of 4.7 km dropping 280 m
  • Passes through Betws-y-Coed and Llanrwst
  • Peaks near route include Moel Trefriw and Pen-Or

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Llwydfaen 5.3 km
  2. Tal-y-Cafn 6.1 km
  3. Maenan 12.6 km
  4. Llanddoged 15.8 km
  5. Llanrwst 17.6 km
  6. Nebo 25.2 km
  7. Penmachno 34.1 km
  8. Betws-y-coed 44.4 km
  9. Trefriw 52.4 km
  10. Dolgarrog 56.6 km
  11. Tal-y-bont 58.3 km
  12. Castell 58.6 km
  13. Llanbedr-y-cennin 59.4 km
  14. Pontwgan 60.8 km
  15. Rowen 62.3 km
  16. Llechwedd 67 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb0 km1 km · 50 m · 5 % · max 6.7 %65 m
Unnamed climb3 km1.2 km · 42 m · 3.7 % · max 5.2 %78 m
Unnamed climb5.8 km2.3 km · 172 m · 7.5 % · max 14.8 %185 m
Unnamed climb18.3 km5.7 km · 281 m · 4.9 % · max 7.6 %292 m
Unnamed climb34 km2.2 km · 192 m · 8.6 % · max 14.1 %343 m
Unnamed climb58.2 km1.4 km · 42 m · 3.1 % · max 4.6 %64 m

High point 343 m at 36.2 km; low point 9 m. Passes beneath Bryn Cŵn, Mynydd Cauedig, Pen-Or.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Expect stretches on main roads without a cycle lane (25.1 km in all) between quieter sections.

Roads
59% minor road · 35% main road · 2% quiet street · 2% major road · 2% other roads and tracks
Main roads
25.1 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
4.5 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
B5106 (13 km), B5427 (5 km)
Surface
Paved: 98% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
Gradient
26% climbing · 30% descending · 45% flat
Steep sections
6.7 km over 5% · 2.7 km over 8% · 1.8 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 13% at 35.7 km
Longest descent
4.7 km from 37.2 km, dropping 280 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 51 cafés and restaurants, 12 shops, 3 water points, 1 petrol station, 6 public toilets and 2 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0 kmWoosey's Catch of Conwy · fast food · 40 m off route
  2. 0 kmThe Village Shop · convenience store · on the route
  3. 4.6 kmSpring · 120 m off route
  4. 17.9 kmGriffiths Bakery · bakery · on the route
  5. 18 kmSpar · supermarket · 80 m off route
  6. 18 kmBike rental · 210 m off route
  7. 18.2 kmToilets · 180 m off route
  8. 28.8 kmA5 Bacon Bar · café · 180 m off route
  9. 34.2 kmEagles · pub · on the route
  10. 34.2 kmToilets · on the route
  11. 43.7 kmShell · petrol station · 180 m off route
  12. 44.4 kmBwyd i Fynd · café · 60 m off route
  13. 44.4 kmDrinking water · 60 m off route
  14. 44.4 kmToilets · 60 m off route
  15. 44.4 kmBeics Betws Bike Hire · bike rental · 70 m off route
  16. 52.2 kmToilets · 30 m off route
  17. 58.2 kmTal Y Bont Stores · convenience store · on the route
  18. 59.4 kmYe Olde Bull Inn · pub · on the route

Need to bail out?

  • 6.1 km — Tal-y-Cafn (station), 40 m off route
  • 17.8 km — Llanrwst (station), 60 m off route
  • 44.4 km — Betws-y-Coed (station), 150 m off route
  • 55.6 km — Dolgarrog (station), 1.0 km off route
  • 68.5 km — Conwy (station), 560 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 5.8 km — Bryn Castell (archaeological site)
  • 9.9 km — Pen-Or (peak, 234 m)
  • 49.5 km — Gwydir Castle (castle)
  • 57.1 km — Surf Snowdonia (attraction)
  • 63.3 km — Conwy Water Gardens (attraction)

Start and access

Starts and finishes at Conwy. Mapped within a short walk of the start, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start and finish

Trains and ferries
Conwy (630 m)
Food and coffee
Woosey's Catch of Conwy (40 m)
Shops
The Village Shop (20 m)

Know before you go

  • 11.7 km without café, shop or water from km 6.2 to 17.9
  • 25.1 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 4.5 km on roads with 80 km/h or higher speed limit

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Llywelyn2000 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Meirion · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: David Medcalf · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

About this route

Route line
Traced from the waymarked route’s relation in OpenStreetMap.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Conwy (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
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Page last updated

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