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Welshpool to Rhayader

72 km mixed-surface cycling route743 m climbing5 h 07 minGPX

Welshpool, Powys, United Kingdom · Mixed

A hilly 72 km mixed-surface cycling route from Welshpool, Powys to Rhayader through Belan, Garthmyl and Aberbechan, with 743 m of climbing. Mixed surface: 74% is mapped as paved and 25% as gravel or unpaved.

Signed route The waymarked National Cycle Route 81 (Wales section) (Walk Wheel Cycle Trust), traced from OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Stage 1 of 2 of the National Cycle Route 81 (Wales section). 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: 71.7 km; Point to point
Elevation gain: 743 m; 10 m per km
Riding time: 5 h 07 min; moving time, estimated
Difficulty: Hard
Bike: Gravel bike; from the mapped surface
Surface: Mixed surface; 74% paved · 25% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic: Mostly minor roads; 2.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 3.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 21.3 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water: Longest gap 16 km; 91 cafés and restaurants · 17 shops · 1 water point · 6 petrol stations · 10 public toilets · 6 bike shops
Best months: May to Sep; Welshpool climate, 10 years
Navigation: GPX download; free, no sign-in
Start → finish: Welshpool → Rhayader

A barber with the traditional red and white striped symbols. — Photo: grassrootsgroundswell · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent: 743 m
Distance: 72 km

Route description

Welshpool
Belankm 3
Garthmylkm 10
Aberbechankm 18
Penygloddfakm 22
Milfordkm 24
Maesyrhandirkm 25
Stepasidekm 27
Llanidloeskm 47
Rhayaderkm 72

The route starts in Welshpool at 78 m altitude and heads through Bronybuckley, Belan, Berriew, and Abermule, passing several places to stop for refreshments including pubs and cafés within the first 35 km. The surface is 74% paved and 25% gravel or unpaved, with roads consisting mainly of minor roads (59%), cycle paths (30%), and some quiet streets and paths. From Newtown (around 22.5 km) to Caersws (34.2 km), there are supermarkets, cafés, and bike shops for supplies or bailouts by train stations at Welshpool, Newtown, and Caersws.

Why ride this route?

Tops out at 338 m, 52.8 km in.

Highlights

Climbs reaching up to 338 m
Dol-Llys Fach peak near the road at 43.7 km
Pen Y Banc peak at 310 m near 48 km
Longest stretch without café/shop for 16.3 km from 54.1 km to 70.4 km

Along the route

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

Places passed

Belan 3.2 km
Berriew 7.8 km
Refail 8.7 km
Garthmyl 9.8 km
Fron 12.2 km
Abermule 15.3 km
Aberbechan 18 km
Llanllwchaiarn 20.3 km
New Barnfields 21.3 km
Penygloddfa 21.5 km
Newtown 22.5 km
Treowen 22.5 km
Milford 24.1 km
Trehafren 24.4 km
Garth Owen 24.7 km
Maesyrhandir 25 km
Vaynor 25.2 km
Maesydail 25.3 km
Stepaside 26.7 km
Caersws 34.2 km
Tyddyn 41.9 km
Llanidloes 46.8 km
Llangurig 54.1 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
Climb	Starts at	On this ride	Top on this ride
Unnamed climb	25.5 km	4.3 km · 196 m · 4.6 % · max 7.5 %	314 m
Unnamed climb	36 km	1.9 km · 74 m · 3.8 % · max 7.2 %	198 m
Unnamed climb	38.6 km	2.5 km · 93 m · 3.8 % · max 5.5 %	246 m
Unnamed climb	42 km	1.4 km · 58 m · 4.2 % · max 7.6 %	246 m
Unnamed climb	47.8 km	4.9 km · 158 m · 3.2 % · max 8.8 %	338 m

High point 338 m at 52.8 km; low point 78 m. Passes beneath Dol-Llys Fach, Pen Y Banc, Rhiw-Bron-Y-Gelli.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 2.4 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads: 59% minor road · 30% cycle path · 3% quiet street · 3% path · 5% other roads and tracks
Main roads: 2.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads: 3.3 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths: 21.3 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Surface: Mixed surface: 74% is mapped as paved and 25% as gravel or unpaved.
Gradient: 22% climbing · 16% descending · 62% flat
Steep sections: 3.6 km over 5% · 0.6 km over 8% · steepest 500 m averages 8% at 52.3 km
Longest descent: 3.3 km from 30.5 km, dropping 187 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 16 km, from km 54 to 70. Along the route: 91 cafés and restaurants, 17 shops, 1 water point, 6 petrol stations, 10 public toilets and 6 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

0 kmCosta · café · 170 m off route
0 kmToilets · 190 m off route
0 kmTesco Petrol Station · petrol station · 230 m off route
0.2 kmMorrisons · supermarket · 120 m off route
7.9 kmSpar · supermarket · 240 m off route
10.1 kmThe Nag's Head · pub · 40 m off route
21.9 kmBP · petrol station · 90 m off route
22.4 kmDrinking water · 150 m off route
22.5 kmToilets · 70 m off route
22.8 kmSpar · supermarket · 110 m off route
27.2 kmDolau Inn · pub · 160 m off route
34.2 kmPremier · convenience store · 80 m off route
46.4 kmLlanidloes War Memorial Hospital · hospital · 60 m off route
46.6 kmSPAR · convenience store · on the route
46.7 kmTravellers Rest · café · on the route
46.8 kmLlani Bikes · bike shop · on the route
70.4 kmTriangle Inn · pub · 140 m off route
70.4 kmNeil's Wheels · bike shop · 220 m off route

Need to bail out?

0 km — Welshpool (station), 370 m off route
22.5 km — Newtown (station), 310 m off route
34.4 km — Caersws (station), on the route

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

Worth a stop

8.7 km — The Naissance Experience (attraction)
23.3 km — Newtown Hall Castle Mound (archaeological site)
43.7 km — Dol-Llys Fach (peak)
46.8 km — Old Market Hall (attraction)
70.4 km — Rhayader Castle (castle)

Stay after this ride

Lion Royal Hotel · hotel · 460 m from the finish
Crown Inn · hotel · 490 m from the finish
Ty Morgans · hotel · 520 m from the finish
Bryncoed Guest House · guest house · 620 m from the finish
Wyeside Caravan & Camping Park · campsite · 780 m from the finish

Start and access

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

At the start

Food and coffee: Costa (170 m), The Bay Tree (200 m), The Wellington Arms (180 m)
Shops: Morrisons (140 m)

At the finish

Bikes and repair: Neil's Wheels (220 m), Clive Powell Mountain Bikes (380 m)
Food and coffee: Triangle Inn (140 m), The Lost ARC (280 m), The Horseshoe (350 m)
Pharmacy and medical: Rowlands Pharmacy (450 m)

Know before you go

16.3 km without café, shop or water from 54.1 km
2.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane
3.3 km on roads with posted 80 km/h or more
25% 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: grassrootsgroundswell · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Eirian Evans · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: David Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Stage of

National Cycle Route 81 (Wales section)

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 Welshpool (Open-Meteo).
GPX: Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added: Friday 4th September 2026
Page last updated: Sunday 13th September 2026

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Welshpool to Rhayader