Published 28 June 2026 · 7 min read
The NC500 turned Scotland’s far north into a bucket-list ride — and, with it, into a very busy one. Meanwhile, Wales offers a coastline every bit as dramatic, with warmer weather, shorter travel from England’s population centres, and a fraction of the crowds.
The case for Wales
The Wales Coast Path proves the point on foot — it’s the only route in the world that follows an entire country’s coastline. On a bike, you can’t hug every inch of it, but stringing together the A487, A55, A5 and the peninsula lanes gives you a spectacular multi-day loop of over 300 miles, taking in three national parks’ worth of scenery.
What you’ll ride
- The Cardigan Bay coast — harbour towns, dolphins and sandy sweeps
- The Llŷn Peninsula — Wales’ own “end of the land”, quiet and beautiful
- Snowdonia’s coast road and the causeway to Anglesey
- The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in the south-west
Why it beats the drive north
For riders in the Midlands, the South-West or southern England, Wales is simply closer — you can be leaning into coastal bends within a couple of hours rather than spending a whole day just getting to the start line. Accommodation is easier to find, fuel stops are less sparse, and the weather (whisper it) is often kinder.
The Welsh coast isn’t a branded, waymarked “challenge” — and that’s exactly its charm. Build your own loop, take the detours, and you’ll have it largely to yourself.
Plan your own Welsh coast tour
Start with our Cardigan Bay coast route, mix in some mountain passes from the routes index, and check our advice section before you set off.