We are heading to South Wales beginning of August. Does anyone know if the Twrch trail at Cwmcarn is fully open or are there still diversions.Thanks.

Diversions still there for now

Spoke to the Ranger on FB a few days ago, couple of months at least he thinks, there’s no scheduled end to the forestry work and they may have to repair the trail afterwards.

Spoke to the Ranger on FB a few days ago, couple of months at least he thinks, there’s no scheduled end to the forestry work and they may have to repair the trail afterwards.

Thankyou wiggles and p-jay for this info.

Cafall is just as worthwhile as Twrch – even better in some respects – so Cwmcarn still worth a visit. The Twrch diversion at the moment is fire road from near the start which takes you to the top of the main descent plus some extra. Probably worth doing as an add-on to Cafall, to make a 2.5 – 3 hour ride.

Twrch is a turd of a trail and even worse now it has diversions. Cafal is way better.

Is it a turd because you cannot clear the climb?
I’ve cleared it dab free once or twice with about 50 attempts.
Hardest trail centre climb. IMO

Hardest trail centre climb. IMO

Have you ever ridden the North Face Trail?

Massive tree down on Caffall.
Looks like a bomb has exploded inside it.
Just drag your bike down the slope to the left and pick it up there.

I didn’t see that tree yesterday; is that the one they’ve already cleared?

Yes they’ve already cleared it

I like Cafall, although the climb is hard, especially with my oh so cool, but I’m sure utterly pointless 1×10 set-up, if ever their was the need for a granny.

Anyway, it’s about ‘peak’ now in my opinion, open long enough that it’s bedded in and ‘stable’ (it was a complete bog when it opened, so much so I couldn’t get my bike to move through the mud DOWNHILL) but not so old to mean that necessary maintenance has removed the looser, rooty stuff.

I find it harder that Twrch both up and down, and have a 50% ride to crash ratio – but it’s a great ride. If you know the lay of the land, I prefer to avoid the last descent into the car park, grind up the road to the final descent of the Twrch – it’s loose as a goose at the moment because it’s not getting rode much so 30mph drifts are on the cards if you pin it!

Another +1 for Cafell. Love the climb from the hut onwards, rode it on a hot, dry morning and was utterly shagged by the top. Looking forward to when the Twrch reopens and can do both as a loop.

I posted my dislike for Cafell a few weeks back as I really do enjoy the technicality of the Twrch ascent and the manic last descent back to the carpark,but paradoxically after a few weeks form afore-mentioned juvenile rant I cant wait to go back and try Cafell again,so go figure ….
Did the Brecon Gap route twice this weekend,`twas a near-death experience I tell thee.

Twrch is a turd of a trail

Don’t listen to him, it’s great. As is Cafall. Both good, both preferable to Afan IMO.

Did the Brecon Gap route twice this weekend,`twas a near-death experience I tell thee

Wot? How?

How many metres of climbing on Cafell?

Molgrips,because doing it twice nearly finished me off !
It was really windy up there on Saturday though.