National Cycle Network, Route 43 is part of the

National Cycle Network The National Cycle Network (NCN) is the national cycling route network of the United Kingdom, which was established to encourage cycling and walking throughout Britain, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. It was created by the cha ...

and the Celtic Trail, which connects Swansea with Builth Wells. Most of the route is still awaiting development. As of June 2006, there is a 13-mile section out of Swansea that is open and signed.

The route

The existing developed part of the route uses existing cycleways and canal Paths and follows the

River Tawe The River Tawe (; cy, Afon Tawe ) is a long river in South Wales. Its headwaters flow initially east from its source below Llyn y Fan Fawr south of Moel Feity in the Black Mountains, the westernmost range of the Brecon Beacons National ...

Swansea

The route begins in the

Maritime Quarter The Maritime Quarter (including Swansea Marina) is a residential area of Swansea, Wales, UK located immediately south of the city centre shopping core. It falls within Swansea's Castle ward. The area is bounded by Brynmill to the west, Swansea ...

near the Swansea Bay barrage. It runs alongside the Tawe west bank past the Sainsbury's store where cyclists have to cross via a pedestrian crossing at the Quay Parade bridge. Once across the road, the route turns right over the Quay Parade bridge. Once over the bridge, there is an immediate left turn into a dedicated path which follows the west bank of the River Tawe as far as the Pentre-Chwyth traffic junction, in the White Rock area. To the left of this path the Hafod copper works are visible. Signage for the route is poor at the White Rock area and there are a number of alternate routes northwards that can be taken there. The most traffic free route from the Pentre-Chwyth junction continues left into the Morfa Retail Park, over the

Liberty Stadium The Swansea.com Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm Swansea.com; formerly Liberty Stadium) is an all-seated sports stadium and conferencing venue located in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales. The stadium opened in 2005 and was named the Liberty Stadium. It ...

foot bridge, then right again following the east bank of the River Tawe past the Liberty Stadium, then under the

Landore viaduct The Landore viaduct is a railway viaduct over the Swansea valley and the River Tawe at Landore in south Wales. It provides a link between Swansea city center and the West Wales Line to the South Wales Main Line. The valley crossing provid ...

Clydach

The main route through Clydach follows the direction of the

Swansea Canal The Swansea Canal (Welsh: ''Camlas Abertawe'') was a canal constructed by the Swansea Canal Navigation Company between 1794 and 1798, running for from Swansea to Hen Neuadd, Abercraf in South Wales. It was steeply graded, and 36 locks were nee ...

, and is flat all the way, however there are several barriers which require cyclists to dismount. Kingfishers can be seen, especially close to Pontardawe. The path in the area can be busy with dog walkers.

Trebanos

The path continues from Pontardawe Leisure centre and the Trebanos stretch begins behind the Colliers Arms / post office in Trebanos and follows the canal down towards Clydach. It comes out in Coedgwilym Park.

Pontardawe

In Pontardawe the splits into two sections at the rear of Pontardawe leisure centre. One cycle path goes to the east of the leisure centre alongside the River Tawe. The other path keeps following the canal tow path to

Ystradgynlais Ystradgynlais (, ) is a town on the River Tawe in southwest Powys, Wales. It is the second-largest town in Powys and is in the historic county of Brecknockshire. The town has a high proportion of Welsh language-speakers. The community includes ...

. The cycle path continues through the Pontardawe recreation ground alongside the river.

Ystalyfera & Ystradgynlais

Takes a little detour on to the public road, but reconnects at "Starving Hill" and has a tarmacked section all the way to the "Heads of the Valleys" road.

Brecon Beacons

The route soon connects with Route 46 at the ''Heads of the Valleys'' road, and travels over the

Fforest Fawr Fforest Fawr is an extensive upland area in the county of Powys, Wales. Formerly known as the Great Forest of Brecknock in English, it was a royal hunting area for several centuries but is now used primarily for sheep grazing, forestry, water cat ...

mountain range to Trecastle at the northern boundary of the

Brecon Beacons National Park The Brecon Beacons National Park ( cy, Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog) is one of three national parks in Wales, and is centred on the Brecon Beacons range of hills in southern Wales. It includes the Black Mountain ( cy, Y Mynydd Du) i ...

Builth Wells

The route continues on minor roads across the west flank of Mynydd Epynt, to

Tirabad Tirabad is a village in Powys, Wales, not to be confused with a place of the same name in Iran. The name means "the abbot's land"; the village belonged to Strata Florida abbey in the Middle Ages. The village is located on the edge of the Crychan ...

and

Llangammarch Wells Llangammarch Wells or simply Llangammarch ( cy, Llangamarch) is a village in the community of Llangamarch in Powys, Wales, lying on the Afon Irfon, and in the historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire). It is the smallest of the four spa ...

, then on to Builth Wells where it joins Route 8 (''Lon Las Cymru'').

External links

Sustrans Route 43
{{Coord, 51.6190, N, 3.9341, W, display=title Cycleways in Wales Transport in Swansea Transport in Neath Port Talbot Cycleways in Powys Fforest Fawr Epynt Swansea Valley