I really like the xc at cwmcarn, I've never cleared the climb so find that a challenge and love some of the flowy stuff near the top.

I also heard rumors that there may be plans for a 2nd xc trail at cwmcarn in the making. May well be a long time before work gets started on it though, it really does need the 2nd course in my opinion.

or go too fast for comfort.

Then your comfort levels are the problem, not the trail. WUSS!

I love that last bit. WOOOHOOOO!

Cwncarn is really good IMO, bit short but well worth the trip. I work in Bristol so often take a trip there after work.
For me I was always disapointed with Penhydd, the rest inc Skyline is great at Afan.:)

Afan is great, can't wait for the Monster there later this year (hoping the closed trails don't mess that up), but living 45mins from Cwmcarn it's my local trail centre and I really love the XC route.

If I was heading this way, I'd do Afan first then fit in Cwmcarn on the way back, if you're feeling fit then 2 laps is definitely better than one.

Bit of video for you here (sorry about the music!)

Cmwcarn and Afan both good in their own ways. Do the black loop at the top of Cmwcarn and loop back up on the fire road. I think the climb is the hardest but great downhill after that, get in the big ring and get the speed up and its a great run.

Both Afan and Cmwcarn need a fair bit of repair. Cwmcarn could be a mecca for MTB'ers from Bristol I never understood why they haven't developed it more. Loads of us travel across for a quick spin. Loads of potential.

"Then your comfort levels are the problem, not the trail. WUSS!"

😀

You're not wrong! I was just expressing my preffs for something more intricate.

Cwmcarn is good BECAUSE it's so eroded. There's gnarly rock just under the soil, so the erosion on my makes it rocky and interesting.

That video's good, shame it's in slow motion tho 😉

Fair point buzz, but when are trail centres intricate? Everything has to be rollable so people don't die too much.

oh agree about the erosion but some places and gates need sorting to improve the flow. I enjoy the more rocky ride especially in the winter as its not a mud fest. Just think nothing much has happened in terms of development. Got an up lift 🙂

There's so much riding around Cwmcarn it is beyond me why anyone would just come up to do the Twch Trail (okay if it's on your doorstep but it's really not that good). You could do half the climb then head over to Abercarn then swing over to meet the free ride section before dropping down to the Darren; or head over to Sirhowy. There's plenty of local knowledge; i thought that was what this sort of site was for?

There's so much riding around Cwmcarn it is beyond me why anyone would just come up to do the Twch Trail

Well now. Firstly, the Twrch trail is excellent, and a real blast. Secondly, the local riding that's easily discoverable is standard forest track stuff. I've not found many trails that are particularly interesting and I've been up a few times with maps and GPS. I'm sure they are there, but where I do not know.

Perhaps the fact that there's a top quality blast signposted with a massive sign in the carpark is the reason people go to do the Twrch trail? 🙄

Cwmcarn is more fun going up than down IMO (can't speak about the DH though). It's ok but a little boring after a couple of times.

You could always ride bridleways in the Brecons rather than mincing round trailcentres following the herd

You miss my point. You're probably right though; mountain biking for the moderately adventurous.

You could always ride bridleways in the Brecons rather than mincing round trailcentres following the herd

Hah. Jump to conclusions much?

I've ridden plenty in the Beacons thanks. I happen to really like a blast around Cwmcarn and it's near my house. Riding the mountains is nice, Cwmcarn is nice too. Things can both be good in different ways you know.

Why do you feel the need to disparage people for doing something they enjoy? You have decided up on the worst possible interpretation of people.

Has anyone ever said on here 'Oh well, I wish I could explore the hills more but everyone else is going to Cwmcarn so I feel like I should too'..? No, they haven't.

Perhaps there are a lot of people riding Cwmcarn because it's good?

Oh yeah and I don't mince, I ride it fast.

Maybe I do jump to conclusions but to me the point of mtb is to explore the hills and not be spoon fed .I prefer to get away from thecrowd if possible and head for the hills(when the missus lets me!)

Surely the 'point' is to do whatever pleases you, be that explore, be spoon fed or whatever and not to look down on people who enjoy different things to yourself….

