Anyone aware of any current closures/diversions at Brechfa? Have checked MBWales, but doesn't seem totally up to date!

CFH no idea about closures but would like to hear your impressions of it, hear good "wow lots of fun" and bad "boring and nothing amazing" reviews..

Have been many times before and I love it. Really nice mix of natural feeling trails and the playground fun of an overgrown BMX track! I also love the fact it's so quiet!

we went a while ago and the top singletrack section was closed. the diversion wasn't terribly well signposted so we bluffed our way to the top of the hill meaning we could take in the jumpy singletrack bit.

as for impressions, it a track that polarizes people. I loved it but (without wanting to blow my own trumpet) you need to have a decent amount of fitness and technical ability to make the most of it. Theres plenty of technical 'lungs out' climbing but this is compensated for by some awesome descending and the jumpy bits are good fun.

Don't forget to do the green trail. Yes, that's the family one.

Do it absolutely flat out as fast as you can, it's just brilliant 🙂

molgrips – That's one of my fave bits! Brakeless and pumping the jumps….WOOOOO!

Yeah, did the Green/Blue a couple of weeks ago with a couple of family members who'd never been mountain biking before. I'd not done it before (did the red a couple of times a year or two ago) and was quite surprised how fun the blue/green is. Not quite sure it is suitable for people who've not got any experience of mtb'ing but my relatives really enjoyed it as well.

If ridden slowly, I would say it's one of the better beginners trail centre trails. If ridden fast…. 8)

My Mrs loves the Green because it's interesting but not difficult – it's smooth and the bends and dips aren't scary but it's better than flat fire-road a la CyB green. I think blue might be too much climbing for her tho currently at least.

Yes as above, there is a diversion at the top of the Red climb. I couldn't possibly say in public whether or not we followed it, following the advice of some locals. I therefore don't know if the diversion is due to some fallen trees in the way which I assume you would just have to walk over, should you choose to ignore the signs…..

No closures on the others, this was 2 weeks ago.

The Red still has a diversion, although last time I rode there the trail was passable. The reason for the diversion is that they are logging near the trail and machinery are using the forest roads.

I'd be happy to show you the best bits if you like. If your up for a longer ride then a combo of Red/Blue/Black is brilliant.

As of last Sat there was still a closure after the first of road climb. If you follow the signposts it takes you to the cottages at Trawscoed, all a bit of a disappointment really.

All is not lost though…

Follow the trail out from the carpark, as above. Turn right at top, as usual. At top of this is fire road, turn left to soon be met with diversion sign. Follow this sign, but approx. 1km later take the right turn after the sharpish bend over a stream. Climb up fire road to a cross roads to regain the trail (on Left) soon after going straight across the junction. If in doubt at the cross roads, head uphill.

Is there a campsite in riding distance of the trails?

not that we found TTP, we stayed at Ffarmers in Llanwrda about 5 miles away as per rec. on here, search for more info.

Rode Brechfa tonight – finished at 9.30 and not surprisingly noone around 🙂

Ambrose, which trail/car park are you referring to there?

The diversion is in place for safety, there is logging going on, it doesnt affect the trail but machinery uses a fire road that the trail uses, so its closed to avoid cyclists and lorries using the same road, obviously when they aren't logging there's no lorries! the FC don't tend to log after 6pm or at weekends!

I'm riding there tomorrow at 2.30 so will let you know after that!

i rode the whole red the other day, ignoring the diversions. There was no sign of anyone working there. No lorries, no loggers, in fact… no one else at all for the whole way round.
It could have been the constant torrential rain, but i did not think it was all that. It was the first time i'd rode there, and i would not make a special trip to do it again.

Maybe i'll try the black next time, but when i want there were no signs/maps/directions to the black at all. Only when i got to the last descent on the red did i see the Raven trail markers for the first time.

The black starts from a different car park to the red, I believe – the same one as the green and blue.

ahhh.. right.
Shame as that's what i went there to do.
next time maybe.

lardman, it's a nice ride along a vally road between the two trail heads, or you can link up out on the trails themselves.

Great place to ride.
There's some brand new singletrack that'll be included in this years enduro on August the 16th http://www.bikebrechfa.co.uk/events.htm

CFH- Starting at Abergorlech CP, riding the Red ie Gorlech trail.

Lardman- The Black (Raven) and Red (Gorlech) do not start at the same place. Thus, you won't find the link until quite a way in.

http://www.mbwales.com/en/content/cms/Bases/Brechfa/Brechfa.aspx

The Raven map shows the link between the trails