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  • South Wales trip advice
  • blitz
    Full Member

    Off for a lads trip to South Wales next weekend and none of us have ever been. Really looking forward to it now but haven’t got much in the way of plans yet!

    We’re staying at Afan Lodge for 2 nights with 3 days riding. Day 3 we’ve got BPW uplift booked but the rest is flexible so looking for any advice on what to do? We’re reasonably fit, not put off by a bit of climbing, happy to get a bit of air but nothing really big. We’ll be sticking to Trail centres for the convenience.

    Current thoughts are Cwm Carn on the way over on day 1 – but which trail(s)? Check in at the lodge and then possibly a quick spin at Afan depending on time. Maybe do the blue? Day 2 at Afan but not sure what to do there? W2 seems well reviewed? Anything closed or not in the best shape at the minute? Also any advice on what to do at BPW? Blues and reds will be the most we’ll do. Is there an obvious ‘order’ to do the runs to build up and progress through?

    Or anything else we’ve missed?

    Any advice appreciated! Cheers

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Cwmcarn is great – you can do both trails in a single sitting if you want, but if the two I prefer Twrch if you don’t want to go mad. There’s a uplift most weekend that’s will take you up the DH or to the top of the Twrch for a second-lap etc.

    Afan is different, more old-school, tighter, rockier.

    W2 is (as you probably know) Whites and The Wall combined. Either is good. Blade decided opinion a proper marmite trail. W2 is a safer bet. Penhydd is a bit rubbish these days IMHO, the surface has suffered a lot in places due to the trees going – it’s not rocky, it’s jus my rough and batters your hands at any sort of speed.

    BPW is brilliant, start in the blues and work up to it.

    Bare in mind your current plan calls for 80k+ of tough climbs and rough trails before you get to BPW, personally that would be more than I’d fancy before a day at BPW.

    I’d ride Twrch on day 1, The Wall or Whites day 2 and save some legs and hands for BPW.

    orangeboy
    Free Member

    Is the twrch fully open now.
    I’m not a fan of blade or the newer can carne trail but if you’ve not been try it for yourself.

    Afan lodge is good

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    citybs13
    Free Member

    You will love all of what you got planned, especially if you don’t mind climbing , do cwmcarn on the way down you can do both the cafell and twrch just have a late breakfast / early lunch in between ( cafe is good) then the next day do the w2 at Afan, just make sure you leave a bit of recovery time before you get to BPW

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Cwmcarn is fully open at the moment, Twrch is probably in the best condition it’s been in for years and the de-forested bit, whilst a bit light on atmosphere is at least riding well (there’s a lovely view too now).

    Cafall is a bit rougher in places but not in a bad way, but I haven’t ridden it since the storm the other day, I rode Twrch last evening.

    mark90
    Free Member

    Also any advice on what to do at BPW? Blues and reds will be the most we’ll do. Is there an obvious ‘order’ to do the runs to build up and progress through?

    BPW have an order grading scale of the trails, though a few of the newer ones aren’t on there.

    Easiest > Hardest Blue runs
    Melted welly / Bluebelle – Pretty tame
    Terrys Belly
    Sixtapod / Willy Waver – this is a cracking fast run down

    Easiest Reds are Wibbly Wobbly and Surfin Bird, then work through the others from there.

    Cole not Dole and Pork Belly are the easiest Blacks, though Pork Belly is currently closed and may be being re modeled.

    Obviously the above is my opinion, others may disagree.

    ferrals
    Free Member

    Rather than do w2 I prefer to do blue scar, then the wall, then penhydd, similar distance but imo more fun. Plus don’t forget to do the add on bit of the wall where you go along the firetrack past the entrance of the final descent and do an easy singletrack descent past the skills park. Really fun

    kilo
    Full Member

    You could get a guide for the day from afan lodge and go completely off piste, we did this last couple of times and it was very good

    blitz
    Full Member

    Thanks for the replies. Twrch on the way over defo sounds like a plan. Bit more choice of options for day 2. Had no idea they did guiding at the lodge. Sounds interesting depending on cost? Will look into that or maybe do W2. We’ll have all day so hopefully we won’t be too knackered for BPW. Some good food for thought there.

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