Discover Mid Wales – Big Skies, Empty Roads, and Untamed Uplands
Introduction
Mid Wales is one of the least visited and most rewarding corners of Britain. Stretching from the Cambrian Mountains in the west to the gentle hills of the Welsh Marches in the east, it is a region of vast open moorland, ancient drovers’ roads, quiet market towns, and a pace of life that feels genuinely removed from the pressures of modern travel. For walkers and cyclists in search of space, solitude, and scenery without the crowds, Mid Wales is difficult to beat.
Landscape and Scenery
- Cambrian Mountains: Often called the green desert of Wales, this expansive upland plateau offers some of the most remote and unspoilt walking and cycling terrain in the country, with sweeping views and very few other people.
- Elan Valley: A series of Victorian reservoirs set in dramatic moorland scenery, surrounded by red kite country and threaded by quiet lanes and walking trails that rank among the most scenic in Wales.
- Montgomeryshire Hills: Rolling, pastoral countryside on the English border, with ancient tracks, hillforts, and quiet roads that reward unhurried exploration by foot or bike.
Villages and Culture
- Llandrindod Wells: A Victorian spa town at the heart of the region, with period architecture, a restored lake, and good connections to walking and cycling routes heading in every direction.
- Rhayader: A small market town on the River Wye and the gateway to the Elan Valley, popular with cyclists and walkers and well-placed for multi-day touring itineraries through the central uplands.
- Machynlleth: A characterful town with a strong arts scene, a lively market, and a claim to being the ancient capital of Wales. It sits at the western edge of the region and connects naturally with routes heading into Snowdonia and along the coast.
Walking Holidays in Mid Wales
Mid Wales contains some of the most extraordinary walking in Britain, much of it little-known outside dedicated walking circles. Glyndwr’s Way, a 135-mile National Trail, winds through the heart of the region from Knighton to Welshpool, passing through remote upland country, quiet farmland, and historic sites associated with the Welsh prince Owain Glyndwr. The Cambrian Way traverses the full length of the Welsh uplands, while the ancient drovers’ roads that cross the hills offer a more informal but deeply atmospheric alternative for those who prefer to navigate their own route.
Drover Holidays offers both guided and self-guided walking holidays in Mid Wales, with all accommodation pre-booked, luggage transferred between stops, and detailed route guides and maps provided throughout. Guided groups are accompanied by a qualified local leader with full vehicle back-up, while self-guided walkers enjoy the freedom to set their own pace across some of Wales’ most compelling landscapes.
Cycling Holidays in Mid Wales
Mid Wales has long been regarded as one of the finest cycling destinations in Britain, and with good reason. The roads are quiet, the scenery is spectacular, and the range of terrain suits everything from gentle valley touring to serious mountain passes. Lon Las Cymru, the long-distance cycling route that crosses Wales from Cardiff to Holyhead, passes through the heart of the region, taking in the Elan Valley, the Cambrian Mountains, and the market towns of the central borderlands. It is one of the classic cycling journeys in the whole of the UK.
Our self-guided cycling holidays include bicycle hire, pre-booked B&B accommodation, luggage transfer, and a full route map. Every itinerary is available on a top-of-the-range electric bike for those who want to tackle the bigger climbs with a little extra assistance. Guided cycling tours are also available, with a qualified leader, full vehicle back-up, and all meals included throughout.
Wildlife and Nature
Mid Wales is red kite country above all else. Once on the brink of extinction in Britain, the red kite was saved through a dedicated conservation programme centred on this region, and the birds are now a common and thrilling sight in the skies above the Elan Valley and the Cambrian Mountains. Polecats, otters, and rare upland birds including merlin and ring ouzel add to the region’s remarkable ecological richness, while the near-total absence of light pollution makes Mid Wales one of the best places in Britain for stargazing.
Why Visit
Mid Wales offers something that is increasingly hard to find: a genuinely wild and unhurried landscape, explored on quiet roads and ancient tracks, with a warmth of welcome in its small towns and villages that reflects a community still closely connected to the land. Whether you follow Lon Las Cymru by bike or walk the length of Glyndwr’s Way on foot, this is a part of Wales that gets under your skin in a way that is difficult to explain and impossible to forget. Drover Holidays takes care of all the logistics, leaving you free to simply enjoy the journey.
