I’m heading over to South Wales on Monday. I’ve got Afan and Brechfa lined up for Tuesday and Wednesday, then heading back home on Thursday but stopping by the Forest of Dean on the way. So I’m wondering what 2-3 hour trail would be good for Monday afternoon, bearing in mind I will have been in the car for 4 hours and am staying at Afan.

Anyone have any recommendations? I’m thinking something in the Brecon Beacons could be good, although I don’t really know what the riding is like there.

Where are you coming down from?

If coming along the M4 you could always drop into Cwm Carn, easily doable in your time scale one lap and a tea/cake break, or even dependant upon fitness, two laps, it’s about 45minutes from Afan and you could use it as a way of breaking up the journey,

Whereabouts in Afan are you staying, out of interest?

Another recommendation for Cwm Carn, do the Twrch trail then if you fancy it and have time/energy left you can push back up near the dh track and do the final descent of the xc again or the bottom of the dh run.

I’d just carry on to Afan, and ride either The Wall or Whites. That way you can do the rest the next day.

I went to Wales for 5 days & rode Afan (Wall & Whites) and Brechfa.

My favourite, without a doubt, was Cwm Rhaedr. Long fireroad climb followed by flowy, pumpy, jumpy singletrack descent which lasts for ages.

It’s nice & short so you can do a loop in around 45mins or so (iirc) then do it again. And again. And again.

By about the 3rd loop you can let it all hang loose, knowing what’s coming.

The Gap route in the Beacons?

Cwncarn is fun, but you can do it in just over an hour, but it has a DH which is worth a play on.
Gap ride is over rated.

another recommendation for Cwncarn. i generally hate ascents, but the ride down was great fun 🙂

Thanks for the recommendations guys. Cwmcarn does look ideal actually, since it’s not too long and the DH should add the option for doing a bit more if I want to.

Reevil, Cwm Rhaedr looks good too, I’d never heard of it before. I’m thinking I might be able to hit this after Brechfa (if I’ve got the legs left). I’m coming from Cambridge area so it’s not quite on the way to Afan.

Ron Jeremy, I’m staying at Afan Lodge (http://www.mountain-bike-accommodation.com/), which seems pretty well set up for bikers.

burntsandwich,

I know Afan Lodge very well, the breakfast is awesome!!