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Mathern to Caerphilly

64 km road cycling route317 m climbing4 h 33 minGPX

Mathern, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom · Road

A rolling 64 km road cycling route from Mathern, Monmouthshire to Caerphilly through Chepstow, Caerwent and Undy, with 317 m of climbing.

Signed route The waymarked National Cycle Network Route 4 (part) (National Cycle Network), traced from OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Stage 1 of 3 of the National Cycle Network Route 4 (part). Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides
Distance
63.8 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
317 m
5 m per km
Riding time
4 h 33 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Mostly paved
92% paved · 8% unpaved
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
1.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 10.5 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 20.8 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Regular
141 cafés and restaurants · 34 shops · 1 water point · 8 petrol stations · 10 public toilets · 1 bike shop
Best months
May to Sep
Mathern climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Mathern → Caerphilly

Map and elevation profile

Caerwent Roman Town: Eastern gateway Roman remains
Photo: Michael Garlick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
317 m
Distance
64 km
020406080100120m0 km204064 km98 m · highest, at 47.6 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Mathern
  2. Chepstowkm 3
  3. Caerwentkm 11
  4. Undykm 20
  5. Pillgwenllykm 37
  6. Duffrynkm 41
  7. Graigkm 45
  8. Draethenkm 52
  9. Bedwaskm 59
  10. Caerphillykm 64

The route starts in Mathern and quickly climbs for 3 km, gaining 74 m to reach 95 m above sea level near Chepstow at 2.9 km. It passes through several places including Pwllmeyric, Crick, Caerwent, Caldicot with a mix of minor roads (55%), cycle paths (29%), quiet streets, and main roads. The surface is mainly paved (92%) with some gravel (8%). After Caldicot the route continues through Rogiet, Undy, and Redwick. From km 23.6 to 35.8 there is no café, shop or water for 12.2 km. Along the way, there are bailout points at Chepstow, Caldicot, Pye Corner, and Caerphilly.

Around 44.3 km begins the second climb lasting 2 km, gaining 66 m up to 98 m elevation near Graig and Rhiwderin. From there the route passes Lower Michaelston, Draethen, Machen, Trethomas, Bedwas, Porset, and Lansbury Park before finishing at Caerphilly at 62 km. The highest point at 98 m is reached at 46.3 km. Main roads without a cycle lane total 1.8 km, and 10.5 km are on roads with speed limits over 80 km/h. Named roads include Broad Street Common (6.6 km) and Hayesgate Lane (4.4 km).

Highlights

  • Climb to 95 m near Chepstow
  • Climb past Rhiwderin to 98 m
  • Peak Craig Ruperra at 182 m near 51 km
  • Caerphilly Castle near finish

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Chepstow 2.9 km
  2. Pwllmeyric 5.3 km
  3. Crick 9 km
  4. Caerwent 10.7 km
  5. Caldicot 13.5 km
  6. Rogiet 16 km
  7. Undy 19.6 km
  8. Redwick 23.6 km
  9. Somerton 35.9 km
  10. Pillgwenlly 37.1 km
  11. Newport 38.1 km
  12. Maesglas 39.4 km
  13. Duffryn 40.6 km
  14. Pye Corner 44.3 km
  15. Bassaleg 44.7 km
  16. Graig 45.2 km
  17. Rhiwderin 46.2 km
  18. Lower Michaelston 48.4 km
  19. Draethen 51.6 km
  20. Machen 53.9 km
  21. Trethomas 57.2 km
  22. Bedwas 58.8 km
  23. Porset 59.2 km
  24. Lansbury Park 60.5 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 km3 km · 74 m · 2.4 % · max 3.4 %95 m
Unnamed climb44.3 km2 km · 66 m · 3.4 % · max 4.7 %98 m

High point 98 m at 46.3 km; low point 4 m. Passes beneath Craig Ruperra.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 1.8 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads
55% minor road · 29% cycle path · 6% quiet street · 5% road with cycle lane · 5% other roads and tracks
Main roads
1.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
10.5 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
20.8 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Broad Street Common (7 km), Hayesgate Lane (4 km), Pentre-poeth Road (3 km)
Surface
Predominantly paved: 92% is mapped as paved, 8% as unpaved or gravel.
Gradient
11% climbing · 9% descending · 79% flat
Longest descent
2.1 km from 3.1 km, dropping 65 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: 141 cafés and restaurants, 34 shops, 1 water point, 8 petrol stations, 10 public toilets and 1 bike shop.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.4 kmTesco Express · convenience store · 180 m off route
  2. 0.5 kmNellie's Coffee Shop · café · 110 m off route
  3. 2.9 kmChepstow Community Hospital · hospital · 120 m off route
  4. 5.7 kmThe Garden Restaurant and Cafe · restaurant · 280 m off route
  5. 5.7 kmToilets · 280 m off route
  6. 10.8 kmToilets · 200 m off route
  7. 13.6 kmLadybird Pottery Craft Cafe · café · 30 m off route
  8. 13.6 kmAldi · supermarket · 50 m off route
  9. 13.7 kmCaldicot Cycles · bike shop · 60 m off route
  10. 23.6 kmThe Rose Inn · pub · on the route
  11. 38.5 kmStarbucks · café · 60 m off route
  12. 41 kmAsda · supermarket · 110 m off route
  13. 41 kmToilets · 80 m off route
  14. 41 kmASDA Newport Pharmacy · pharmacy · 90 m off route
  15. 55.5 kmBasil & Rusty's Ice Cream Parlour · café · 50 m off route
  16. 56.8 kmChequered Flag Filling Station · petrol station · 50 m off route
  17. 61.8 kmToilets · 90 m off route
  18. 61.8 kmSuperdrug · pharmacy · 50 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 2.4 km — Chepstow (station), 1.1 km off route
  • 14.5 km — Caldicot (station), 40 m off route
  • 44.3 km — Pye Corner (station), 510 m off route
  • 61.8 km — Caerphilly (station), 350 m off route

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

Worth a stop

  • 11 km — Castle Mound (viewpoint)
  • 29.7 km — Whitson Court (castle)
  • 32.9 km — Stay Balanced Alpaca Experiences (attraction)
  • 52.8 km — Machen Corn Mill (ruins)
  • 58.3 km — Battlefield Live (attraction)
  • 61.9 km — Caerphilly Castle (castle)

Stay after this ride

  • Premier Inn · hotel · 1.7 km from the finish
  • Travelodge Caerphilly · hotel · 1.7 km from the finish
  • The Cottage Guest House · guest house · 2.0 km from the finish
  • New House Country Hotel · hotel · 2.8 km from the finish

Start and access

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

At the start

Food and coffee
Nellie's Coffee Shop (510 m), Golden Fish Bar (470 m)
Shops
Tesco Express (470 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
Two Shot Social (50 m), Glanmor's Bakery (80 m), Jake's Ice Cream & Co (30 m)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch without café, shop or water: 12.2 km from 23.6 to 35.8 km
  • 1.8 km on main roads without cycle lane
  • 10.5 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
  • 8% gravel or unpaved surface

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

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Michael Garlick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: M J Roscoe · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 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 Mathern (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
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