BET WS Y COED

Testing routes from the edge of Snowdonia National Park

It’s a mountain-bike legend but Snowdonia’s mountains offer thrilling road circuits too, with easy train access and accommodation for all budgets and group sizes. Away from the trunk roads things are quiet, often remote – and cafes are few – but always awesome, with moderately challenging but hugely rewarding climbs and descents.

ROUTE ONE LAKES LOOP 62 MILES NORTH WALES SHOWCASE

A big day of big views and climbs, but tons of good down-hills with lakes, valleys, forests and mountains. It takes almost all back roads, some very remotefeeling, through awesome hillscapes. Loop around Bala Lake and then back. Take supplies and refuel at Bala.

GET THE ROUTE: komoot.com/ tour/322036396

ROUTE TWO MOUNTAIN LOOP 50 MILES SNOWDON SIGHTSEER

Out (hilly forest lanes) and back (main roads) via the valley to Capel Curig, and in between a majestic rounding of Snowdon on mostly busy-ish, but scenically spectacular, roads between mountains. There’s a cafe stop in Beddgelert (cycle to the dog memorial) and Llanberis.

GET THE ROUTE: komoot.com/ tour/311705612

ROUTE THREE FOREST LOOP 22 MILES GRAVEL HALF-DAY

A day of long forest roads, untrafficked back lanes, bridleways – and Wales’s historic, original Roman road, Sarn Helen. Long rollicking ups and downs but all sensibly graded. There’s a cafe at Conwy Falls on the way home in Fairy Glen.

GET THE ROUTE: komoot.com/ tour/311705787