If there is a better place in the UK to develop advanced riding skills, nobody has told Wales.

The 2026 WSAM Wales trip delivered everything members have come to expect: breathtaking scenery, challenging roads, excellent company, expert coaching, and enough food to fuel a small expedition.

For many, this was not their first visit to Mid Wales, and it is easy to understand why people  return. Mid Wales offers some of the finest motorcycling roads in Britain (Europe??). Traffic is refreshingly scarce, potholes are surprisingly rare, and the riding environment presents a constantly changing technical challenge. As we explored we encountered sweeping bends, blind crests, changing gradients, livestock with questionable road awareness, and views so impressive they can become a distraction in their own right.

The training team arrived ahead of the main group to prepare routes, hone their own skills and ensure the weekend ran smoothly. Their planning quickly became evident as riders enjoyed over 140 miles a day of carefully selected roads designed to test observation, positioning, cornering, and machine control in real-world conditions.

Our base for the weekend was the Metropole Hotel, a venue that deserves special recognition. Located in the heart of Mid Wales, it has successfully transformed itself into a destination for enthusiasts of all kinds, from motorcyclists and cyclists to walkers and classic car owners. The result is a fascinating mix of people, machinery, and stories, all gathered under one roof.

Saturday began with a substantial breakfast that most participants definitely did not need, many still digesting the 3 course meal from the night before! but consumed it anyway in the interests of rider endurance. Following the morning briefing, groups headed out under the guidance of experienced observers. Route discussions were brief in our group, largely because our observer, Iain, had already invested countless hours planning the route. Disagreeing with him seemed both futile and unwise!

The riding itself was exceptional. Technical sections flowed into fast open roads, while regular café stops provided opportunities to review progress and sample essential Welsh refreshments. By the end of the day, riders returned tired but grinning, armed with fresh insights and plenty of stories for the evening debrief.

The social programme proved equally memorable. The inaugural WSAM quiz generated an unexpectedly fierce level of competition, followed by a visit by some to the local music festival where it became apparent that advanced riding skills do not automatically translate into advanced singing and dancing ability.

Sunday’s riding focused on group riding techniques, with slightly larger groups tackling more spectacular Welsh roads. It is all too easy for a group ride to resemble a herd of confused sheep scattering across the countryside, but under the direction from the training team and guidance of the observers, we practised smooth progress, position, overtaking, and used the drop-off system to ensure (almost!)  nobody was left behind. By the end of the day, most groups returned with the similar number of riders they started with, which was generally judged as a successful key performance indicator!!

By Monday morning, riders departed with improved skills, renewed confidence, and a deeper appreciation for what makes the Wales weekend such a highlight of the WSAM calendar.

A huge thank you goes to the training team, observers, and all member who contributed to another outstanding event.

If you have never joined a Wales trip, make 2027 the year you do. Just be warned: once is rarely enough.

Chris Dearnley, WSAM Member

I, along with roughly 25 other members of West Sussex IAM, headed off to Wales for our annual training / touring event over the May Bank holiday weekend just a few weeks ago and the main thing I came away with was a feeling of having had a fantastic weekend with other like-minded motorcyclists.  The social side and the training side will stay with me for a long time and I feel as though I really became ‘one’ with my motorbike.  My riding came on the most it ever has on one of these weekends – the last time I was away with the group was on a tour around the Isle of Man a couple of years ago but on this trip I came away feeling much more accomplished.

The hotel in Wales is bang in the middle really, in Llandrindod Wells.  It’s a Spa hotel with excellent facilities and we were there on a half-board basis – the food was plentiful and of very good quality.  I shared with another person but you can have a room all to yourself as well.  Sharing saves a bit of money but the hotel is very good value anyway.  The motorbike parking is secure enough but we all used locks on our bikes anyway.  On the trip up a few group self-organised their rides and we had some really good stops along the way.

On the first day it was structured around observed rides with about three riders to each observer.  We took it in turns to lead.  It was so relaxed and the scenery was simply stunning.  We all rode well in my group but there was good feedback which we put in to practice throughout the course of the weekend.  On the second day the groups were shaken up again and we worked on the drop-off system to good effect.  Each day we’d had a morning briefing after breakfast and a debrief session in the afternoon once we got back – with a beer in one hand and a Welsh cake in the other!  The organisation was perfect and we knew precisely where we needed to be at all times and when the faffing had to stop and visors had to come down.

Although we didn’t get up as far as Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, we did ride on many of the wonderful road of Wales and I definitely can’t wait to get back there again next year.  I’d encourage anyone else in the group that hasn’t been on the Wales Training Weekend before to give it a go.  You will absolutely love it.

To get an idea of what ridng in Wales is like have a look at this video 😊

Simon’s been a member of WSAM for over 10 years now and passed his Advanced Test way back in the 1990’s.  He continues to keep an open mind to learning and Roadcraft with his annual check rides and these group away days and is more than happy to have a chat with anyone in the group about the Wales trip.

Simon Orsborn, WSAM Member

The Wales trip was an amazing experience. The opportunity to do mile after mile of riding in fantastic scenery, marvellous roads with a group of other advanced riders really helped me develop as a rider and an observer with a big leap forward in my skills.

The hotel was comfortable; the food was marvellous and the company convivial. To spend several days in the company of passionate bikers was great fun. I’ll be back next year.

Matthew Bennett, WSAM National Observer

When I moved from Suffolk in July 25, I spent a month or so looking for a new IAM group.

In Suffolk, I qualified as a National Observer in 2024 and had a couple of successful Associates there.

As a new member of WSAM and a recent move onto the Committee (I had also been Secretary of SAM) one of my priorities of the Welsh trip was to meet/get to know better the other Observers and members who attended. Although riding and training were the intention, there was plenty of time to relax and socialise.

Whilst you may think all IAM Groups are identical, I can confirm this is not the case. The Associate rider training is designed to be ‘similar’ across the network, and in general this appears to work.

How each group operates is more varied and has been developed by the individual group to suit their needs, available abilities and the requirements of the members. I’m on a steep learning curve. 

One recurring theme for the Observers and members who ventured to Wales this year was the need to refresh their riding skills and to improve their ability. It was also to have a good time, enjoy the riding and a social opportunity.

Whilst in Suffolk we had many Observer and members training opportunities, we never had continuous days to hone our skill. Clearly there is less time to forget what you learnt yesterday and a chance to implement it by riding the next day.

Having experienced working for a year or so in Wales, I knew the weather was ‘unpredictable’. I was amazed that we had such beautiful sunshine as soon as we crossed the border. Obviously, this maximised the riding opportunities and the enjoyment in the rolling hills of Wales.

 

Added to this there were very few signs of potholes with resurfaced roads in some areas making the riding even better. The notorious speed restrictions gave an opportunity to have a look around before the next NSL sign. 

For the Observers it gave us all a chance to discuss a variety of topics with the Training Team putting a programme together to discuss videos of riders, showing good and not so good riding habits. 

 For the members when they joined us on the Friday there was a chance to carry out group riding with various routes available ranging from 70 miles to 143 miles. During the day and in the evenings, they were given a debrief of their riding and a chance to discuss how they felt the day had progressed. This year there was also a quiz with questions related to bikes and riding that proved very popular (especially for the winners).

Just to make the trip even more palatable, there was the very comfortable Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells. The food was excellent and the staff looked after our every need despite catering for other guests and large groups of super car drivers, Harley Davidson riders, coach loads of ‘Oldies’ and weddings too.

The planning for next year is already underway with any improvements and recommendations to make the trip even better.

Look out for your invitation and early booking is advisable.

Eric Aldridge, National Observer & WSAM Committee Member