During the Covid pandemic when we weren’t allowed out, I had been scrutinising maps for potential cycle tours and had identified a possibility around the coast of Wales. While I had studied in south Wales and holidayed occasionally in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, the main attraction was the remote west coast, north and south of Aberystwyth which I had visited a couple of times over the years. Then there was Anglesey and a traffic-free route along the north coast (which I had run from Bangor to Rhyl in 2017). So, it’s been on my ‘bucket list’ for a few years and hence being limited by time and needing remain in the UK for family reasons, it would be a good one to tick off this year. And at about 560 miles it fits nicely into a week, which means I could start and finish with a Saturday parkrun, my 49^th and 50^th different location. A plan was starting to form.

First the parkruns. From a review of the Unofficial Parkrun Event Map there is a one at the Severn Bridge and another in Chester which is located on the River Dee separating England from Wales, so the start and finish points were established. I then needed to book trains to Bristol and from Chester for my bike and myself (in that order – a seat is no good unless I can get my bike on board). So that just left accommodation. I would take a general route round the coast, through all the main towns and cities. However, that also meant some remote locations with limited options and no hostels so the accommodation was a bit more expensive (and luxurious) than previous trips, but then my days of sleeping in pipes (in the late 1980s) or (an expensive) suspended tent (in 2024 R2R Day 8 – Fecamp to Eu Le Treport – Andy’s Running and Cycling Tours, with a broken rib) are probably in my rear view mirror now.

An extra consideration with Wales is the weather; some people would say it always rains. Well not quite but from my undergraduate experience of living in Pontypridd in the mid-1980s, one year there was some sort of precipitation almost every day from October to March. And the Met Office website tells me that over 30 years Cardiff (the wettest city in the UK) has had an average 1,203 mm of rain per annum, 154 rainy days per year (=42% of the time) and 10 wet days in June. Bangor is the wettest town in Wales with an average of 1,512mm of rain per annum followed by Aberystwyth with 1,317mm. However, Alfred Wainwright (a famous fell walker and author) used to say there is no such thing as bad weather only unsuitable clothing. No excuses.

Finally, what about the bike. Given that my trusty 18-year old Cannondale, with over 22,000 miles on the clock has served me well over various terrains on the last two tours, I have no need for a shiny new gravel bike with disc brakes. But I have ditched the pond liner handlebar wrap and light backpack in favour of purpose-made, backpacking bags to make me more streamlined and efficient when loading / unloading, and perhaps a bit more professional (if that really matters). On testing the new set up round Box Hill, I didn’t even notice that I had the bags on other than needing to use one lower cog when climbing due to the added weight. And it provides a place to store my bike lock (and therefore hopefully avoid another broken rib).

So everything is in place and the weather is looking good. Given that it is a UK tour it’s all quite relaxed with no passport, currency, insurance, ferries, flights or phone charges to worry about.