Days
Destination
England
The Wye Valley
overview
This two-wheeled adventure through the rolling hills and valleys of the Welsh-English borderlands takes you into a world of perfect hamlets and isolated churches, nature reserves, and thousand-year-old elm trees. In Ludlow, the Slow Food capital of Shropshire, you’ll follow village lanes to half-timbered houses, busy markets, a towering medieval castle, and over 500 registered historical buildings. Then head west along the Teme and Lugg rivers past waterwheels and hilltop forts to Pembridge, where you can enjoy a pint in a 670-year-old pub and explore the town’s renowned craft workshops. Browse the legendary bookstores of Hay-on-Wye and meander through 9th-century Crannog, a royal Celtic dwelling in the Llangorse Lake nature sanctuary. Riding into the Black Mountains, take time to enjoy the view at Gospel Pass, then continue on to visit the bell tower in Yarpole—the oldest timber structure in Great Britain. From landmarks like 14th-century Croft Castle to Croft Ambrey’s preserved Iron Age fort, you’ll cycle through more history in a week than some see in a lifetime!
tour includes
- English breakfast daily (lunches, dinners, and beverages are not included)
- All accommodations (with private bathrooms) while on tour
- Luggage transfers between the hotels
- Detailed route notes and maps
- High quality bicycle with 21-speed Shimano gears (helmet not provided), tire repair kit, lock, map/route note holder, and panniers
- Basic travel insurance coverage
- The exclusive ease of a mobile phone rental with our Cellhire partnership. Receive preferred calling rates, free phone rental, and complimentary shipping of mobile phones
- 24-hour emergency service
- The unbeatable and cumulative experience of the CW staff
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From our blog
Details
Length
6 days, 5 nights
Activity Level
Easy to moderate; 8-25 miles
Meet
Ludlow, England
Depart
Elton, England
Itinerary and Accommodations
Day 1
Ludlow
Arrival in Ludlow
Upon checking into your hotel in the heart of Ludlow, you can go straight to visit its castle before dining out in one of the town’s many restaurants.
Feathers Hotel
Ludlow, England
A half-timbered coaching inn set in the heart of what is called the most beautiful small town in England. The comfortable bedrooms have modern furniture and bold colors. Downstairs are a bar and dining area, and upstairs are two stunning oak-paneled public rooms with creaky floors and antique furnishings. It is just a five-minute walk to Ludlow castle, in the center of the medieval town with over 500 national historic buildings. Once the capital of Wales and the border counties (the Marches), the architecture of the hotel and other structures reflects its historic importance.
Day 2
Presteigne
Elton to Presteigne; 24km/15mi
This morning, after a short transfer and being fit to your bicycle, you ride west into open country along the Teme Valley, winding through protected nature reserves along the River Lugg, where otters and orchids thrive below hilltop forests of yellow gorse. You freewheel into water meadows entering the Welsh Marches to reach the gorgeous market town of Presteigne, where your half-timbered black-and-white Victorian hotel awaits with an invitingly sunny beer garden—ideal for a drink before dinner.
The Radnorshire Arms Hotel
Presteigne, England
This large 16th-century, black-and-white, half-timbered coaching inn has a grand but cozy atmosphere with oak-paneled public rooms, a bar, and large garden. Guest rooms have leaded windows, some with exposed beams, and all are individually decorated with antiques. The hotel is in the center of Presteigne, a charming, historic market town with an interesting church, museum, and many music and other festivals held throughout the summer.
Day 3
Hay-on-Wye
Presteigne to Hay-on-Wye; 32km/20mi or 64km/40mi
The scenery becomes wilder as you continue west through valleys of oak below hilltops crowned with wild moorland. You can choose between an easy 20-mile ride leading across the floodplains of the River Wye, or try a challenging 40-mile route looping into Wales, leading through fairytale hidden valleys where you can stop to paddle in crystal streams. Refuel with homemade tea and cake in the afternoon in a converted station (longer route), and on arrival in Hay take a stroll into town to enjoy the pubs and bookshops.
The Swan Hotel
Hay-on-Wye, England
A honey-colored stone restored coaching inn from the Georgian period in the heart of the quaint town of Hay-on-Wye. Comfortable bedrooms are decorated in English country-house style. On the ground floor are spacious public rooms, a small bistro and bar, and extensive gardens in which to relax and enjoy a drink or dinner. The town has a Norman castle and is known for its literary festival and over 50 second-hand bookshops!
Day 4
Hay-on-Wye
Layover day in Hay-on-Wye
Hay—a tiny market town on the Welsh-English border—is world famous for its literary festival and amazing range of bookshops—some of them outdoors! Today you take a break from your bike and explore a local riverside walk, or if you choose to take your bike, an easy ride takes you out to 9th-century Crannog, a Royal Celtic dwelling on an island in Llangorse Lake—a designated nature reserve full of curlew and dippers (28 miles round trip). If you want more of a challenge, you can head into the Black Mountains up to Gospel Pass for incredible views over the Wye Valley, before a long coast back to Hay (16 miles). Notes are provided for both excursions.
The Swan Hotel
Hay-on-Wye, England
A honey-colored stone restored coaching inn from the Georgian period in the heart of the quaint town of Hay-on-Wye. Comfortable bedrooms are decorated in English country-house style. On the ground floor are spacious public rooms, a small bistro and bar, and extensive gardens in which to relax and enjoy a drink or dinner. The town has a Norman castle and is known for its literary festival and over 50 second-hand bookshops!
Day 5
Kingsland
Hay-on-Wye to Kingsland; 40km/25mi
Cherry blossoms in the hedgerows and poplar trees dotted with mistletoe lead you from Wales into Herefordshire where hills and valleys are replaced by cider orchards and hop fields! You may be tempted to stop for a tipple in Dunketon Cider Mill as you pass by. A historic Georgian dovecote by the River Arrow in Eardisland is a charming site before arriving into Kingsland. Here take time to explore the church, the site of a mass grave from the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross in 1461—a spooky evening stroll!
The Corners Inn
Kingsland, Herefordshire, England
This 16th-century restored inn is located at the heart of an idyllic black-and-white half-timbered village. Contemporary well-appointed accommodations are in a separate modern wooden wing with private entrances. The historic restaurant and bar with exposed beams offer high-quality local cuisine and beers and ciders. On the original coaching road from London to Wales, the town of Kingsland is associated with the history of the medieval Wigmore family, whose castle is nearby, as well as the site of the 15th-century Battle of Mortimer’s Cross.
B. & B. Morgan, Vermont, May 2012
The rolling hills and dales of the Wye Valley offers some of the most bucolic views anywhere in the world. The small hotels were welcome and comfortable refuges after a day of biking and our hosts were always very friendly and helpful. While food is perhaps not what Wales is known for, we were pleasantly surprised with the culinary delights that awaited us each evening. The directions that CW provided were excellent; there were a number of places where we might have gone astray, but the maps and written commentary kept us on track.