The Traws Eryri is the sixth long-distance off-road bike route that’s been put together by bike advocacy charity Cycling UK recently. It follows in the wheel tracks of the Great North Trail (Derbyshire to Scotland), The Canti Way (Kent), The West Kernow Way (Cornwall), The Rebellion Way (Norfolk), and King Alfred’s Way (Wessex and Home Counties). While they’ve all been very successful launches, the latter is the jewel in the crown when it comes to proving that encouraging bike packers can be a serious boost to local economies. To be precise the latest estimate is that every rider rolling through an area spends an average of over £80 a day. This doesn’t sound much until you realize that there are thousands of riders coming to do these routes from all over the world. Bikepackers also operate across a wider range than most traditional holiday makers, bringing much-needed revenue into the ‘shoulder seasons’ on either side of the school summer holidays.
The net result is that off-road riders are increasingly being seen as a cash crop worth cultivating.
