{"id":959061,"date":"2026-11-05T08:44:17","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T08:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/959061\/"},"modified":"2026-11-05T08:44:17","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T08:44:17","slug":"nothing-soothes-the-soul-like-the-riverside-cycling-the-river-wye-from-source-to-sea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/959061\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Nothing soothes the soul like the riverside’: Cycling the river Wye from source to sea"},"content":{"rendered":"

Countless kites<\/p>\n

So much for being an authority on rivers. In truth, I\u2019d never stood at the source of one \u2013 and finding the Wye\u2019s proved less straightforward than expected. It was a bright day in late April, albeit chilly enough flor a light jacket<\/a>, as we made our way into the Cambrian Mountains. What looked like an innocuous gravel track soon deteriorated into sodden ground and wheel-swallowing bog, slowing down our start. At a certain point, with shoes soaked, CW\u2019s photographer fearing for his equipment, and my bike barely rideable, the precise location of the source felt almost beside the point. Somewhere up here, in this wet and unremarkable patch of Welsh hillside, the Wye begins its journey. We were close enough. It was time to turn downhill and start following it properly.<\/p>\n

Wet, dirty and slightly vexed, I rolled down from the elusive source to pick up National Cycle Network Route 8 \u2013 and, at last, the ride began in earnest. Over the early miles, as the route clung to the young Wye, the road occasionally lifted sharply before dropping back towards the water, keeping me guessing. I didn\u2019t mind at all; unpredictability was part of the appeal of the original idea. The Wye wound quietly through a beautiful landscape \u2013 not exactly dramatic, but deeply satisfying \u2013 a patchwork of woodland and open fields. Coming here to enjoy this waterway has a long history: the Wye Tour, a boat trip down the river, is cited as Britain\u2019s first organised \u201cpackage holiday\u201d, running from roughly 1760 to the 1830s. Today, though, it was the riding that mattered \u2013 and the road ahead.<\/p>\n

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Around 20 miles in, I rolled into Rhayader, a small town with a surprising hum of life. As I rode through its bunting-lined streets, a red kite drifted overhead \u2013 a reminder of one of Britain\u2019s quieter conservation successes, the species having been brought back from near-extinction in the late 20th century. Then another appeared, and another until, to my amazement, the sky was full of them. Dozens, then hundreds, were circling a patch of land just outside town. It turned out to be feeding time at nearby Gigrin Farm, where daily feeds have helped sustain and grow the local population since the 1990s. The birds gather with clockwork precision, swooping and calling in a spectacle that\u2019s equal parts eerie and mesmerising.<\/p>\n

The NCN route continued to bob and weave, cunningly incorporating occasional lengths of gravel<\/a> into proceedings. By now I\u2019d settled into the rhythm of the day. Effort, recovery, repeat. The Wye was rarely out of sight for long, sometimes just a glimpse through trees, often close enough that the sound of water was audible above the buzz of my tyres. The miles came without much ceremony: small climbs, quick descents, the occasional gateway interruption. I was content to take it all in, and such was the steady accumulation that only when I stopped did I realise how far I\u2019d travelled since the morning\u2019s boggy start. Being out in the countryside, surrounded by nature, the river a constant presence to my left, the reward here was patience rather than pace: short, sharp rises followed by quick descents back towards the water. By the time I approached Hay-on-Wye, the sense of travelling with the river \u2013 rather than simply alongside it \u2013 had begun to take hold.<\/p>\n

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n

\n

\"Steve\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Richard Butcher)<\/p>\n

Hill-climb hubris<\/p>\n

Hay-on-Wye has long drawn budding bards to its banks. Perched on the English-Welsh border, it became famous as the \u201ctown of books\u201d after local bookseller Richard Booth declared it an independent kingdom in 1977 \u2013 nominating himself as \u201cking\u201d. Today, its literary festival attracts tens of thousands each year. The river has always been central to the town\u2019s appeal, both as a natural boundary and a route through the landscape. It was here that I left its banks for the first time, as I headed towards the Black Mountains.<\/p>\n

A smooth ribbon of asphalt climbed towards Hay Bluff. The 9.2km ascent is relatively tame, at an average of 3.2%, but there\u2019s something about a long, gradual slope that triggers a kind of primeval instinct in me. Before I could ask myself why, I was indulging in 10 minutes of Zone 5 tomfoolery. Minutes later, I paid for it as the road reared up to 18% in places, and my quads were screaming by the time I ground my way towards the 677m summit. There\u2019s little to be said for being an overweight 50-year-old with a dodgy knee, but it does at least encourage you to look around. About halfway up, the view opened out as the road meandered \u2013 almost river-like were it not still going uphill \u2013 with the Black Mountains closing in on all sides. It was no day for concerning myself with Strava segments; what was called for now was a humble pause to take it all in.<\/p>\n

It was only when a skinny young upstart tore past that I was shaken from my reverie. Briefly, I attempted to respond, rising from the saddle, tapping up a couple of cogs and kidding myself that I could lift the pace high enough to catch him. The effort quickly proved futile, and I consoled myself with the fantasy that I had just had a close encounter with Wales\u2019s next Grand Tour superstar. It was time to seek a more realistic solace back down by the river.<\/p>\n

