North Wales Cycling

Wrexham – A working town so not stereotypical Wales but transport links are good (Manchester Liverpool 40ish mins by car), there are plenty of places to stay - eat and things to do off the bike.
To the west and within 5miles you can get access to all the mountain and moor that any cyclist could want (see above post for some of the climb names). To the east there are the rolling lanes of south Cheshire and the north Shropshire lakes again within easy cycling range. Then if you like to get dirty bring a mountain bike as places like One Planet and other mountain bike trails are all there within easy reach. Look at the maps and you will see what we have to offer!!!!

Ide vote for Ruthin too. Have a look at the Wiggle Etape Cymru route as that passes nearby, head towards the coast - Llandudno direction always gets mentioned to me but ive yet to go there- for a day of lumpiness and I really enjoy rides around Llyn Brenig, theres a section just north of it through a nature reserve, great climb up and awesome road in the middle of nowhere!

There's no such place as Betsy. It's called Betws-y-Coed.

The eastern side of north Wales is hilly but not mountainous. Last year's ToB went across the Denbigh moors, which are quiet and there's plenty of climbing to be had. Same applies to the Berwyn range to the south. Well known climbs like the Horseshoe Pass, World's End and The Shelf are used by sportives such as the Etape Cymru, Dave Lloyd Megachallenge and the Horseshoe Grimpeur (http://events.norvil.net/horseshoe/). The Clwydian audax (http://connect.garmin.com/course/4612930) starts in Corwen and covers much of NE Wales, or at least the prettier bit, and the Wild Wales Challenge is aptly named.

If you go further west there are longer climbs in Snowdonia, check the routes on the Etape Eryri and Gran Fondo Conwy websites. Even out at Llŷn it's still not flat. Here is the route of a 200km audax route to Aberdaron & back.

Anglesey is less hilly (the south east is pretty flat) but it is a lovely place to ride.

Some previous discussions:
http://road.cc/content/forum/50981-colwyn-bay-area
http://road.cc/content/forum/36102-road-biking-wales

Plenty of climbing within striking distance of Ruthin (and decent little cafe to come back to!). I've got a GPX of an 81 mile ride if you like - Prestatyn Conwy down past Betsy Coed, over to Ruthin and back up to Prestatyn. Just over 4000 ft, so decent but not that lumpy.