So, I have a meeting in Chepstow with a fellow mtber. We were going to stop over near a trail centre after, then ride the next day.
So, can anyone recommend a nice village pub or hotel, with a nice boozer, near a good trail centre.
BPW uplift is booked, is it a pain without? Cwm Carn is the other option, as Afan is looking a bit far.

BPW is doable but hard work without uplift. Afan & Blaengarw are a long way as you noted, Cwmcarn should be a good happy medium and combining the 2 loops is a great day out. Or Forest of Dean, being closest of all, is also an option. As for places to stay, I really can’t help since I live here and have not had cause to find good accommodation 🙂

Thanks wf, we’re coming from Oxford way so FOD is one of our regular places, but it’s closed.
Can you recommend a village with some nice old pubs.
Also, what would be you fav routes on Cwncarm?

You could always head up to the Breacon Beacons loads of great natural trails……

You could try Usk. Small town with plenty of pubs to try and a range of accommodation. Any closer to Cwmcarn and you are getting into South Wales Valleys “urban fringe” territory (or Indian Country as we call it!) Or head up to Crickhowell for the evening. Lots of nice pubs and places to stay and a nice drive over the hill to Ebbw Vale and down to Cwmcarn. Or beggar the trail centre and go and stay in Talybont on Usk and do the Gap instead. That way you can have a beer in the Star. 🙂

As far as Cwmcarn, I would do the complete Tlwch and then do the Cadfael loop too. If you fancy a bit of downhill I hear the Pedalhounds descent makes a good alternative to the normal descent from Cadfael.

Blimey, who’d have thought I’t be so hard to spend our hard earned.

I can confirm that Usk is lovely, and has good pubs (I live here…). Cwmcarn is about 45 mins away.

Plenty of places to stay, dependent on budget…

The two xc trails are the Twrch and Cafall. Twrch fairly techy climb and a great descent back to the car park – food in the visitor centre is perfectly fine, if not gourmet…

Cafall is a little more “natural” feeling, with a longer but less techy climb and an almost equally fun descent.

Expect 1-2 hours for the Twrch, and 2-2.5 for the Cafall…

You could try The Clytha Arms a little outside Usk, if you wanted to ride Cwmcarn. I’ve not stayed there, but the beers and ciders are excellent unless you are a Stella/Carling drinker in which case it’s not the pub for you. Food is good but service is slow.

Usk has a good few hotels, an excellent chip shop and a few nice cafes.
Or you could stay a little further south in Caerleon, but it is a student town.

Usk sounds great, just wanted to stay a bit closer.
Cheers All

Take the suite at the Celtic Manor if you want to be a bit closer to Cwmcarn. Only about £2K a night if you need to spend some money 🙂

WF- stayed there once with work- not a suite mind. Hated it TBH, big and soulless, defo prefer a little pub!

Usk was spot on, some nice pubs, and great beer in all (except one which had no real ale, but the Guinness was fine).
Thanks