A 60km Cycling Route to the Market at Rostrenen and the Lakes of Mael Carhaix and Glomel
Cycling of moderate difficulty, very quiet and pretty. This cycling route is free to all - copy, link, print, share and enjoy but please link to it rather than copying onto your own website.;-)
This simple route takes you through some lovely countryside, villages, and of course the Market town of Rostrenen which has a large Tuesday morning market.
View 60 km loop Gouarec to Mael Carhaix in a larger map where you can zoom in, save as a KML file or even 'walk' the route using street view...
From Gouarec get onto the Canal towpath and cycle UPSTREAM!
1 - Cycle on the path for 3.5 kms after which you cross a tarmac road and change canal sides.
If you turn left up the hill into Plelauff at this point you will find the Bar 'Le Pelanne' 200m up the hill – excellent coffee and welcome.
2 – Continue on the canal towpath for 3 kms then when you reach the next road (at Pont Even) you turn right to cycle 8 kms up into Rostrenen. At the T-Junction turn left to cycle down the mainstreet to take you to the church and the town centre after 300m.
Rostrenen is full of bars and restaurants and three bakeries.
3 – Continue on the mainstreet past the church for another 200m where you will meet a roundabout where you take the first exit signposted for Kergrist-Moelou. After 100m turn left signposted Kergrist Moelou. After 500m you turn left onto the cyclepath signposted for Mael-Carhaix.
The cyclepath will now take you all the way to Mael Carhaix. You can see that the road parallels the path for almost the entire distance and has a faster surface – you may well prefer to get onto this.
4 – The cyclepath will take you into Mael-Carhaix after 10 kms. Just go into the centre – to your left - (and the church square).
Mael-Carhaix has a small restaurant – 'Le Relais des Sources' and several bars for lunch. From the centre you'll see the campsite and lake signposted just 500m away – this is a beautiful picnic spot which also sports a bar and 'chippy' – you can even paddle in the lake...
5 – From the centre take the D17 signposted Paule. This road will take you down to the canal and following signs at the roundabout to Paule you will reach Paule after 7 kms.
This little village has a couple of bars but opening times are 'flexible' so don't count on it...
6 – In Paule turn left onto the D85 signposted Glomel. You'll reach Glomel after 4 kms – at the main road T-Junction turn left to cycle down the main road into the centre.
A couple of restaurants and bars here plus a small 'superette'. Here you may well wish to take a detour down to the Lac de Glomel to cool your feet - it's just 1 km and signposted from the centre...
7 – At the end of the mainstreet fork right signposted St Michel. After 5.5 kms you cross a major road then after another 4kms turn left signposted Mellionnec which you will reach after 3 kms.
Mellionnec has a small bar/creperie and a beautiful old church. You'll also see evidence of the sculpture exhibition that takes place every year.
8 – In the centre turn left then immediately right signposted for Plelauff – just keep straight on and you'll reach Plelauff (and of course the bar 'Le Pelanne') after 8 kms. Follow the road through the village and then all the way the 3.5 kms back to Gouarec.