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National Cycle Network Route (part)

115 km road cycling route1,423 m climbing8 h 14 minGPX

Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, United Kingdom · Road

A hilly 115 km road cycling route from Seaside, Carmarthenshire through Furnace, Felinfoel and Tumble, with 1,423 m of climbing. There is a 22 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 42–64).

Signed route The waymarked National Cycle Network Route (part) (National Cycle Network 47), 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
Hilly days out for fit, experienced riders
Distance
115.2 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
1,423 m
12 m per km
Riding time
8 h 14 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
97% paved · 2% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
7.7 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 34.7 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 19.1 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Longest gap 22 km
91 cafés and restaurants · 24 shops · 4 petrol stations · 5 public toilets · 2 bike shops
Best months
Jun to Sep
Llanelli climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Seaside

Map and elevation profile

Caermeini Uchaf
Photo: Natasha Ceridwen de Chroustchoff · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,423 m
Distance
115 km
0100200300m0 km255075100115 km284 m · highest, at 77.7 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Seaside
  2. Furnacekm 2
  3. Felinfoelkm 3
  4. Tumblekm 17
  5. Porthyrhydkm 24
  6. Bronwydd Armskm 46
  7. Pen-y-bontkm 59
  8. Crymychkm 77
  9. Castlebythekm 97

This part of the National Cycle Network starts near Llanelli at Seaside and heads northwest passing through places including Furnace, Horeb, and Cross Hands. The route climbs significantly early on with a 3.7 km ascent gaining 87 m at an average 2.3% gradient, then continues through Felinfoel before reaching Carmarthen at 39.5 km.

The middle section has several climbs with gradients up to 6% and short steeper pitches up to 11.5%, notably between km 45 and 65 near Bronwydd Arms, Trelech, and Dinas. The highest point is near km 74.7 at 283 m beneath peaks such as Frenni Fawr and Rhos Goch. Most of the ride is on minor roads (68%), cycle paths (17%) and some main roads (7%), with 7.7 km of main roads lacking cycle lanes. There is a continuous stretch of 22.1 km between about km 42 and 64 without cafés, shops, or water, so riders should prepare.

The route ends in Fishguard after passing through places like Rosebush, Puncheston and Llanychaer Bridge. Along the way, there are pubs, cafés, supermarkets and a few bike shops and petrol stations scattered mostly near towns. Several railway stations offer bailout options including Llanelli, Carmarthen, Bronwydd Arms and Fishguard and Goodwick. Toilets are available near km 26 and close to the end around km 110. The surface is mainly paved (97%) with minor gravel (2%).

Highlights

  • Peak elevation 283 m near km 74.7 beneath Frenni Fawr
  • Climb of 2.5 km at 6% average gradient after km 45
  • Longest descent of 3.8 km from km 106.1 dropping 204 m
  • Longest named road: Swiss Valley Trail, 15 km

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Tyrfran 2.6 km
  2. Llanerch 2.6 km
  3. Felinfoel 3.3 km
  4. Horeb 7.8 km
  5. Five Roads 8.1 km
  6. Cynheidre 9.5 km
  7. Upper Tumble 16.5 km
  8. Tumble 16.7 km
  9. Cross Hands 18.7 km
  10. Cwm-y-glo 18.9 km
  11. Cefneithin 19.9 km
  12. Foelgastell 21.6 km
  13. Porthyrhyd 23.8 km
  14. Llangunnor 38.2 km
  15. Carmarthen 39.5 km
  16. Cwmoernant 40.6 km
  17. Abergwili 41.4 km
  18. Bronwydd Arms 45.8 km
  19. Newchurch 49.3 km
  20. Talog 55.7 km
  21. Trelech-a'r-Bettws 58.8 km
  22. Pen-y-bont 59.1 km
  23. Trelech 64.2 km
  24. Dinas 65.2 km
  25. Rhos-y-llyn 69 km
  26. Tegryn 71.2 km
  27. Crymych 76.5 km
  28. Mynachlogddu 82.3 km
  29. Rosebush 90 km
  30. Henry's Moat 94.6 km
  31. Tufton 95.1 km
  32. Castlebythe 97.2 km
  33. Puncheston 99.1 km
  34. Llanychaer Bridge 106.4 km
  35. Lower Town 109.4 km
  36. Fishguard 109.9 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 climb1 km3.7 km · 87 m · 2.3 % · max 3.4 %93 m
Unnamed climb42.4 km1.7 km · 53 m · 3.1 % · max 5.3 %71 m
Unnamed climb45.2 km2.5 km · 152 m · 6 % · max 11.5 %196 m
Unnamed climb55.9 km2.3 km · 90 m · 3.9 % · max 6.8 %178 m
Unnamed climb59.2 km1.5 km · 69 m · 4.6 % · max 8.3 %212 m
Unnamed climb65 km1.5 km · 60 m · 4.1 % · max 8.1 %233 m
Unnamed climb82.7 km1.6 km · 42 m · 2.7 % · max 4 %241 m
Unnamed climb98.5 km3.6 km · 131 m · 3.6 % · max 6.2 %272 m

