Carmarthenshire launches Cycling Hub of Wales destination guide
FIVE new road cycling routes through Carmarthenshire’s breath-taking countryside and coast have been unveiled today ahead of the Tour of Britain Grand Depart at Pembrey Country Park.
Carmarthenshire County Council has launched its Cycling Hub of Wales destination guide showcasing the county’s new routes and incredible cycling terrain, including tracks, trails, circuits and traffic free paths.
Some of those have been experienced today by world class cyclists including Tour de France winners Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome as they rode the Tour of Britain from Pembrey to Llandovery.
The first time the tour has visited Carmarthenshire, it allowed the county to showcase its stunning landscape and scenery to cycling fans across the world.
The new cycling guide shines a spotlight on five new routes, totalling over 450km of quality road cycling terrain.
The largest – the Big Wilderness Adventure Tour – clocks up an impressive 105km with a 7 out of 10 difficulty rating taking in breath-taking views north of Llandovery and crossing in to neighbouring Ceredigion.
The most challenging route – Big Hills and Big Views – takes riders over 101km across some of the county’s best mountain trails taking in Ammanford, Llandovery and Llandeilo and skirting the edge of the Brecon Beacons.
More leisurely routes are the 90km Teifi River Tour taking in Newcastle Emlyn; the slightly longer 95km Tywi Valley Tour of the Castles from Carmarthen; and the 62km Carmarthen Bay Coastal Tour taking in Llanelli’s beautiful Millennium Coastal Park.
The guide also showcases two fantastic off-road cycling circuits launched during 2018 – the new National Closed Road Circuit at Pembrey Country Park and the newly renovated historic Carmarthen Velodrome; challenging mountain biking trails through the Brechfa and Crychan forests; and traffic free paths through Llanelli, Amman and Tywi.
Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Executive Board Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, said: “We have been bold in our ambitions for Carmarthenshire to become the Cycling Hub of Wales, and today’s launch – coinciding with our hosting of the Tour of Britain Grand Depart – shows just how far we have come and the scale and variety of cycling opportunities Carmarthenshire has to offer.
“Carmarthenshire is already enjoying record-breaking tourism figures, and with the Tour of Britain introducing our wonderful county to millions of people around the world, we’ve no doubt that many cyclists are already planning their visit.
“We are raising our profile as a world class visitor destination and a county that’s well-equipped to host high quality sporting events.
“We look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors and to hear them spreading the word about our fantastic cycling terrain.”
Cyclists can download the guide, routes and download the GPS Plotaroute Map at DiscoverCarmarthenshire.com
VIDEOS
Sir Gaerfyrddin yn lansio canllaw Canolbwynt Beicio Cymru
MAE pump o lwybrau beicio newydd trwy gefn gwlad ac arfordir godidog Sir Gaerfyrddin wedi cael eu datgelu heddiw cyn Grand Départ Taith Prydain ym Mharc Gwledig Pen-bre.
Mae Cyngor Sir Caerfyrddin wedi lansio ei ganllaw cyrchfannau Canolbwynt Beicio Cymru i arddangos llwybrau newydd a thirwedd beicio anhygoel y Sir, gan gynnwys traciau, llwybrau, cylchdeithiau a llwybrau di-draffig.
Mae rhai o’r llwybrau hyn wedi cael eu profi heddiw gan rai o feicwyr gorau’r byd gan gynnwys enillwyr Tour de France, sef Geraint Thomas a Chris Froome, wrth iddynt gymryd rhan yn ras Taith Prydain o Ben-bre i Lanymddyfri.
Hwn oedd y tro cyntaf i’r daith ddod i Sir Gaerfyrddin ac mae wedi galluogi’r sir i arddangos ei thirwedd a’i golygfeydd trawiadol i gefnogwyr beicio ledled y byd.
Mae’r canllaw beicio newydd yn tynnu sylw at bum llwybr newydd, sef cyfanswm o dros 450km o dirwedd beicio o safon.
Mae’r llwybr hiraf – Gwylltir y Gorllewin – yn 105km o hyd ac mae iddo lefel anhawster o 7 allan o 10. Mae’n cynnwys golygfeydd godidog i’r gogledd o Lanymddyfri ac wedyn yn croesi i Geredigion.
Mae’r llwybr mwyaf heriol – Rhiwiau Hirion, Beiciwr Bodlon – yn mynd â beicwyr dros 101km ar draws rhai o’r llwybrau mynydd gorau yn y Sir a thrwy Rydaman, Llanymddyfri a Llandeilo ac ar gyrion Bannau Brycheiniog.
Mae’r llwybrau mwy hamddenol yn cynnwys Taith Afon Teifi, sy’n 90km o hyd, drwy Gastellnewydd Emlyn; Taith Cestyll Dyffryn Tywi, sy’n llwybr ychydig yn hirach (95km), o Gaerfyrddin; a Llwybr Arfordirol Bae Caerfyrddin, sy’n 62km o hyd, drwy ardal hardd Parc Arfordirol y Mileniwm yn Llanelli.
Mae’r canllaw hefyd yn arddangos dwy gylchdaith oddi ar y ffordd wych a lansiwyd yn ystod 2018 – y Gylchffordd Gaeedig Genedlaethol newydd ym Mharc Gwledig Pen-bre a Felodrom hanesyddol Caerfyrddin sydd newydd gael ei adnewyddu; llwybrau beicio mynydd heriol drwy goedwigoedd Brechfa a Chrychan; a llwybrau di-draffig drwy ardaloedd Llanelli, Aman a Thywi.
Dywedodd y Cynghorydd Peter Hughes Griffiths, yr Aelod o Fwrdd Gweithredol Cyngor Sir Caerfyrddin dros Ddiwylliant, Chwaraeon a Thwristiaeth: “Rydym wedi bod yn uchelgeisiol iawn o ran ein cynlluniau i Sir Gaerfyrddin ddod yn Ganolbwynt Beicio Cymru ac mae’r lansiad heddiw – sy’n digwydd yr un pryd â chynnal Grand Départ Taith Prydain – yn dangos mor bell rydym wedi dod a maint ac amrywiaeth y cyfleoedd beicio y mae Sir Gaerfyrddin yn eu cynnig.
“Mae mwy o ymwelwyr nag erioed eisoes yn dod i Sir Gaerfyrddin, ac wrth i Daith Prydain gyflwyno ein sir wych i filiynau o bobl ledled y byd, does dim amheuaeth gennym nad yw llawer o feicwyr eisoes yn cynllunio eu hymweliad.
“Rydym yn codi ein proffil fel cyrchfan o’r radd flaenaf i ymwelwyr, ac fel sir dra chymwys i gynnal digwyddiadau chwaraeon o safon uchel.
“Edrychwn ymlaen at groesawu ymwelwyr newydd a’r rhai sy’n dychwelyd a’u clywed yn lledaenu’r gair am ein tirwedd beicio wych.”
Gall beicwyr lawrlwytho’r canllaw a’r llwybrau a lawrlwytho’r Map GPS Plotaroute drwy fynd i darganfodsirgar.com
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