The Taff Trail

The Taff Trail is amazing. It runs from Cardiff Bay to the Brecon Beacons, with various great stops in between. I’m no Lance Armstrong though, so I mainly tend to just go to Castell Coch, have a pint in the nearby pub and then come home! I find it incredible though how you can be in the hustle and bustle of the City Centre, and within 10 – 15 minutes you’re cycling along the banks of the Taff seemingly in the middle of an expanse of countryside.
You can hire a bike either in the Bay or from Sophia Gardens too from Pedal Power. They’re really nice people, have good prices, and once gave us a few hours for free because we got a puncture 2 minutes into our bike ride.
After Castell Coch, which is at the top of a really steep hill (I can only ever get three quarters of the way up before collapsing) we tried to go a little further but the trail took us alongside a motorway, which scared me too much to continue on. Up to that point it’s great for families though and there aren’t any tricky hills or terrain to deal with until you get to Castell Coch itself. There’s a nice little village pub on the way doing proper traditional food which is popular with cyclists. It’s just the right distance away so you can pop in there to refuel just as you’re getting a little tired.

I always think we are incredibly lucky in Cardiff to have such a stretch of beautiful countryside and forestry within such a close vicinity of the city. The City has such variety with its waterfront, its city centre, and it proximity to countryside and mountains. The Taff Trail is a huge cycle track that takes in all of these parts of Cardiff as it runs all the way from Brecon down to the Bay, and it can be a great way to see what the city’s surrounding area has to offer. You can join and leave the cycle track at various locations, so this isn’t some kind of track that locks you in until you reach the other end. We’re not monsters. It’s also walker friendly, so don’t worry about getting knocked down by bikes, just keep your wits about you.
The trail runs, generally, alongside the river Taff, hence its clever name. It’s great to follow the path the river takes down to the ocean and travel through various parts of Cardiff along the way.

A keen cyclist? Looking for a safe stress fress cycle route? Then the Taff Trail is exactly what your looking for.
The trail runs from Cardiff Bay all the way to Brecon. Although if I am honest I have never completed the trail as my fitness levels are not what they used to be.
The scenery you come across whilst cycling along this trail is breath taking. Ealry mornings are my favourite, when there is still dew on the grass and a crispness in the air. The wild life along the route is a great talking point and great for children to enjoy.
Whatever the day, whatever the weather this trail is great cost free activity to help you unwinde.
If you do not have your own bike they operate a pedal hire service one operating from Cardiff bay and there is another in Sophia Gardens.
Prices are very reasonable.
One day maybe just maybe I will complete the trail in one. ;-) See you there!

This trail is one of the many reasons I love Wales.
Running on this path is like making an appearance in a Nike commercial — breathtaking scenery and a lack of car smog make for a spectacular jogging or cycling route.
I’ve only gone running on the trail, so I’m afraid I can’t comment on the camping experience, but I find it’s best to get out a bit earlier or later on the weekends (especially if the sun makes an appearance). The further you get away from Bute Park, the less people you’ll find.
And that means fewer dogs, cyclists, and pushchairs! I’m sorry; I guess I’m just one of those cranky b*tches who find the ringing bell of an oncoming cyclist unusually annoying.
Anyway, definitely make your way up the trail to Castell Coch, where the views of the Welsh countryside are unrivalled. Plus, like I said, there’s a castle, which always makes for stunning scenery!

Winding its way from Cardiff Bay’s sparkling waterfront in the south through the South Wales Valleys and up to the market town of Brecon further north, the 55-​mile long Taff Trail passes through a wide variety of urban and rural Welsh landscapes.
Used by both cyclists and walkers, much of it is traffic free — following the line of former tramway, canal and railway routes.
Lots of people use a particular stretch of the Taff Trail to cycle to work or for leisure outings, while more serious cyclists and walkers complete the whole thing. Some of the route is suitable for all abilities of walkers or cyclists (such as the trail through Cardiff’s Bute Park), whereas other parts are more remote and strenuous and require a certain level of fitness and planning.
For those who want to do the trail in just one direction, the handy Beacons Bike Bus runs between Cardiff and Brecon on Sundays during the summer months to transport you back to where you started!

The Taff Trail stretches from Brecon, a market town in mid wales, down 55 miles to Cardiff Bay on the south coast. This is a truly remarkable cycling (or walking if you’re crazed) tour that can be done over a period of a couple of days, or just in sections when and as you like.
Along the way there are facilities and camping grounds nestled in some of the most superb countryside that South Wales has to offer. The trail makes its way through the Brecon Beacons, a spectacular national park, and then on through the Valleys. If you want to spend some time in the rolling Welsh hills, there’s no better way to do it.
The cycle route is challenging without being too difficult for the average cyclist. This is mainly due to some long hills between Brecon and Pontsarn, but then it’s all downhill. Literally. Whichever way you’re travelling. The trail is suitable for people of all ages, and does not tend to be too busy. You can really get out into the thick of it.