Caerphilly Mountain Cross loop 2

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Cardiff, Wales, GB

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Route Overview

Gravel.wales

Collecting the finest gravel cycling in Wales

29 mi.

2,230 ft.

A mixed terrain ride with short challenging climbs off road, best suited to a fat-tyred drop bar bike, but suitable for mountain bikes too.

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Route Details

**For me this is the best riding you can do in Cardiff if you've got two hours to spare, whether thats on a busy weekend or just after work. The short sharp climbs and mix of singltrack, gravel and road makes for a route that keeps you on your toes but also delivers great views.**

Start at @point[Blackweir Bridge](d,23.09) on the Taff trail, facing north with the River Taff on your right. You'll need to find the gap in the fence under the trees.

From there you follow the trail (it splits towards the end, but they both end up in the same place) until you reach the main road. It is sometimes possible to ride straight across from the juntion and jump up onto the central bit of pavement, but you can also use the @point[traffic lights](d,1267.41) to cross properly in front of the university campus. If you do this, just ride back across the front of the campus and @point[turn left](d,1508.37) through the gate to join the track.

This bit of trail is my escape route from work (on the campus) and is an @photo[amazingly tranquil place](866230) so close to the city. There can be dog walkers or runners to share the thin track with though, so keep an eye out and be courtieous.

Bear right at the @point[fork](d,2347.3), and you'll appear at another main road, turn right keeping to the pavement and then right just after the entrace to the rowing club onto a @slice[short but fast bit of track](d,2606,2890.18).

Join the road and then turn left just before the river, and ride @slice[Radyr Ct Road](d,3023.5,3811.74) with the Taff on your right, keeping right at the fork at the last houses but following the road round to the left under the railway bridge.

Turn right onto a small track before the gate, and follow this until there is a track to the right into the trees. This is another @slice[short but fun section that is more of downhill style run](d,4175.44,4331.33), but gentle enough for a cross or even hybrid to tackle if done with care.

You're spat out of a tunnel onto a gravel path, Go left and @slice[follow it under two bridges](d,4331.56,5130.44) which brings you to a field with a pylon in front of you. Head directly under the pylon and follow one of the many trails made by bikes and walkers over the years, they will all converge at the gate to @point[Llandaff Cricket Club](d,6301.93). Cross the fringes of the pitch and follow the road down to another gate where you can then cross the river over a bridge.

Now on the other side of the Taff, roll off the bridge and immediately turn right towards Forest Farm, continue straight, negotiating the side of a gate-post and turning left onto a mud track just before reaching an old stone bridge.

This track takes you to strange area, a pump track might be too grand a description, but theres a @photo[clear area with a few lumps and bumps](866232) which can test your skills if youj've got 10 minutes to waste.

Join the Taff trail going North and into Tongwynlais - @slice[(I prefer to go right after the Motorway Bridge)](d,7966.21,8459.04). After the zebra crossing, turn right before the pub onto the climb past Castell Coch. Ride past the gate to the drive on your left and past the entrance to the concrete company on your right, then leave the road over a very small bridge, @point[joining the trail to the right of it.](d,10101.95). @slice[Follow this track](d,10104.3,11394.33) and take the switchback up the hill following the wide path, ignoring all the other possible trails you could take (they're all great, but wont get you where you need to be to continue this route). You're rewarded at the top of this section with a @photo[view](866219) over the fields and towards Cardiff.

Join the road turning left and follow it through the trees, turning right onto the next track which is rutted and rocky but pick your route carefully and you should be fine.

This then drops down past ruined farm buildings to a gated field, go through the gate and continue straight ahead until you reach @photo[the stream crossing](866220). If you're looking for a quiet place to take a break, here is ideal.

Cross the bridge (I'd walk it) and then through the next gate, this brings you onto the @slice[footpath through Ridgeway Golf Course](d,13201.22,13980.71). The path splits two fairways and then veers left to the car-park, ride through and out the drive.

Meet the road and join it going left, then take the @point[first right](d,12036.98) (careful crossing as it can be busy up here). This closed road will take you down the other side of Caerphilly Mountain. @slice[Cefn Carnau lane](d,14091.56,16084.8) has a pretty poor surface but is lovely to have to yourself, whether descending or climbing. Reaching the bottom and through another gate you go right, over the railway bridge and then right again onto Van Road.