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Freehub screaming, I dropped off the mountain once again, riverbank-bound. Returning to lower altitude felt like re-entering a different world. The chill was gone, the wind eased, and the soundscape shifted \u2013 the high-velocity blast of the descent giving way to the more serene pace of the riverside. After the exposure of the high ground, the valley felt strangely cosseting, as though the Wye had pulled everything back into its orbit. The coast was drawing closer now, with just the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean to cross before the sea would open out in front of me. The valley earns its Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status by dint of its dramatic limestone gorges, while the Forest of Dean \u2013 one of England\u2019s largest ancient woodlands \u2013 is home to all manner of fauna and flora, even, apparently, a thriving population of wild boar.<\/p>\n

A chance encounter with a large, temperamental pig wasn\u2019t high on the to-do list, but the odds had shifted and it wasn\u2019t impossible. Wild boar re-established themselves in the Forest of Dean in the late 1990s after centuries of absence, and there are now thought to be between 600 and 1,000 living here. They tend to keep their distance, but in spring \u2013 with piglets about \u2013 they are best treated with caution.<\/p>\n

With the river now on my right, I crossed into England and left the tarmac for a narrow ribbon of singletrack that cut through the forest for the next mile or so. The ground was rough, the gradient pitching up to 25% in places, and progress slowed to a grinding crawl. Any thoughts of wildlife-spotting quickly gave way to the more immediate task of keeping the bike moving forward. By the time I rejoined the road near Upper Lydbrook, legs burning and breath ragged, the forest had made its point \u2013 this was the domain of hardier creatures than me.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Steve\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Richard Butcher)<\/p>\n

The journey’s end <\/p>\n

Trundling down the southern edge of the forest, I emerged from wild boar country unscathed and slipped back alongside the Wye, continuing south towards Chepstow. The valley tightened as the river broadened and slowed, and Tintern Abbey came into view. Founded in 1131, it later inspired William Wordsworth\u2019s 1798 poem Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, in which the Wye becomes a source of comfort and restoration for the poet. As he remembers lost loved ones \u2013 \u201cthou art with me here upon the banks\/Of this fair river\u201d \u2013 the landscape helps hold them dear. More than two centuries on, the scene\u2019s calming charm remains, and I was half-tempted to pen a few lines of my own \u2013 until I remembered I still had six miles left to ride.<\/p>\n

Beyond Tintern, the river was now clearly tidal, its pace easing as it mosied towards the Bristol Channel. The final miles into Chepstow passed quickly, helped by the knowledge that the journey was nearly done. Following the Wye from its indistinct, boggy source to this wide, estuarine mouth brought a new appreciation of its scale \u2013 no longer just a ribbon on a map, but a long, memorable adventure across varied, changing terrain. In Chepstow, at a pub called the Two Rivers \u2013 named for the nearby meeting of the Wye and the Severn \u2013 I watched another kind of current flow, from tap to glass. It felt like a fitting place to raise a toast to the river we\u2019d traced from source to sea.<\/p>\n

Wye oh why: source to sea in stats<\/p>\n

204km: Total distance (127 miles) from source to sea<\/p>\n

4: Number of counties passed through \u2013 Powys, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Gloucestershire<\/p>\n

6: Key settlements along the way \u2013 Rhayader, Builth Wells, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, Chepstow<\/p>\n

677m: Height of highest climb, Hay Bluff<\/p>\n

1971: Year the Wye Valley was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)<\/p>\n

1: … of the UK\u2019s least industrialised riversides \u2013 which explains why the Wye still feels gloriously unspoiled<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> for more routes ridden and rated by Cycling Weekly.<\/p>\n

Key travel information<\/p>\n

Where to stay<\/p>\n

The town nearest the source of the Wye is Llanidloes, on the southern edge of the Cambrian Mountains. Plas Blwch is a B&B (bandbwales.co.uk<\/a>) offers comfortable rooms and a hot and hearty cooked breakfast. The owners are very friendly and knowledgeable about the surrounding landscapes. Prices start at \u00a350 per room per night. The Unicorn Hotel in Llanidloes offers twin rooms from around \u00a3122 per night (unicornhotelllanidloes.co.uk<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Eating and drinking<\/p>\n

Pre-fuelling came in the form of an Indian meal at Llanidloes\u2019s Raj Mahal, where the jalfrezi was delicious, made with sizzling veg and tender slices of lamb. Halfway downriver in Hay-on-Wye, the Swan Hotel (swanathay.co.uk<\/a>) has hosted a feast of famous faces.<\/p>\n

Other things to see and do<\/p>\n

The red kite feeding station at Gigrin Farm (gigrin.co.uk<\/a>) was a trip highlight. The Hay Festival (hayfestival.com<\/a>) takes place in mid to late May.<\/p>\n

Local bike shops<\/p>\n

Drover Cycles (drovercycles.co.uk<\/a>) in Hay-on-Wye is neatly positioned at halfway for any fettling or repair needs.<\/p>\n

This article was first published in the 14 May 2026 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine \u2013 available to buy on the newsstand every Thursday (UK only) while digital versions are available on Apple News<\/a> and Readly<\/a>. Subscriptions through Magazine’s Direct<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter What is it…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":959062,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,635,82],"class_list":["post-959061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-cycling","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/959061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=959061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/959061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/959062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=959061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=959061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=959061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}