Thinking of riding This route tomorrow with a couple of mates. The map on the website isn’t a huge amount of help so I was wondering if anyone had ridden either the same route or something similar in the area and could give me a few more details (or even a gpx file) please.

Thanks in advance 🙂

here you go
http://northmalvern.co.uk/black1.jpg
http://northmalvern.co.uk/black2.jpg

Hi Stoner – I saw your recent posts on another thread with those maps – Would you recommend any particular route (you’ve been particularly busy marking routes and there’s quite a few on there 🙂 )

I like the blue route, but beware of the climb up Y das at the top. Its a 30-45min carry.

the route you link too is quite a short one, only lengthened by the section from crickhowell to the hill. If you start and finish in Llanbedr you can get going up the valley straight away.

this is similar, but you dont need to go into talgarth
http://www.mtbbreconbeacons.co.uk/hubs/talgarth/grwyne-fawr-reservoir

You’ll be after the ‘best single track in the world’ then?

Come out of the woods around 254268 and head south. End is at 240211

If you don’t enjoy that – give up riding 🙂

Hth
Marko

Be warned it’s wet in the BMs today so it’ll be somewhat boggy up top.

Stoner – thanks very much for the info. We’ll probably head straight to Llanbedr then and go from there. I’ll scan your maps in detail when I get home tonight.

You’ll be after the ‘best single track in the world’ then?

Blimey – nothing like a bit of expectation to spice up a ride 🙂

Diawl – I’ve never really ridden much up there. Is it likely to be boggy as in unrideable a lot?

its a cracking descent off the top back down to Llanbedr.

Was entertaining on rigid forks and only a front brake though 🙂 Once the brakes had pumped up and stopped working, the only option was to get off the bike and dive in the verge …

Blimey! Here’s hoping we have a less “exciting” decent tomorrow 🙂

Go past the Pub and drop into the little valley via the old bridge. Out and onto the road. Warm up on the road and head to the X road at 241180.
Take the track up to the ridge (Pentwyn) and then the cracking descent down to Coed-dias (gate and dead sheep alert). Along the road and into Mynydd Du.
Up through the forest to the ‘best single track in the world’. Optional out and back to Pen y Gadair Fawr if you so wish.
Hth
Marko

Marko – just having a look on the map… are those OS grid references you’re using? They don’t seem to make any sense.

Not to worry – I’ll try and map from Stoners images. Thanks for the help guys.

Don’t to me either!

I got them from Where’s the path? It’s now on the old OS maps though

Cross roads is at 285210.
Coed-dias is at 275245.
Pen Y Gadair Fawr is at 228288.

Best single track in the world is marked as Blaen-yr-henbant on OS Sheet 161.
Hth
Marko

Cool – that’s better. That’s pretty much what we’re planning tomorrow – looking forward to it now. Thanks for your help.

Stoner, did pretty much your blue route a couple of months ago in the opposite direction and it was excellent (other than the top section of the old Dragons course being logged). Have looked at some of your other routes and am thinking of maybe the attached route, but have a few questions?
The loop you have marked from Gospel Pass down to the stone circle and back; is that just to get back to a start/finish point or is the descent Pennant worth it?
Also have you ever tried riding along the ridge from the top of Y Das taking in Pen Y Manllwyn, Waun Fach & Pen Y Gadair Fawr to the top of the forest? Was thinking it may save dropping into Blaen-y-cwm only to climb back up again.
Finally, whats the footpath you had marked up from Bal-bach down to the Vale of Ewyas like?

Thanks for putting up your maps, it really helps.
Route

The loop you have marked from Gospel Pass down to the stone circle and back; is that just to get back to a start/finish point or is the descent Pennant worth it?

Not done the pennant descent yet myself (some of the markings on my map are just transpositions from other people’s routes, phiiiiiil of these parts being one of them I think). The loop to the Stone circle is to remind me that there’s a straightforward road climb from that corner if I ever want to descend off that way.

Also have you ever tried riding along the ridge from the top of Y Das taking in Pen Y Manllwyn, Waun Fach & Pen Y Gadair Fawr to the top of the forest?

Again, not yet. Someone was asking that question on here the other day. I like the reservoir descent so usually go that way. As long as Im up on that ridge by Disgwylfa, then I dont miss the fun 🙂

Finally, whats the footpath you had marked up from Bal-bach down to the Vale of Ewyas like?

Ive walked that a number of times and it looks like a good nadgery descent on the bike (although I reckon you lose too much height too quickly – I prefer to make the most of altitude gained 🙂 ). There might be a stile/gate on it as you come off the moor I think. Bets bit is it brings you out at Llanthony Prioiry bar 🙂

Ive always preferred to mark up maps rather than use GPS routes. I have loads of maps accross UK and France with routes marked. All gleaned from online GPS resources or other peoples route guides etc. It means when I go to an area I have an indication of what is known to be rideable. I hate having to carry bike or turn round.

May I step in?

Bal-bach to Llanthony – That one? Monster tech fest. I love it, but you may enjoy following the ridge all the way to the cairn and beyond.
This is a pleasant outing if you start from the Priory, turn right just after the Pub and follow the old road all the way up the valley. It spits you back on the valley road just before Capel-y-ffin. Turn left here and enjoy the technical climb up to the ridge. Head for Twyn at 702 and then follow the ridge all the way back down.

Y Das to Waun Fach etc. Trashed by the Motor X dick heads. Don’t bother. Best to come down the side of Grwyne Fawr reservoir ( or the ridge described above) and then climb up through Mynydd Du.

If you head from the Forest to Llanbedr – see previous posts – on the ‘best single track in the world’ and then come back to Llanthony you are on a big day out!

Hth
Marko

Bal-bach to Llanthony – That one?

Was actually thinking of the one that traverses the hill a lot more and brings you out on the road again by Chapel-y-ffin, but the one straight down if technical sounds good.

Thanks for the feedback.

Twelveski

Off the top of my head that’s the one the Pony trekkers use. Not the best way down. I think that one is full of Pony ripples near the bottom – where they all trek after each other and create series of ripples across the trail.
It is a good short cut up to the ridge from Capel. Mostly a push up from what I remember.

Hth
Marko