This marks the start of the second climb of the Mountain, starting on this road, then turning right into the forestry area signed Wern Ddu with the three arches. Take the left fork from the gate and @slice[follow the track](d,17153.17,18230.48). Initially taking a couple of right turns and then a left when you meet the bigger track to keep climbing. After a steep final section you will reach the @point[edge of the dis-used quarry](d,18445.48) and join the track left to skirt around it.

@slice[Continue along the ridgeway](d,18624.07,19230.36) by taking the left fork and going through the gate onto farm land, this path can be in pretty rutted condition so prepare to be shaken around a bit if you try and pick up speed.

Take a right turn at the farm house and follow the tight bends of the road which @slice[dips down and climbs back up](d,19230.36,19988.41) again past farmhouses. You leave it on a right turn, turning @point[left](d,20029.5) and hopping over the low sleeper and onto another gravel track of the rockier kind. This brings you to the highest point (850ft) and @photo[some great views](866238) from a lookout by a telephone mast. From here the descent starts quickly, initially a narrow rocky track through a @photo[tunnel of trees](866231) then onto big swooping forestry roads that you can easily @slice[follow down into a the car-park](d,21101.03,22746.65) where you rejoin the tarmac.

This tarmac, @slice[Rudry Road](d,22760.39,25225.91), is not as flat as you might hope though. It immediately climbing upwards for a short shart burst before an equally short descent and back up under the motorway bridge into Lisvane.

Follow the road until the @point[roundabout](d,25570.75) at the church. If it is particularly wet, I would take the roads back through Llanishen into Cardiff. However if dry, or you're feeling more adventurous, there is some last off road sections to be tackled.

Go straight across at the roundabout, down Maerdy Lane, going through the gate on your right, directly across to the @point[opposite corner](d,25942.24) of the first field. Head right and @photo[straight across the next field](866236), following the worn trail,then bear left and head across the next field. This is where it will be @photo[trickier in the wet.](866237).

If you make it through these boggy sections you keep on relatively straight, keeping closer to the bushes on the right hand side of the field which curves round and meets a @point[stream crossing](d,26532.22) (again i'd walk the bridge). You can now follow this track, often meeting many local dog-walkers along the way, stopping to take in a @photo[mosaic ](866248)if you wish. Go straight through the @point[two gates that cross a small service road](d,27329.85) and you will cross another bridge (very rideable), after which you @point[turn right](d,27716.87) in Rhyd-y-penau Park.

@point[Cross the road](d,27901.67) and continue to follow the track which brings you out at the @point[gates of the High School](d,28554.25) where you rejoin the road going left over a speed-bump and take the third exit on the roundabout.

@slice[Ride past Roath Lake](d,28784.18,29725.8), watching out for opening doors from parked cars on sunny Sunday afternoons. At the @point[next roundabout](d,30341.94), take the third exit and follow it under the railway bridge, to then make a right turn at the @point[traffic lights](d,31088.93). On Whitchurch Road, take the @point[left after Companies house and before the primary school](d,31768.82), going right past the park island in-between the houses and then left again, through @point[bollards](d,32238.09) and up onto the pavement on the right to cross at @point[traffic lights](d,31658.12).

Continue straight after the traffic lights, negotiating the awkward crossing layout, down past University Halls and turn @point[left onto the Taff Trail](d,32679.05), from here you can't miss the bridge from where you started.

# Important Reminders

This route is good to ride all year round, personally I prefer it drywhen the trails are more rideable on a cross bike, but if mud plugging is your thing then this route will be great in the wet.

Its a short route, easily done with a small snack and a bottle of water,but its worth bearing in mind there's nowhere to pick up food or drink between leaving @point[Tongynlais](d,9085.18) (there is a Spa, coffee shop and pub here) and coming back into @point[Lisvane](d,25377.27) - similar pub, corner shop here too). Particularly think about this is its hot as there's a fair amount of climbing.

Caerphilly Mountain Cross loop 2

Route Overview

Route Details

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