The Welsh Borders
Spend a weekend, or longer, weaving from Wales to England and back again. Fabulous roads and far fewer potholes on the Welsh side. Plus a wedge of Victoria sponge for £2.50
Stress-free riding… that’s the Welsh Borders for you. Criss-crossing between England and Wales is the best way to experience it. That way you can join up brilliant roads, sleepy towns and tasty cake stops at friendly cafés both sides of the border. How do you know you’re in Wales? There aren’t many ‘Welcome to Wales’ signs, so look out for ‘ARAF’ (‘SLOW’) on the tarmac and Welsh fingerboards. Fewer potholes in Wales, too. Take the A489 between Bishop’s Castle and Church Stoke. The road surface gets much better on the Welsh side.
The A483 between Crossgates and Newtown is phenomenal. It’s busy but you’ll definitely have your skills tested. Fill up at the Texaco garage and drink tea at Café Express. They’re east on the A44 from the Crossgates roundabout. Then follow signs for Newtown. There’s a build-up of corners and altitude towards the head of the valley, before an intricate series of bends takes you over the top and down towards Newtown. Look out for views of the Severn valley approaching Dolfor.
Take it easy on the A470 from Builth Wells to Newtown. You’ll ride beside the River Wye before turning right at Llangurig then pick up the River Severn at Llanidloes. The route’s less demanding than the A483, and perfect for a relaxed cruise on a Harley. The big, green, turreted Metropole in Llandrindod Wells is only 14 miles from Builth and makes a great base for big groups exploring the Borders. Expect to pay £126 for one night in a double. The Lion in Leintwardine is better for small groups. It’s right on the river, has a garage for bikes and costs £120 per double.
Further south, the Wye Valley defines the England-wales border from Monmouth to the coast. Ride south from Hereford to Monmouth on the A466. It’s a fast, smooth road that skips between rape fields just west of the Wye Valley. After Monmouth choose the B4228 which descends to Chepstow’s Riverside Wine Bar, close to the confluence of the Wye and the Severn. Good afternoon tea and cake. There’s also a fifteen-strong gin collection for later.
The beautiful Golden Valley lies just west of Hereford. It’s stunning and there’s the Black Mountain to the south-west. It’s also undisturbed by traffic thanks to the A465 from Abergavenny to Hereford and the A438 that skirts the north of the valley. Search for the B4348 between Hay-on-wye and Pontrilas. Take it easy and enjoy the scenery, except during the 90° bend in Dorstone. Next, ride over the toll bridge between Hay-on-wye and Whitney-onwye. The wooden slats will shake your teeth out. Looking for a single-lane adventure? Ride the Gospel Pass between Hay-on-wye and Abergavenny. We don’t take large groups down here because it’s narrow, muddy, and busy on weekends. But there are great views north of Capel-y-ffin.
Half-timber houses are two-a-penny round here. Follow the black and white trail through villages such as Dilwyn, Eardisley and Pembridge. Stop at Rita’s Tea Room in Eardisland. If it’s hot, take your coffee and cake into the garden. Then take the A4110 from Adforton to Hereford: a fast and quiet two-laner that’s bypassed by the A49. Park up at the Shobdon Aerodrome, south west of Mortimer’s Cross and watch the planes taking off. Raid the Bateman Arms back in Shobdon for coffee and cake – £2.50 for a wedge of Victoria sponge.
Visit Clun Castle, an 11th Century keep in the Shropshire Hills. It’s half-way along
the cracking A488 between Knighton and Bishop’s Castle. We’ve used this road on every single tour we’ve done in the Welsh Borders. It gets busy towards Minsterley, so turn west on the A489 towards Church Stoke and into the Kerry Vale. The Kerry Vale Vineyard is just after the B4385 turning – there’s a good café and wine shop. A Border Meat Platter, chocolate brownie and small glass of wine costs £15.
More good food can be found and eaten at the Ludlow Food Centre and Kitchen, Bromfield. Get there on the A4117 from Kidderminster. Further north are two roads that go over Wenlock Edge. Ride east from Church Stretton on the B4371 to Much Wenlock, and then back to Craven Arms on the B4378 and 4367. Keep an eye out for muddy roads caused by farm vehicles.