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Afan - "must do's" (and donts)?

25 posts & 17 voices | Started 2 years ago by timothecimmerian | Latest reply from spd

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timothecimmerian - Member

We're off to Afan for the first time in a couple of week and will be camping overnight at Glyncorrwg with plans for an early(ish) start the next day to get a couple of trails in.

We're thinking W2 to give us a good feel for both areas, but any other recommendations would be appreciated.

How would the 4 core trails there compare with the likes of Penmachno or Marin that we did earlier this year in terms of technical difficulty etc? Are there any decent pub or food in the locality? I've heard the Glyncorrwg centre is pretty good for food for example, but we will be looking for a couple of beers at some point...

Thanks in advance!

Posted 2 years ago #
johnners - Member

DO secure your bikes

Posted 2 years ago #
jam bo - Member

Don't ride froggy corner on the penhydd trail.

Posted 2 years ago #
DaveGr - Member

IMO Penhydd is more like Penmancho/Marin. Whytes/Wall are rockier/bumpier and Skyline is a lot of fire road. All good fun though.

Oh, and sleep with your bikes ....

Posted 2 years ago #
CaptainFlashheart - Member

Do ride it all! It's great!
Don't not have the Welsh Rarebit at the Dropoff Cage. It's great!

The Dropoff of an evening is good value, as Ian keeps some great ale in the fridge. Refreshment Rooms down the road a bit always gives good banter and a good night out.

Posted 2 years ago #
buzz-lightyear - Member

Check with the old boy at Glencorwg and find out if the forestry work on Skyline is finished. It was quite disruptive when we were there a couple of months a go.

Posted 2 years ago #
ChunkyMTB - Member

Don't drive to the end of the valley...

Posted 2 years ago #
DaveGr - Member

Forgot to say. Eat at the Drop off cafe after riding the bike not before 'cos the portions are "man size"

Posted 2 years ago #
sheldona - Member

Do eat at the dropoff cafe
don't eat too much at sed cafe

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

Another one for lock your bike to yourself. There have been a LOT of thefts recently.

Posted 2 years ago #
spesh - Member

Don't leave your bikes locked to the back of a camper like we did 2 weeks ago - they won't be there in the morning.

Do use the secure lockup but be prepared to wait until 9 am to get your bikes out.

Do try the Lasagne in the drop off cafe and the Brains SA Gold

Posted 2 years ago #
Dancake - Member

DONT do the morning in the rain, wiping your glasses every 5 mins on your jersey and spend the rest of the trip virtually blind because the coating has come off your lenses.

Do clean your bike in said conditions; even if there is a queue

Posted 2 years ago #
timothecimmerian - Member

Cheers all. I'd heard about being bike security aware, we were looking to use the lockup or lock them in the back of the car (estate!)

Dropoff cafe sounds like a must do for food then.

Posted 2 years ago #
stevenmenmuir - Member

I liked the penhydd trail mostly I think because it was so different to the other stuff there, felt more 'natural' and was nice and rooty. Don't know what it would be like in the rain. I was advised by the guys in the shop not to bother doing all of the skyline as that meant a lot of forest road for not a lot of singletrack. I did a shortcut which was great fun, very rocky, abit like a dry river bed. This was all a couple of years ago now.

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

Cars are being broken into to get the bikes so don't trust that...

Posted 2 years ago #
timothecimmerian - Member

Bloody hell - is it really that bad??

Posted 2 years ago #
stevenmenmuir - Member

Its not exactly the next Peebles down there. I'm afraid that rather than spending all that money on the visitor centre they should maybe have spent it on local housing or similar. I don't suppose many of the locals can afford a shiny mountain bike, not that there's any excuse for thieving.

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

Check the threads on here, there seems to be a real problem at the moment. I'm there next weekend though not camping but I'll be keeping a VERY close eye on my bike.

Posted 2 years ago #
gee - Member

Yep, cars being broken into to steal bikes. It's a really deprived area (i.e. full of idle scumbags that our delightful government is happy to keep supporting).

GB

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

Check this thread:
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/afan-glyncorrwg-bike-theft

Posted 2 years ago #
neilsonwheels - Member

The refreshment rooms in Cymmer is not a bad pub. Worth a visit for a swift one or three.

Posted 2 years ago #
Special_ized_Jamie - Member

Leaving the bikes in the car will do nothing to stop them getting pinched. Just means you end up being more annoyed when your bike has been stolen and someone has crow barred your car door open.

I have been there twice this week, most recently yesterday and there are a lot of notices now up telling people to leave nothing on show.

Aside from that its a great trail center. Guys @ Skyline Bikes are extremely helpful and will help out with any problems as soon as they can. Trails are always in good nick what ever the weather.

A lot of the Skyline trail was still closed yesterday so if you are looking for a long day ride the W2 would be better. Also as mentioned above the Skyline does have a lot of fireroad which is boring as hell if it's cloudy and there is no view.

Posted 2 years ago #
IdleJon - Member

I'm afraid that rather than spending all that money on the visitor centre they should maybe have spent it on local housing or similar. I don't suppose many of the locals can afford a shiny mountain bike, not that there's any excuse for thieving.

The cafe is used a lot by locals and the whole enterprise brings employment into the area.

Posted 2 years ago #
gee - Member

Indeed it does, if you can count being a thief as a job.

Seriously though, it's great to have the Valleys being used for something again - compare the house prices around Afan with those in non-MTB valleys and you'll see the amazing impact biking has had.

GB

Posted 2 years ago #
spd - Member

For post-ride food and beers you can use the restaurant and bar at the Afan Lodge (big white and wood building you'll see on the way to the start of W2). It's fairly new, v.nice and reasonably priced. Food is great, beers are great, nice atmosphere and staff, plenty of other bikers staying there and often show bike dvd's on their big screen telly. Even the locals use it as as a restaurant.
Afan Lodge
Actually, if you fancy a decent shower, great rooms and secure bike storage, stay there instead of camping. All local routes are printed up on big maps on the wall and the guy who runs it Richard is great for info as to what bits of say Skyline are worth doing or not and suggests shortcuts to create loops of the good bits (he's an ex-motocrosser who knows the area v.well). Stayed there twice and it's superb.

Posted 2 years ago #

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