High point 283 m at 74.7 km; low point 6 m. Passes beneath Mount Hill, Bryn Tanerdy, Bryn-Towy.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 7.7 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads
68% minor road · 17% cycle path · 7% main road · 6% quiet street · 2% other roads and tracks
Main roads
7.7 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
34.7 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
19.1 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Swiss Valley Trail (15 km), B4313 (5 km), Heol y Foel (4 km)
Surface
Paved: 97% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved.
Gradient
30% climbing · 26% descending · 44% flat
Steep sections
5.2 km over 5% · 0.7 km over 8% · 0.3 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 10.4% at 48 km
Longest descent
3.8 km from 106.1 km, dropping 204 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.

The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 22 km, from km 42 to 64. Along the route: 91 cafés and restaurants, 24 shops, 4 petrol stations, 5 public toilets and 2 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.7 kmWell Pharmacy · pharmacy · 440 m off route
  2. 1.7 kmThe Colliers · pub · 80 m off route
  3. 3.1 kmTexaco · petrol station · 110 m off route
  4. 7.8 kmWaun Wyllt Inn · pub · 100 m off route
  5. 16.7 kmHenleys · café · 130 m off route
  6. 16.7 kmNigel Williams Pharmacy · pharmacy · 140 m off route
  7. 23.8 kmPrince of Wales · pub · on the route
  8. 26.1 kmToilets · 190 m off route
  9. 38.9 kmAldi · supermarket · 150 m off route
  10. 39.5 kmTexaco · petrol station · 120 m off route
  11. 42.1 kmCosta · café · 170 m off route
  12. 42.1 kmRenal Dialysis Unit · clinic · on the route
  13. 76.5 kmPasta Boy · café · 40 m off route
  14. 76.7 kmMorrisons Daily · convenience store · 110 m off route
  15. 95.1 kmTufton Arms · pub · 40 m off route
  16. 99.1 kmThe Drovers Arms · pub · 40 m off route
  17. 110 kmCo-op Food · supermarket · 130 m off route
  18. 110.1 kmFferyllfa Lloyds Pharmacy · pharmacy · 50 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 0.5 km — Llanelli (station), 1.1 km off route
  • 39.5 km — Carmarthen (station), 190 m off route
  • 45.8 km — Bronwydd Arms (station), 250 m off route
  • 111.2 km — Fishguard and Goodwick (station), 1.1 km off route

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

Worth a stop

  • 26.1 km — Ice House (attraction)
  • 39.5 km — Carmarthen Castle (castle)
  • 68.5 km — Crug Bach Round Barrow (archaeological site)
  • 75 km — Rhos Goch Round Barrow (archaeological site)
  • 97.2 km — Castell Mound (archaeological site)

Stay after this ride

  • Abergwaun Hotel · hotel · 960 m from the finish
  • Cartref · hotel · 930 m from the finish
  • The Tara Hotel · guest house · 590 m from the finish
  • Seaview Hotel · hotel · 490 m from the finish
  • Pentower Guest House · guest house · 1.3 km from the finish

Start and access

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

At the start

Food and coffee
The Sandpiper (480 m), Frankie's Kitchen (790 m)
Shops
SNA Late Shop (930 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
Creswell's Cafe (730 m), Elephant Pie Tearooms (840 m), Fishguard Kebabs (710 m)
Shops
Nisa Extra (770 m), Co-op Food (820 m)
Pharmacy and medical
Fferyllfa Lloyds Pharmacy (790 m)

Know before you go

  • 22.1 km with no café, shop or water between km 42.1 and 64.2
  • 7.7 km on main roads without a cycle lane
  • 34.7 km on roads with speed limit 80 km/h or higher

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

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Natasha Ceridwen de Chroustchoff · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Gareth James · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: M J Roscoe · 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 Llanelli (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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