Thinking of spending an overnighter in Afan soon. Can anyone recommend me which would be the best to stay at given they are close to each other?

Glyncorrwg is the bigger centre, plus the toilet/shower block opens very late in Afan, 10am I think.

The cafe is better too, it’s s nicer place to hang out, the cafe at Afan is like a works canteen.

I stayed at the Glyncorrwg site a few years ago, a bit soulless and we had a visit from some local lads pretending to be into bikes obviously scoping out what we’d got so ended up dismantling get the bikes and motorbike-chaining them in my camper van, a bit of a squeeze but at least they were safe! That said,I’ve stayed there may be half a dozen times and this was an isolated incident. Otherwise it was functional with a cafe and bike shop as well as the usual facilities. Once we got completely soaked from constant rain and they let us leave our kit in the boiler room to dry. Oh,there’s a bike wash and bike hire facilities too, and Glyncorrwg trails from the site,Afan a short hop down the valley

I’ve stayed in both. Like mildbore said your more likely to be bothered by locals at Glyncorrwg (copied and pasted!). I wasn’t bothered by them in the same way, but they parked up near the campsite late on a friday night as kids do, loud music etc, till about 11pm. But you can get the benefit of the wifi from the Glyncorrwg centre, or at least you could a few years ago. Both will probably be very quiet this time of year. I think the shop at the afan one may close down at certain times of year, but I would check this, been a couple of years since ive been to either. Although, I just got a new tent and am planing a trip to one or the other in a couple of weeks. Myself, I think I am going to Afan, due to the kids issue.

Is there camping up around ‘the Wall’ by the bike park? There’s a glamping pod there and a bar. Never stayed, am curious also.

Andy

I stayed there for an enduro race. So there is camping there and a shower block. I am not sure if you have to be booked in to some kind of package/training to camp there. I think they have cabins as well? Worth checking out. Can’t see it being as cheap as the forestry places though.

Home

Just looked, looks like they have camping.

Have camped at Bryn Betws many times.

Its handy for the bike park and WallW2 etc.

You can just pitch up on spec.

Very very basic toilet/shower facilities. But friendly owner and staff.

You can sit in the hostel in the evening and watch tv in front of the woodburner. 🙂

Feels safer than camping at Glyncorwg. Although i would happily camp there also.

Bryn betws
Just turn up no need too book lovley staff hot food and drinks on site and a bike park onsite

Do the locals in Afan actually come into the campsite area in cars? This seems a bit much?
Might try somewhere else in that case.

I’ve stayed in both. Like mildbore said your more likely to be bothered by locals at Glyncorrwg (copied and pasted!).

There was secure bike storage at Glyncorrwg last time I camped there, but that was a few years ago. Much better than risking leaving your bike in the car.

Yeah, I’ve used that before. The guys operating it just opened the doors very early in the morning and then left it unattended 🙄

Mine will be tucked up in my Camper with me so that shouldn’t be a problem. How far is Bryn Betws from the Glyncorwg centre? Biking distance?

just did this, from Bryn Bettws to Glyncorrwg if you go along the top and down White’s (probably quicker and more fun than down Wall and up valley? but whichever you like more, I like White’s) it’s about 9 miles or 1.5 hours ride.

Other way, probably add at least half an hour for the climb, you go up White’s and across W2 link, or down valley and up y wall. you forget the scale of these valleys if you haven’t been for a while 🙂 of course there’s bit quicker ways if you use only fire roads but who wants to do that :p

They let me put one of my bikes in the trail center before too. When I camped (middle of jan a few years ago) some kids drove up in to a car park beside the camp site. I am not sure how they got there. I think it is part of the industrial bit next to the camp site. I can’t remember a few years ago, might not be the same now. They must have been a hundred yards or so from me. Might have just been my bad luck. I wasn’t too bothered, but would avoid again as a result. Afan site much quieter, and nicer view in the morning.

Afan visitor centre/campsite showers were closed last week, and the car park ticket machine. And the cafe was drinks & cold food service only. The other centre looked much more open for business.

I turned up after a 5 hour drive to afan with the intention of staying a couple of days and riding all the trails. Got there and there were large numbers of locals lingering a bit too close to the campsite imo. That and the fact that there were only two other tents in there set my spider senses tingling and decided to ride the w2 and hit the road straight after back to Liverpool. The 5 hour return drive seems far more preferable to dealing with large number of bored/drunk locals.

strange, only locals i’ve seen are friendly walkers and mtb-ers (from whom i found out where the unmarked stuff is now for next time hehe). but i’d always stay and eat at either Lodge (half way between centres) or Glyncorrwg (showers are warm and free, blokes in office happy to mind my stuff too). Just used the bike shop at old centre, couple that run it are great she’s lovely and he runs a guided trailer uplift service for about £480/day (for 6). Just had to plug that as i think not many people know it?