Apart from ‘don’t fall off’ 🙂

Going to do this trail on the 30th of this month with 3 mates. No idea what to expect, I have downloaded the trail map and it looks pretty confusing – arrows pointing everywhere as there are apparently 2 different start points.
Anyone know the best place to kick off from?

Ta.

Glyncorrwg visitor centre is as good as anywhere, you’ve got the cafe at the end for sustenance then. It’s fine, keep following the signs, the linking bit between the two trails can be a bit crap, but it’s a decent ride.

That said I’ve not been for about 3 years, and believe it’s changed quite a lot in that time.

Never done the W2, but have done the two trails it encompasses. You have 2 different start points, as you can start at either trail ‘head’ and return to that start point is my understanding. Off-hand I’d be tempted to start “afan” and end up at “Glyncorrwg” midway for a break. As Glyncorrwg has the better cafe IMO, but if you not going to use the cafe, there’s not anything in it..

I’d rather eat afterwards rather than halfway round – hence my recommendation, this may be pivotal to your decision.

It’s not that confusing when you’re on it. Just a big figure of 8 really. The only part where you could potentially go wrong is if you disappear down the Energy Trail when you actually want to take the link road back to Y Wall.

We normally ride the Wall Climb first, schedule lunch at Glyncorrwg (careful how big a sarnie you have though, as you’ll then have Whites Climb straight after lunch!)

You’ll have fun whichever route you take. Enjoy!

I’d recommend starting at Y Wall side as Glyncorrwg is a bit higher up. Always nice to think that there is more descent than climb in second half of the ride (mostly psychological)

Also, if you are coming from the M4, you’ll burn less gogo juice getting there.

Cheers all.

Also if you park at the Afan center the car park costs £1 per day rather than the £3 that Glyncorrwg costs 😀

Always worth checking the Trail Notices to see what’s happening

Ahem or Rhyslyn is free …

Don’t have the beans on toast if you have the cafe halfway.

It was like 2 tins of Heinz z and a whole french stick, and I felt duty bound to eat it all for pennies.

Nearly threw it all back up climbing back up.

Only thing I noticed was it was quite easy to miss a turn on the Wall climb – about 2/3rds of the way up, there’s a fireroad fork with no waymarker – go round left and up rather than off to the right and level, the waymarker is a little further up!

I would echo Brassneck’s comment. The portions are effing huge at Glycorrwg. I’d probably start there, as the Whites climb is more of an interesting challenge which it’s quite hard to rise to after approaching 2500 ft of climbing on the way over (and with a bellyful of beans and tea). Wall climb was much more straightforward and uninteresting.

Brassneck + 1, I struggled through the climb and almost managed to hold onto my beans, but felt much better afterwards 😯

Goodwood and Enery are currently closed I think, so check with the trail centre. Shame as Energy is good fun. Personally, I link in the Blade decent these days, pretty easy to work out how to get there from the trail map.

We normally ride the Wall Climb first, schedule lunch at Glyncorrwg (careful how big a sarnie you have though, as you’ll then have Whites Climb straight after lunch!)

This is the option we decided on. The jacket potato at Glyncorrwg sat heavily on the way back up into the hills. You can’t knock their portion sizes or the prices IMO.

i really dont understand this thread at all! but beer hasnt been mentioned once?
im off to Afan tomorrow and bpw for the weekend, will give you a trail conditions update on monday :-0

I would echo Brassneck’s comment. The portions are effing huge at Glycorrwg. I’d probably start there, as the Whites climb is more of an interesting challenge which it’s quite hard to rise to after approaching 2500 ft of climbing on the way over (and with a bellyful of beans and tea). Wall climb was much more straightforward and uninteresting.

This for me, with lunch at the afan visitors centre in between.

Pah, it’s not that far! Top up on water halfway and enjoy your meal at the end, sod riding up that climb after a generous meal!

So how hard are the trails at Afan? I’m currently a bit broken but when i’m healed I’m thinking I should make the effort to head over and give Afan a go?

I know ‘how hard’ is subjective so as I’m not a trail centre rider normally go easy on me!

Depends on what you usually ride I reckon.

Will be pretty tame for a guy who rides the Lakes and rocky, techy stuff.

If you’re more used to wide, smooth stuff then it’ll be a nice change from your regular stuff.

Still a fair bit of climbing, and the descents are surprisingly hard work if you live anywhere in the South .. it’s probably the only time my bikes actually really work for a living.

Pah, it’s not that far! Top up on water halfway and enjoy your meal at the end, sod riding up that climb after a generous meal!

I’ve only ridden it on a social basis, so I need to stretch prepare my stomach for the 18oz Gammon and beer at the Railway after.

Still a fair bit of climbing

Only because it comes in chunks, so you spend 30 minutes climbing – I do more climbing per mile in the Surrey Hills!

njee20 – Member

Pah, it’s not that far! Top up on water halfway and enjoy your meal at the end, sod riding up that climb after a generous meal!

Riding solo I would agree with you. If you are riding socially then lunch is an important part of the experience IMO.

I wholly agree, but it can be enjoyed more post ride, than mid ride!

In fact I recall us doing just that many years ago on a BM ride!

We should probably have a reunion ride at some point Nick.