This post is a copy of a post written for the TET Facebook Group during the trip itself, posted here entirely unedited. It is the first of three posts aimed at trail riders that talk about my summer 2026 trip to the UK, the final leg of a two year trip around Western Europe. I have also written, or will soon write, posts with less of a trail riding specific focus summarising the UK trip and reflecting on the Europe trip as a whole.
The map above sometimes takes a few seconds to load and move to the right location, please be patient. This post covers the section in Wales, rather obviously.
Well. That went quickly. The nation of Wales is much smaller than I thought it was! Although I must admit, I did take a rather efficient route. After South West England taking a little longer than I’d have liked I took an efficient route though Wales, skipping the Tetty Trail completely and following the Great Crymry Trail.
I joined the trail north of Newport and things started in a way I sincerely hoped they wouldn’t go on. A huge steel gate with a stonking great chain on it. As something of a symbolic start for Welsh trails the big gate led me into a steep, rocky, rutty climb that – with my cautious riding style – took a while to get up. I was rewarded with my first taste of true Wales, open terrain, no trees, spectacular views. Very nice and worth the scramble up the rocks.
The next bit is up and down the valleys with steep, challenging terrain – although nothing that stopped me and forced a retreat. In the valleys are hard looking towns. Long, perfectly straight rows of terrace housing, working men’s clubs, strangely dressed and slightly drunk people. I’d been expecting hard trails and harder towns. Wales met my horrendously stereotypical expectations immediately.
Despite the gentrified life I live in Germany I’ve not quite forgotten my working class roots. I’d also been expecting openness, friendliness, down to earth people, good food, beautiful landscapes and gates. Wales provided this, in spades. I think in the moments when I was hanging around by the bike, having a coffee or prodding at my satnav most people who walked past said hello. A significant proportion said hello and started a conversation. That’s not usually the case. Most people look askew at the stinky, weirdly dressed, muddy foreigner on a filthy bike. Not the Welsh – which felt very comfortable indeed.
An afternoon on the trails in the south was taking me broadly to the west and I wanted to go north. I cut right and made my way up north towards Brecon where I was presented with a choice. Go east and join the ACT for an easier time of it or go west and join the TET, which I knew could be difficult. I also knew the TET route included the Strata Florida, which I couldn’t refuse. So, like the Pet Shop Boys – I went west to the open air, to where the skies are blue, it was my destiny.
It was the right choice. It’s fabulous, the road approach to Llandovery is stunning. The town put a very generous full English breakfast in my stomach, and it was time to go to Florida. Which from the south starts dead easy. The most challenging thing was not getting annoyed at the STICK TO THE ROAD BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU signs from the local trail riding association. What is it with the UK and signs warning you about CCTV systems that clearly don’t exist. I’ve seen it on trails, at roadworks, at entrances to forest tracks. If there’s a camera present, I’ve never been able to see one. Honestly, it’s invasive and stupid – George Orwell would be deeply disappointed.
Rant over.
Strata Florida quicky gets more challenging. It’s not that it’s extreme, with good judgement, a modicum of skill and the right bike/tyres I was able to plod my way through just fine. No alarming moments to speak of. But if you’re missing any of those things it’s maybe not a good trail to do solo. Even after this extended drought there was still a good quantity of water, the trail weaves through the river multiple times and was deep at points. There are rocks and ruts and funny terrain that shakes your bones. Point being – there are more than the average number of things that can go wrong. In peak riding season, in the middle of the day I met absolutely nobody on the whole length of the route. No phone signal either.
What’s also really weird -and adds a safety factor I guess – is that it regularly crosses easy, graded forestry tracks. That you’re clearly not allowed to use. Yes, in case you were wondering, there are apparently CCTV CAMERAS BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. So at a couple of points there’s a obvious easy way to proceed on the nice forestry track but you have to ride the rocks. Weird. I guess the forestry commission wouldn’t murder you if you got in trouble and needed to use them to get out though.
At the end you come out at the actual Strata Florida, an old abbey, where you can get a much deserved cold drink while dripping water from your boots all over the floor. It’s a fabulous trail though, definitely to be recommended.
Then I followed the TET for a bit and took an efficient route through the squiggle around Ponterwyd. I’d love to have taken all the squiggle, but time – while generous for us teachers – isn’t unlimited. Also, the climb just south of Ystumtuen… steep as hell! I made it to within 50m of the top but couldn’t go further no matter what I did. Turning the bike around was not trivial, with the handlebars well above head height. Eeep!
At Machynlleth I decided to join the ACT for a bit, I’m happy I did, as the route was dead easy – narrow tarmac and some gravel – but it was stunning. As is the coastline when you get to it. The Fairmouth <> Barmouth bridge is a heck of an experience to ride, the fact it’s still permitted in modern day Britain is quite remarkable and I really enjoyed both the bridge and a wonderful Fish and Chips from Fairmouth, which has a remarkable mix of being profoundly run down but also perfect in its decay – with it’s rusty narrow gauge railway tack, authentic chippy, tatty buildings, spectacular beach, wandering sheep and… I don’t know. It’s perfect. Somehow harking back to the days before cheap flights and package holidays. Just go there if you’re doing Wales. It’s great.
Up and away from the coast and I was running out of time to find a place to camp, hiding from the wind in the corner of two dry stone walls I was expecting a rough night sleeping on uneven ground, but with the rain starting I couldn’t afford to look for trees. I closed my eyes and woke up eight hours later, fully refreshed and dry as a bone despite the rain. The next trail is both ACT and TET – fences aside, it’s a great one. I followed the Cymry Trail up from there, mostly, until Snowdonia NP and the abandoned village of Rhiwddollon at which point I joined TET 7 to go through Snowdonia. Road. Beautiful though.
I’d guess I’ve done a little under half of the total distance of the TET in Wales. I do plan to come back and do the rest, but maybe on a van/basecamp model. I’m now going to go back into England do the Great Northern Tail for a couple days. Wales has been wonderful. Longer, more worthwhile trails than in the South West of England, which makes a big difference. More trails than frustrating little “lanes”. They’re varied, challenging and gorgeous. As beautiful, long and flowing as the Pyrenees? No. As crazy, anything goes, spectacular as the Balkans? No. But damn fine trail riding? Yes. Anyone who has this terrain on their doorstep is lucky indeed.