NCN 42 - Chepstow to Hay-on-Wye

82 km 1503 m climbing A day 3% off road Road cycling Mid & South Wales

The route runs from the Wye Valley at Chepstow through the rolling farmland of Monmouthshire before climbing into the Black Mountains for the long approach to Hay-on-Wye.

The early miles through Shirenewton and across to Usk are on quiet lanes with a steady, workable gradient. From Abergavenny the road pushes north through Llanvihangel Crucorney and up the Vale of Ewyas past Llanthony and Capel-y-ffin, where the climbing is serious and the valley narrows. The final drop to Cusop and Hay-on-Wye brings you back down to the Wye.

The figures

Distance	82 km
Climbing	1503 m
Off road	3 km, about 3% of the route
Riding time	about 4 hours, a long day
Region	Mid & South Wales
Route from	Sustrans

Worth knowing before you go

Usk and Abergavenny are the two reliable resupply points; beyond Abergavenny the settlements are small and widely spaced. The Vale of Ewyas section from Cwmyoy to Capel-y-ffin is remote, so carry what you need before Llanvihangel Crucorney. Around three percent of the route is off road, though it is classified as a road route overall.

Put your own dates on this and TourTrax splits it into days at your pace, finds somewhere to sleep at the end of each one, estimates what it will cost and gets you to the start without flying.

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Other route guides

NCN 42 - Chepstow to Hay-on-Wye is an official route from Sustrans (their website).