Got down to Brechfa, at last, on Saturday afternoon. Had a run around the Red, which was great – big climbs, views, misty in the trees, lots of swoopy stuff and quite a bit steeper than I was expecting. Great fun.

Unfortunately I was laid-out by a stomach bug Saturday night and couldn't go and do the Black on Sunday. I had to sit it out in the Drop Off bus (and grab some shut-eye in the camper) whilst my mate went out. Gutted I missed out because he came back with a rave report.

I did make a stab at riding on Sunday, but I was so wasted having been up all night puking that I couldn't even get around the Blue trail – what I did see of it was excellent too though.

All in all, great place. I know it divides opinion – I just can't see why!

Brechfa is great, the Black is really fun, nice flow and just damn good fun.

I loved it as well .Swoopy fun .I also will be back to do the Black .I decided to "save" it for another time .With an impending Summer in Whistler didn't want to get overexcited and do something stoopid !

By all accounts I have heard the Black is not any stronger than the Red. I thought the design was brilliant – if you wanted to calm it down and flow downhill and get some sense of the view then you only needed to take a tiny bit of speed out to keep the wheels near the ground, conversely it didn't take much letting it go to get some air.

Yeah, Brechfa is only as dangerous as the amount you lay of the brakes…

The red is actually tougher endurance wise, lot more climbing. I'd say the black is a little stronger in terms of 'gnar' factor – but only in that there's more stuff to break newbies if you ride it blind and clueless – but based on what glenp says, if you can ride the red comfortably, the black will be a piece of cake too.

I also really rate the blue ridden at speed. Great fun IMO, possibly more so than the red and black.

I also really rate the blue ridden at speed. Great fun IMO, possibly more so than the red and black.

+1, I thought it was awesome, some mentally fast bits! The black was easier than I may have expected though, and good fun.

The blue or even green ridden flat out is one of the best things I have ever done on a bike! Yeehah!

Although you could easily skip the blue section as it's just a big climb which slows you down, where as on green you can keep the pedal to the floor the whole way, so to speak.

Actually all these hardcore mtbers hurtling flat out on the green trail can't really be good for all the newbies for whom the trail is intended…

Although you could easily skip the blue section as it's just a big climb which slows you down, where as on green you can keep the pedal to the floor the whole way, so to speak.

The blue extension might be a big climb but it rewards you with the best descent of the whole green/blue loop!

Is it worth the extra hour or so drive from Afan? (coming from Southampton) to date after the best part of 3 hours in the car to get to afan I've always decided to stop off there rather than push on.. sounds like I;m missing out.

Sadly I was so ill on Sunday that I slogged up that Blue climb only to find that I couldn't even see straight on the way back down! I was relieved to get back on the fire track so I could shiver and wobble my way back to the bus for tea and feeling sorry for myself. Gutted at the missed opportunity, but like I said the journey was well worth it and I will be back.

DT78 it might take an hour from Afan, but if you haven't come off the M4 at Port Talbot it is maybe a bit less than an hour further. It is definitely worth it, particularly if you value peace and quiet, superior views, (very) fast and flowing tracks and a certain charm that is different to Afan. Afan is positively urban by comparison.

Big drawback with Brechfa though – not really a great place for a raucous evening of beer and laughs. Nice enough pub mind, but more of food place. Mind you, most people don't go to the pub at Glyncorrwyg.

Big drawback with Brechfa though – not really a great place for a raucous evening of beer and laughs. Nice enough pub mind, but more of food place. Mind you, most people don't go to the pub at Glyncorrwyg.

Depending on which pub you mean, then you were obviously there on the wrong night! 🙂

I've had several very late and very raucous nights out in the Black Lion (Abergorlech). Perhaps it helped only living 20 yards away.

Oh, in that case we were in the Black Lion on the wrong night. I stand corrected. It does have a promising look but didn't deliver really. Mind you, doubly unfair because I was back in the van feeling ill by nine, so we didn't really give it a chance.

Nice place to live – and having been spoiled by the good fortune of being born in Friday Street it is very rare for me to say that.