Cycle Ride to
Bodnant Gardens from Conwy
Visit the beautiful Bodnant Gardens, which are among the half dozen most famous in the UK, cycling via very quiet country lanes that offer varied and delightful views of the Conwy valley. The gardens are open between the beginning of March and the end of October. They belong to the National Trust and for non-members of the Trust there is a charge for admission. Allow at least an hour for visiting the gardens.
Unlike all the other on-road rides on this site, this is not a circular ride but the return to the start is simply via the outward route in reverse. (Experienced, confident cyclists may choose to return to Conwy by a shorter way partly using the A470 trunk road, but not only is this road often busy it has two or three narrow blind and hilly bends where overtaking traffic sometimes passes uncomfortably close.)
Route: Conwy - Gyffin - Henryd - Ty-n-Groes - Tal-y-Cafn - Bodnant (return the same way)
Distance: 15 miles (7½ miles each way)
Ascent: 260 metres. The ride has two or three steep climbs. These are noticeably tougher on the outward leg than on the return. There is a steep pull soon after Henryd but fortunately it is only a short one. Longer and so more demanding is the ascent after crossing the A470 at Tal-y-Cafn.
Start: Conwy's long stay car park (payment) just outside the town walls on the B5106 road to Trefriw: Grid Ref 783774
Turn Right out of the long stay car park
Go through the village of Gyffin and Straight Ahead at the crossroads signposted Henryd 1½
Turn Right at T Junction just after Henryd village school on the left
Turn 1st Left and go up hill signposted Rowen
Turn Right at T Junction
Turn 1st Left soon after passing fish farm entrance on your right
Turn Left at T Junction
Go Straight Ahead at crossroads in Ty'n-Groes village (Llew Coch - Red Lion -pub on your right) signposted Tal-y-Cafn
Continue over bridge over river Conwy and Cross the A470 trunk road (Take care!) to Go Up Lane immediately opposite the Tal-y-Cafn hotel
Turn Right at T Junction signposted Eglwsbach
Turn First Left signposted Bodnant
Bodnant Gardens Car Park is on the Right after half a mile
RETURN following the outward route:
Turn Left out of Bodnant Gardens car park
Turn First Right
Turn First Left
Go across A470 (Left & then immediate Right)
Straight ahead across cross roads at T'yn Groes
Turn First Right
Turn First Right
Turn First Left
Turn First Right at bottom of steep hill
Turn First Left by Henryd school
Go straight ahead at crossroads in Gyffin
The ride has two main attractions: the enchanting scenery of the lower Conwy valley viewed from quiet lanes, and the world famous gardens at Bodnant, which probably reach their peak of efflorescence in May but never fail to delight at all seasons. The gardens have surprisingly varied landscaping and fine views of the Carneddau hills of Snowdonia. The pièce-de-résistance is probably the steep-sided dell.