Mid Wales by Motorcycle: Elan Valley, Devil's Staircase and Devil's Bridge

The Cambrian Mountains in the middle of Wales are the emptiest upland in southern Britain. There are few towns, fewer cars, and a handful of narrow mountain roads across the high moor that are among the best in the country for riders who like their roads slow, steep and lonely. This loop from Rhayader rides the two best of them, the Abergwesyn mountain road with the Devil's Staircase and the Elan Valley mountain road, in about 125km (78 mi). The A470 runs through Rhayader, so it fits neatly into a ride the length of Wales.

The route

Rhayader to Llanwrtyd Wells (about 30km / 19 mi). Leave Rhayader south on the A470 to Newbridge-on-Wye, then take the B4358 west through Beulah to the A483 and Llanwrtyd Wells, a small spa town that likes to call itself the smallest town in Britain. These are quiet roads through farmland and wooded valleys, a good warm-up.

Llanwrtyd Wells to Abergwesyn (about 7km / 4 mi). A narrow lane follows the Irfon valley north to the hamlet of Abergwesyn, where the mountain road begins.

The Abergwesyn mountain road and the Devil's Staircase (about 25km / 16 mi). From Abergwesyn, the road to Tregaron climbs west through the Irfon gorge. Within a few miles you reach the Devil's Staircase: a series of very steep, tight hairpins up the side of the valley, among the hardest few hundred metres of road in Wales. Beyond the top, the road runs across empty moor and through forestry, single-track with passing places, past the turning for Llyn Brianne, and down to Tregaron. There are no villages, no fuel and very little traffic for the whole way across.

Tregaron to Devil's Bridge (about 25km / 16 mi). From Tregaron, the B4343 runs north past Strata Florida, the ruins of a Cistercian abbey, through Pontrhydfendigaid and on to Devil's Bridge, where three bridges are stacked one above the other over a deep gorge and the Mynach falls drop through the woods.

Devil's Bridge to Cwmystwyth (about 8km / 5 mi). The B4574 runs east up the Ystwyth valley to Cwmystwyth, past the ruins of old lead mines.

The Elan Valley mountain road to Rhayader (about 30km / 19 mi). From Cwmystwyth, the mountain road climbs east over open moor towards the Elan Valley. It is unfenced, with sheep everywhere, cattle grids and long views in every direction. It drops to the head of the Elan Valley at Craig Goch, the highest of the reservoirs, and then follows the chain of dams and lakes, Pen-y-garreg, Garreg Ddu and Caban Coch, built to supply Birmingham with water, back to Rhayader.

The Devil's Staircase: what to expect

The Devil's Staircase is short but serious. The hairpins are tight and steep, the road is barely wider than a car, and the surface can carry gravel, moss and water running across in wet weather. Ride it uphill, from Abergwesyn towards Tregaron, if you have the choice: climbing tight hairpins is easier than descending them on a heavy bike. Use first gear, keep the bike moving, and if you meet a car on the bends, the side with the passing place gives way. It is not a road for a nervous rider on a big tourer, two-up and fully loaded. If in doubt, the A44 from Llangurig to Ponterwyd is a fast, easy alternative across the mountains.

Extensions

• Llyn Brianne. From the Abergwesyn road, a turn south leads down to the Llyn Brianne reservoir, and a twisting road follows its shore down to Rhandirmwyn and Llandovery. A wonderful road in its own right.
• The A44 to Aberystwyth. From Rhayader, the A470 and A44 run north-west via Llangurig and over the hills past Eisteddfa Gurig to Ponterwyd and Aberystwyth. Fast, open and well surfaced.
• The A483 and A470. Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells are both close by, with the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountain pass about an hour south.

Riding tips for mid Wales

Fill up in Rhayader, Llanwrtyd Wells or Tregaron: there is no fuel on the mountain roads. The roads are often empty, which is the joy of them, but it also means that if something goes wrong, help is a long way off and phone signal can be weak or absent. Sheep are on the road all year, and they do not move for bikes. Wales has a default 20mph limit in most built-up areas, and the limits are enforced. The weather in the Cambrian Mountains changes fast, and the high moor roads can be in cloud while the valleys are in sunshine.

A suggested day

From Rhayader, ride south to Llanwrtyd Wells in the morning and take the Abergwesyn road while it is quiet. Stop in Tregaron for lunch, then ride north to Devil's Bridge, where the falls are a short walk from the road. Take the Elan Valley mountain road in the afternoon and finish along the reservoirs to Rhayader. The loop takes about four or five hours with stops. With extra time, add the Llyn Brianne road from the Abergwesyn road, or ride the loop the other way round on a second day.

Bikes and kit

A lighter bike or an adventure bike is happiest on these mountain roads. A large tourer can manage, but the Devil's Staircase hairpins and the single-track sections are hard work on a heavy, fully loaded bike. Carry waterproofs, a warm layer and a puncture kit, as the mountain roads are a long way from help. A paper map or a downloaded offline map is worth having, because phone signal comes and goes in the hills and sat-navs sometimes route you down forestry tracks that are not public roads.

When to go

April to October. Mid Wales stays quiet even in high summer, which is a big part of its appeal. The mountain roads are not gritted, and in winter they can be icy or blocked by snow for days.

Where to stay

Rhayader is the best base, with Llanwrtyd Wells, Builth Wells and Tregaron as smaller options. See all Welsh biker-friendly stays. For the mountains of the north, see our Snowdonia loop.