I had thought Skyline and White’s Level shared the final descent, but looking at the maps (online), they don’t – or do they (and which one is better)?

Seems to be Jetlag for Skyline and Darkside for White’s.

No they don’t. They share the climb.

They are both fun, but Whyte’s is a more varied trail and I prefer it.

Thanks Buzz. Does the Skyline have the best finish (I seem to remember being told)?

p.s. I know the Skyline has lots more doubletrack.

Skyline has a fantastic finish, but I can’t really remember the Whites finish.

The reason for answering is that I did the July route on Friday (shortened Skyline) and much of it was closed due to logging, and the diversions were not well signposted.

Thanks. I plan to take the July shortcut anyway.

I did the full Skyline on Saturday..the diversions take you through a bog…some of the diversion is good, but most isn’t as good as the singletrack it replaces (tho you do miss the last big fireroad climb). I think the end of Skyline is better…seems to go on for ever!

both descents are good.
I prefer whyte’s as its more interesting.
worth trying to do both in a day in addition to/instead of the W2/The Wall.

both descents are good fun.

As you do the first climb i am pretty sure its about just over half way up you can see the start of jetlag (look right crossing the fire road) the skyline descent kinda of runs along side the first climb. remeber jetlag is only half of it.

A couple of times we have done whites then climbed the frist ascent again to finish with the skyline descent all the fun of sky line without the endless double track.

If you want a good long ride i would look at W2 with all the changes going on with skyline i can’t help but fell a little cheated out of the height (until the end at least then its just seems endless)

just out of interest how quick can you boys get from the car park to the top of whites climb? trying to gauge whats considered good?

just out of interest how quick can you boys get from the car park to the top of whites climb? trying to gauge whats considered good?

never timed the climb, but have done the full skyline in three hours, i am not the fittest so am sure others will have done it quicker.

I’d have to look in my SportsTracks, but I think about 35 mins. not saying that’s considered good, but I use it to judge my fitness

about 38mins for me from the cafe to Windy Point I think it’s called, not been for a while.

Kev

mrmo skyline in three hours is impressive. Sure you didn’t take the short cut 😆

I have nothing to base it on but i always considered sub 40 mins to do that climb reasonable. I have seen a lad do it in 30 but he was like a wippet!

Found that climb better/quicker on my full sus than me hardtail but maybe thats just me farmers playing up!

@mrlard, no it was the full root, what you have to remember is there is a fair amount of open tracks across the top where you can get a decent pace and bring the average speed back up.

I did Skyline in early October, I wasn’t impressed 🙁

The final decent is amazing, but the general feel of the thing is back to front, we seemed to climb on hard singletrack and then descend on fire roads.

When we did ‘descend’ on single track it was more traversing, everytime I got into a bit of flow, there was a bit of unexpected uphill which completely put me off.

Pretty much all the other routes and the final descent are very good trails, although I would take some skillz or armour. I took neither and rode into a tree after unexpected taking off over the awesome rolling final descent from… can’t remember which one. It really hurt.

The final decent is amazing, but the general feel of the thing is back to front, we seemed to climb on hard singletrack and then descend on fire roads.

hard singletrack? where, its a climb but it certainly isn’t a hard technical climb, If your looking for lots of singletrack and boardwalks then skyline isn’t the trail for you, if your wanting to get away from it all then the skyline is definitely more pleasant than any of the alternatives.

Maybe “Hard” was a bit of an exageration.

But I felt like I was pedalling for no reward, I pedal up to come down. Skyline was just long.

The others were definately more rewarding for me.

38 mins is my best time.
I agree about Skyline getting away from it all…saw 5 people the whole time I was out on Saturday. Just my opinion but I find Whites Level a bit “man made” and artificial. I know they’re all man-made, but the boardwalk, and tabletops and stuff on Whites just make it seem just too man made. For the same reason I prefer the Wall to Whites. anyway, each to his own!

Last 2 descents of Skyline, Deadwood and Jetlag, arm busting, but fantastic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVGxtm6LdaM

Shame the rest of it, isnt so good. Its still worth doing mind, just more fireroad than singletrack.

35mins average for me to top of Whites, not sure what my best is, not tried TBH.

I’m happy to do the climb to Windy Point in 40 mins.
The final sections of Skyline, as detailed by superfli are absolutely wonderful. The first Whites descent is tremendous too.

So Up from GC to Windy Point, drop down the Black run, climb back up, do the initial Whites Descent to the top of energy. Climb back up to Windy point, then start on Skyline, to ride Fast Forward. At the top of the climb, take fire roads (right, left) to the top of Peregrine Ridge and then Whoop back down to GC.

Smiletastic

If I have time I’ll do Whites, then climb back up to the top. Where you come out on the fireroad (if you don’t take the Black descent), if you turn right, scoot along the fireroad for about two miles, take the first right, drop down and just before you enter the trees turn right you end up at the start of Deadwood (Waymarker 66 on the map).

Skyline is cack – a long ride for one descent decent right at the end. Try W2 instead.

I went to Afan this rainy sunday just gone. Its the first time I’ve ridden there for about a year. Even since then its worn in really nicely. Its not got that flat, featureless trail surface anymore. But the cafe was closed when we got back from whites for lunch. Wet through and cold, we stropped off to Cwmcarn. Now theres a climb with some technical interest.

Ian shut the Drop-Off at Glyncorrwg November time last year. The guys from Skyline have taken over the lease and should have a cafe up and running in the next month or so, once the refurbishments to the building have been completed….

The Skyline is my favoutite trail, haven’t ridden it for a couple of years whih is a shame.

Windy point has to be my fav trail in Afan, closely followed by Skyline descents and zig zags. Got a trip planned for 5th Mar, so hope the cafe is back up and running, cant be arsed to cook in tent this time!