Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

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DanCharles
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Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by DanCharles »

Hi, thankyou to everyone on the forum who helped me with my bicycle problems so far. Everyone here is very nice. Anyway, I'm living in Cardiff and just cant think of anywhere to cycle too where I haven't been too. My last trip was to Castell Coch (The Red Castle) which was a great ride except from rude and annoying pedestrians along the Taff trail who don't seem to see the huge white writing (in English and Welsh) on the floor instructing them of which side of the path to be on. As some may know from my other threads I'm a young cyclist so as much as Id love to go absolutely miles I don't think I could. So my question is:
Can someone recommend a nice ride (possibly scenic) in Cardiff?
Thanks In Advance :)
The fat commuter
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by The fat commuter »

I've heard that the road out of Cardiff is the best bit. That was a joke, btw. It's ages since I've been there - I'm sure Cardiff's a lovely place.

Hopefully someone else will be along shortly with more constructive advice.

Regarding pedestrians on the cyclist side of shared paths - 'tis a pain. Not a great deal you can do about it other than to cycle carefully and develop a cough as you approach people so that they know you're there. I've not used my bell myself but have seen others do so and pedestrians seem to object to this.
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by Vorpal »

You can try Cycle Streets for routes http://cardiff.cyclestreets.net/

As for places to go, I usually just pick a cafe that I like, or a picnic spot. I have my ride, stop for a snack and/tea, then ride back by a different route.
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eileithyia
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by eileithyia »

Vorpal wrote:You can try Cycle Streets for routes http://cardiff.cyclestreets.net/

As for places to go, I usually just pick a cafe that I like, or a picnic spot. I have my ride, stop for a snack and/tea, then ride back by a different route.


+1

You say you are young, how young i guess that means no car? What about a motorised assist? Train to Bridgend or similar and do a ride around Ewenny/Ogmore/ etc. Or further afield to Swansea and Gower?
You could do a return train journey or a single and ride back to Cardiff?

Join a cycle club? Or at least look at their club runs on their website listings.. see where they go for ideas... and if you go to their cafes you will meet other fellow cyclists.

PS pedestrians are like this all over the country in my experience, but dare to ride on the ped side and you will be villified.
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Richard Fairhurst
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

Get a train up the Valleys and cycle back - loads of good traffic-free trails there.
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honesty
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by honesty »

Around the bay, over the barrage to Penarth and back in a loop looks nice.
Valbrona
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by Valbrona »

Good places to cycle in Cardiff ... any road leading out of Cardiff.
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james01
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by james01 »

Take Arriva train north to Merthyr Tydfil(bikes free) and return to Cardiff along Taff Trail or continue riding north to Brecon, beautiful country.
An efficient way to cycle quickly from urban Cardiff to real countryside is to take the Ely Trail due West, terminating at St Fagans folk museum (free entry, large outdoor grounds, teashop/restaurant). Although the official trail ends at the museum you're now on the country lane network which criss-crosses the Vale of Glamorgan, classic cycling country with attractive coast to the south. Get OS Landranger maps 170 and 171 and start planning. General rule is avoid red(A) roads and brown(B) roads and you won't go far wrong.
BTW there's a North Easterly route along the Wentlooge Levels to Newport (NCN route 88 I think). I don't recommend it, it's flat, boring, and seems to attract maniac drivers.
pwa
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by pwa »

As above, but the B-road past St Donats (near Llantwit Major) is a very safe and pleasant ride.
Flinders
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by Flinders »

The fat commuter wrote:I've heard that the road out of Cardiff is the best bit. That was a joke, btw. It's ages since I've been there - I'm sure Cardiff's a lovely place.

Hopefully someone else will be along shortly with more constructive advice.

Regarding pedestrians on the cyclist side of shared paths - 'tis a pain. Not a great deal you can do about it other than to cycle carefully and develop a cough as you approach people so that they know you're there. I've not used my bell myself but have seen others do so and pedestrians seem to object to this.



I've also had them say, very nicely mind,'why don't you use a bell?' when I've coughed and politely asked pedestrians to 'excuse me'. I have to explain that other pedestrians object to bells.
As they say in my part of the world, 'you can't do right for doing wrong'.
drossall
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by drossall »

We were in Thornbury, north of Bristol yesterday (without bikes, sadly). We met a cyclist in the cafe there who was out from Cardiff. Might be a bit far for you but, again, train-assisted runs are a possibility, and there's a cycle path on the M48 bridge.
DanCharles
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by DanCharles »

The fat commuter wrote:I've heard that the road out of Cardiff is the best bit. That was a joke, btw. It's ages since I've been there - I'm sure Cardiff's a lovely place.

Hopefully someone else will be along shortly with more constructive advice.

Regarding pedestrians on the cyclist side of shared paths - 'tis a pain. Not a great deal you can do about it other than to cycle carefully and develop a cough as you approach people so that they know you're there. I've not used my bell myself but have seen others do so and pedestrians seem to object to this.


Hahaha, developing a cough gets me comments like "how rude, get a bell". Yet using a bell gets just about the same... Can't win, I might just get truck horn :)
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Get a bell and ring it gently a certain distance before you reach the people. Sometims I think, one should assume all walkers are drunk or deaf or listening to loud music so they hear nothing. When the ground is clearly marked with "walker" and "cyclist" there is really no excuse.
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MikeF
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by MikeF »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Get a bell and ring it gently a certain distance before you reach the people. Sometims I think, one should assume all walkers are drunk or deaf or listening to loud music so they hear nothing. When the ground is clearly marked with "walker" and "cyclist" there is really no excuse.
Exactly. For most pedestrians using a shared off road path, a bell will give about 8-10 seconds (about 50 yards distance at 10mph) warning of your approach.
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pwa
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Re: Good places to cycle to in Cardiff

Post by pwa »

I ride on the lanes of the Vale of Glamorgan, where I live, and I use a simple ping bell (one pull / release gives one clear ping) and I use it to warn walkers and horse riders with their backs to me. One ping about 50m away. Pause (wait for reaction). Another ping at about 30m if no sign of reaction. Most people turn to look at some point, and none object. All friendly and no problems. Most people appreciate that you are taking the trouble.
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