For over two decades, Cycling UK local campaigner Roy Spilsbury successfully lobbied to open up the coastal path and promenade to cyclists.

For those relishing off-road cycling along the North Wales coast, these two routes take some beating with their mix of dramatic scenery and jolly holiday resort life.

Sufficient for a day out, or as part of a much longer journey, National Cycle Route 5 following the coastline between Flintshire’s Point of Ayr and the town of Llandudno provides a wealth of variation

The route starts from Pensarn promenade near Abergele. Parking and refreshments are widely available and the routes are adequately way marked.. It travels eastwards towards Prestatyn in Denbighshire, turning inland at the Ffrith Beach and skirting the town centre through a nature reserve to access a former tramway, and now nature trail, to the village of Dyserth.  

At Dyserth, a short distance on the A515 through the village reaches a road side cycle path leading to Rhuddlan.  At Rhuddlan don’t miss the two late 19th or early 20th century cast iron CTC Winged Wheels wall plaques. In themselves very rare around the UK, it’s quite unique to find two in the same settlement. Thereafter the route follows the River Clwyd Cycleway towards Rhyl and its promenade for the return to Pensarn. 

The route remains at sea level, apart from short steep gradients at Llanddulas where care needs to be taken to avoid riders approaching from opposite directions on narrow bends.
Similarly at Penrhyn Bay there’s a short section of former tramway inland of the Little Orme headland that may require some to dismount.  Around the Great Orme low gears are useful.