Off to Wales next week, will be taking the MTB for a couple of sunrise trail centre blasts.

Driving distance means I’ll only be going to be able to start at Afan forest visitor centre, which trails should I do?

Looking at Penhydd and Y Wal, but can you get to the others from there too? Or are they only accessible from Glyncorrwg?

Curfew is 8:30am, driving time is circa 40mins to the trails and I’m not taking lights, but I’m happy setting off in the dark and getting there for sunrise.

You can link Y-Wal up with Whites Level buy using the W2 link. Turns it into a good day out…especially if you going to ride Skyline or Blade! I think you can also follow the old railway path along the bottom of the valley. Not done that either but I imagine it’s a bit boring.

There’s good off piste rides too but I’ve never done them as I’m only an occasional visitor (Midlander with a Welsh partner, so visit her family quite often)

Rode penhydd this morning, bloody hell it was rough.

Going to have a couple of lie ins and then go and ride Y Wal on Wednesday. Not sure whether to put the flats back on after today, might have a play on the bikepark if I get there early enough. Anyone know if Y Wal is as rough as Penhydd?

Similar roughness but you’ll be going faster so it feels worse. The last descent (Zigzags) is brilliant fun!

Blade & Penhydd are my favourite trails at Afan and I’ve ridden them all. Although Whites is good too.

prawny, where are you staying? If you are driving for 40 minutes in south Wales you are passing a lot of good riding – a lot of it is easy to find as well.

Quite a lot of Afan is rough these days since the trees had to be cut, lost all trail surface.

Rode White’s a few days ago, it’s about as good as it’s been since all the work started in 2010 it’s still mostly ‘between the trees’ baring the last sections and there it tends to be loose rather than harsh. I’d spend the extra 10 min drive to ride it.

I thought Penhydd was fairly rubbish tbh. Really like White’s Level and the Wall, though Whites was pretty overgrown when we were there last month. Blade I’ve had one great ride on and one really lacklustre one and I remember the trail totally differently from each so that’s weird.

Blue Scar is fantastic btw, don’t overlook it just because it’s a blue.

Blue Scar is fantastic btw, don’t overlook it just because it’s a blue.

This, it’s the best bit of Penhydd 😉

Take it as warp speed (although without skittling kids and newbies of course) and it’s a total blast!

Agreed on blue scar, I might give it a look the first decent was great fun. The rest of Penhydd was a bit of a disappointment, a whole lot of fire road slogging for a couple of what could have been good descents, but not on a fairly cheap HT with Sektors.

@idlejohn – staying in caswell, very time limited so have gone for the trail centre option but if there’s something good nearer I’d but up for a look. I was going to do the classic Rhosilli ride that I’ve seen in a couple of mags but I can’t be arsed with the navigation.

The ‘Big Dipper’ section on penhydd is quality when ridden at max speed.

Kilvey Hill or Clyne Gardens could be an option for you, both are in central Swansea and have numerous trails.

Clyne is signposted too… but it’s Clyne woods not the gardens, though I think you could have some fun in the gardens until a pensioners laser eyes of outrage slated you

@idlejohn – staying in caswell, very time limited so have gone for the trail centre option but if there’s something good nearer I’d but up for a look. I was going to do the classic Rhosilli ride that I’ve seen in a couple of mags but I can’t be arsed with the navigation.

You’ve got decent riding all around you, just explore. Most locals aren’t too sniffy about people being on FPs if you aren’t being an idiot.

Try riding from Caswell west around to Pennard (on or off road) and then follow the cliffs back east back to Caswell via Pwll Du. You’ll drop into the bay down a steep, loose rocky track and then have to climb back out on a Landrover wide track. All legal, all very scenic and quite tricky in places. There’s also a lovely footpath which drops into the bay from the east side, worth a try. Pwll Du is stunning.

Then along the cliffs themselves into Brandy Cove. Extremely steep and rather overgrown.

FP out of Brandy Cove, on road for the drop into Caswell and explore the woods behind Caswell itself – Bishops Wood. There are some interesting tracks there. Ferrals probably knows them better than me.

Early in the morning, or late at night, the cliff paths from Caswell to Mumbles are worth a look. Not techy, often tarmacked but gorgeous. But very often very busy!

And if you are around on Thursday evening there’s a regular night ride in Clyne woods. Meet at 7.15 – if you want more info I’ll let you know.

And finally, as has been mentioned Clyne has signposts and loads of good riding. Kilvey on the east of Swansea is steeper, far more techy and easy to find the trails (with a little help).

Us locals will go over to Afan but not really all that often considering how close it is – the local riding is that good!

Staying in Caswell? You can ride from the door!

Or a short drive to Black Pill carpark on the Oystermouth Road. Park the car and ride up the cycle path to the ponds. Follow the waymarkings. Big Fun.

http://clyneriders.co.uk/page3/about.php

Bookmarking.

Sweet cheers guys. Had a look at the clyne FB page, looks pretty good. Not the jumps though! Might have a mooch down there Wednesday morning at sunrise.

That’ll probably be it though this week, weather looks crap for the rest of the week, and I can’t be arsed to get up early to get filthy on holiday.

Where’s the best place to park for Clyne woods?

Parking – head towards Swansea from Mumbles, pass the West Cross Inn on the right after about a mile and shortly afterwards you’ll see a petrol station on the right. Look for a large car park on the left 100m after the Woodman Inn (opp. the petrol station) Park there and ride up the cycle path – there’s a sign immediately on leaving the car park showing where the trails are.

But you must explore the riding around you – it’s the best way to see that part of Gower.