Surely the 'point' is to do whatever pleases you, be that explore, be spoon fed or whatever and not to look down on people who enjoy different things to yourself…

You are misconstruing my comments. When time is tight, and it usually is when I’m away, I ideally like to cut straight to the best bits of trail; the kind of ones that I’m familiar with at home. But I know that it’s taken years for me to formulate my local trail knowledge (with a fair bit of shovel work too) so it’s unlikely that I’ll stumble on a similar standard in a non-familiar area. I recently attended a wedding in Whitby and I appealed, on here, for local knowledge as time was tight but with the moors on the doorstep it seemed utterly mental not to take the mtb. With no response I ended up taking my road bike as I know how futile it can be looking for sweet single-track only to find countless miles of fire road.
My first post hinted towards local knowledge; if you want to ride the stuff you saw Katy Curd riding down in that video last week then it’s only local knowledge that’s going to show it to you (it’s only a short ride from Cwmcarn and it’s not the best single track in the area).
Sure the Twch Trail is fun, I love it and regularly do it after/before work as it’s a superb sub 1 hour workout. But it’s tired, all the smalls have washed away leaving a ragged, jaggedy trail that is brutal (but fun) in a hard tail. The climb is fantastic, the traverse is amazing but the decent is disappointing. Is it worth doing if you're passing? Definitely, but I’d want to ride something else in the afternoon.

Agree with (most) of the above posters. It's definitely worth it, but the XC loop is an hour. Maybe less if your fitter. I tend to do it on the way up to the olds, I can leave the missus in the cafe whilst I get a decent hour in.

The climb is very difficult to clean. I have yet to do it without dabbing. It's getting quite annoying!

Just like The North Face at Grizedale, it is ok but you need to do it twice to make it worthwhile.

If you fancy more laps at Cwmcarn and are limited for time, you can always just climb on the road. I used to do evening rides there and did it to get more laps in.

I prefer to get away from thecrowd if possible

I usually go there in the evenings when there's hardly anyone around 🙂

But it's not being spoon fed. I choose to go there because I like testing myself to see how fast I can do it. Because I know it very well, I can go pretty quickly on it and this is a big adrenaline rush.

I get a far far greater speed buzz on trail centres than I do on natural trails. Natural trails are a quite different high.

Don't look down on me for it!

I recently attended a wedding in Whitby and I appealed, on here, for local knowledge

I have appealed several times on here asking for some of this great riding at Cwmcarn, but no-one replied… I dunno if people want to keep the riding for locals only but I should still qualify for that since I live in Cardiff…

Cwmcarn xc routeis great fun, and definately worth an hour blast, but IMHO, ride up the xc route until you get to the steep concrete slope, then take the road to the top of the dh. Perfectly ridable on a ht (take the right hand track at the top).

For some reason I dont really like Cwmcarn either. I think it was mainly from doing a BUCs there a few years ago and it rainly solidly for 36hrs

Aah, happy times. The XC race was dry though! Shame it was such a crap course to race on!

I like it, used to go over when I lived in Brizzle and do 3-4 laps every couple of weeks. It's not long, but it's a decent trail. It is a shame they've not done more with it, as it's substantially closer than Afan. I suspect any new signs they put up would get nicked by the 'locals' mind!

On the 24th I'm heading to either here or Afan for a days riding sounds like my best bet is Afan is that fair comment or are a couple of loops of Cwncarn going to be as good?

There is more riding at Afan, but they are close enough that you can (and should 🙂 ) do both.

It it right that some of the choice bits of Afan are now OOB while the forestry guys do their thing? We should arrive around 10am so were thinking of riding the two main trails at Afan and taking things from there.

Do W2 (start from Afan rather than glyncorrwg if you want lunch in the drop off cafe).

Parts of the fireroad that get you to the wall climb are diverted but you're not missing much (in fact the diversion is shorter!)

Penhydd is closed for a year which is a shame, don't think any parts of whites level are closed.

Yeah potter, it's worth the stop as it's a decent XC trail not far from the motorway so splits the drive to Afan. Plenty of time left on Saturday to set up camp and do W2 starting at Afan and stopping for a bite half way round at the Drop Off. Then spank round Skyline on Sunday and drive home listening to the grand prix and get back to watch the world cup final. That's what I'd do anyway 😉

Don't forget disposable BBQ, sausages, lager and firewood for Saturday night. I'm looking forward to it

Molegrips mail me, you about tomorrow am? as am out and about on so of the other trails local to Cwmcarn.

If anyone wants to explore further in around Cwmcarn and the south Wales area have a look at this chap for quality guiding:

http://www.cwmride.co.uk/index.htm

Could be Loco – although I'm meant to be doing something slow and easy – and Cwmcarn is not the kind of place where you can ride easy 🙂

When you thinking? I could be up for 2-3 hours.

I can do slow, as a bit unfit. Leaving from Cwmcarn anytime between 9.30 and 11.00 whenevers best, give me call at the workshop if your interested 01443 838336.

Just remembered – have to take the car into town at 8.30, so I was thinking of maybe riding from there..

no probs. give me a mail/bell to sort it out.

Will have to be another weekend I think. Got to be back to pick it up too..

no . give me a shout when your next up in the Valley's 😉

lrd
sounds like a plan my friend may catch up with you at some point 😉