Cyclists.com

Stage 1 of 2 · EuroVelo 2Stage 2 →

Holyhead to Caernarfon

62 km road cycling route352 m climbing4 h 25 minGPX

Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey, United Kingdom · Road

A rolling 62 km road cycling route from Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey to Caernarfon through Valley, Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn and Dothan, with 352 m of climbing.

Signed route The waymarked EuroVelo 2 (EuroVelo EV2), traced from OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Stage 1 of 2 of the EuroVelo 2. Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

Download GPXMap

At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides
Distance
61.8 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
352 m
6 m per km
Riding time
4 h 25 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
97% paved · 2% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
2.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 10.7 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 13.6 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Regular
128 cafés and restaurants · 27 shops · 3 water points · 4 petrol stations · 8 public toilets · 1 bike shop
Best months
Jun to Sep
Holyhead climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Holyhead → Caernarfon

Map and elevation profile

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

Elevation profile

Total ascent
352 m
Distance
62 km
020406080m0 km204062 km69 m · highest, at 46.1 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Holyhead
  2. Valleykm 6
  3. Llanfihangel yn Nhowynkm 13
  4. Dothankm 20
  5. Llangaffokm 32
  6. Starkm 41
  7. Menai Bridgekm 47
  8. Tŷ'n-y-lônkm 49
  9. Aber Pwllkm 52
  10. Caernarfonkm 62

Starting in Holyhead, the 61.8 km route passes through Valley, Caergeiliog, and several villages including Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn, Engedi, Dothan, and Bethel. From km 12.5 to 25.4, there is the longest stretch without a café, shop, or water lasting 12.7 km. The route features mostly paved surfaces (97%) with minor gravel (2%) and includes a mix of minor roads (62%), cycle paths (20%), quiet streets (7%), and small sections of main roads and lanes.

Highlights

  • Climbs between km 30.3 and 31.7 gaining 42 m
  • Climb at km 47.2–48.6 gaining 43 m
  • Passing Menai Bridge at km 47.1
  • Near Twt Hill at 59.9 km

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Valley 5.7 km
  2. Caergeiliog 8.6 km
  3. Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn 12.5 km
  4. Engedi 17.5 km
  5. Dothan 19.8 km
  6. Bethel 25.4 km
  7. Trefdraeth 26.5 km
  8. Llangaffo 32 km
  9. Llanddaniel Fab 38.7 km
  10. Star 41.3 km
  11. Llanfairpwllgwyngyll 43.9 km
  12. Menai Bridge 47.1 km
  13. Bangor 47.9 km
  14. Penrhosgarnedd 49 km
  15. Tŷ'n-y-lôn 49.4 km
  16. Capel-y-graig 50.1 km
  17. Aber Pwll 52.1 km
  18. Y Felinheli 53 km
  19. Griffiths' Crossing 56.3 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 climb30.3 km1.4 km · 42 m · 3 % · max 5.9 %45 m
Unnamed climb47.2 km1.4 km · 43 m · 3.1 % · max 6 %63 m

High point 68 m at 45.1 km; low point 0 m. Passes beneath Twt Hill.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 2.5 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads
62% minor road · 20% cycle path · 7% quiet street · 4% path · 7% other roads and tracks
Main roads
2.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
10.7 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
13.6 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Surface
Paved: 97% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved.
Gradient
12% climbing · 13% descending · 75% flat
Steep sections
0.6 km over 5%

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: 128 cafés and restaurants, 27 shops, 3 water points, 4 petrol stations, 8 public toilets and 1 bike shop.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.1 kmLidl · supermarket · 50 m off route
  2. 1.1 kmTesco · petrol station · 150 m off route
  3. 1.2 kmYsbyty Penrhos · hospital · 130 m off route
  4. 3.9 kmCoffee Cups · café · on the route
  5. 11.3 kmHawkings Bar · bar · 350 m off route
  6. 11.4 kmMedical Centre · clinic · 90 m off route
  7. 38.8 kmSiop yr Efail · convenience store · 30 m off route
  8. 47 kmShell · petrol station · on the route
  9. 47 kmRowlands Pharmacy · pharmacy · 350 m off route
  10. 47.2 kmWaitrose · supermarket · 50 m off route
  11. 47.3 kmBridge Inn · pub · 80 m off route
  12. 52.9 kmThe Swellies · café · 40 m off route
  13. 53.4 kmToilets · on the route
  14. 59.4 kmMorrisons · petrol station · 40 m off route
  15. 59.9 kmAsda · supermarket · 100 m off route
  16. 60.3 kmBontà Deli · café · 70 m off route
  17. 60.4 kmDrinking water · 60 m off route
  18. 60.4 kmToilets · on the route

Need to bail out?

  • 0.1 km — Holyhead (station), 140 m off route
  • 24.6 km — Bodorgan (station), 590 m off route
  • 43.9 km — Llanfairpwll (station), 830 m off route
  • 60.4 km — Caernarfon (station), 310 m off route

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

Worth a stop

  • 34.4 km — Bodowyr Chambered Tomb (archaeological site)
  • 44.4 km — Marquis of Anglesey Column (monument)
  • 47.4 km — Gorsedd Stone Circle (ruins)
  • 60.4 km — Caernarfon Castle (castle)

Stay after this ride

  • The Black Boy Inn - Gwesty · hotel · 230 m from the finish
  • Black Jacks of the Black Boy · hotel · 230 m from the finish
  • Caer Menai · hotel · 270 m from the finish
  • Totters Independent Hostel · hostel · 210 m from the finish
  • Caer Menai Guest House · guest house · 270 m from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Holyhead. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Trains and ferries
Holyhead (150 m), Irish Ferries (120 m)
Food and coffee
Port Shop R&F Travel Retail (60 m), The Port Inn (140 m)
Shops
Lidl (190 m), Port Shop (70 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
Bontà Deli (90 m), Caffi Maes (60 m), The Palace Vaults (90 m)
Shops
Spar (60 m)

Know before you go

  • 12.7 km stretch without café, shop or water from km 12.7
  • 2.5 km on main roads without cycle lane
  • 10.7 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
  • Gravel on 2% of route

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

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Lewis Clarke · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: 瑞丽江的河水 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Monsyn · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Stage of

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 Holyhead (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

See something wrong with this ride?

Less climbing