Scuzzy Valleys side of things??????? Now then now then there is no need for that. Go 7 miles up the HoV and your pounds will double in what house you can get. Quick blast over Llangynidr Moors and you are at Bwlch.

Get on the tops above the likes of Cwm and Manmoel and you are cycling in isolated heaven. Easy commute to Cardiff by train or car.

Abergavenny is a bit of a hole and now the market is a shadow of its former glory.

Go 7 miles up the HoV and your pounds will double in what house you can get.

Yeah, and there's a reason for that 😉

Very true but for the right money the bunker should be impenetrable, and you could have the chance to live in a World Heritage site 🙂

there is LOADS of riding around Castell Coch

Well yeah there is some, but it's become a bit meh after all these years. Trust me, I know the trails although having said that I do keep discovering more bits…

a bit meh!? Don't think you know the trails as well as you think you do.

There are still great trails around the castle, I'm not saying you could do a 3 hour awesome epic, but there is easily enough for an 1 1/2 blat through some cool singletrack with some rocky drop off descents.

Don't think you know the trails as well as you think you do.

Specifically at Castell Coch, what trails are there that I've missed? Explain your favourite ride?

Edit: For the non-locals, this is the bit of woodland we are talking about. It's not very big, as you will see 🙂

Specifically at Castell Coch, what trails are there that I've missed? Explain your favourite ride?

Edit: For the non-locals, this is the bit of woodland we are talking about. It's not very big, as you will see

not sure you neeed to go into too much detail

A bit meh suggests dull and insipid which it certainly ain't. IMO. Great little place for an hours play and as has already been said a good start for longer rides. Really can't be rsed describing each trail in detail sorry.

Suggested Abergavenny for it's train station, but I live just outside Bwlch with trails out the garden. Though I work in the Beacons, my GF commutes to Glamorgan Uni' and has commuted to Cardiff in a previous job, over Llangynidir mountain.

Cheers everyone – great to have so much feedback and information about all 3 places. (I was a bit worried for a while that I might have started a north v south Wales debate – both are fab in their different ways!) For various reasons, mainly work related, Shrewsbury is looking the most likely place that I'll move to (although I also have the girl's perogative to change my mind if preferred!)

So, now that I'm a bit more specific, and am trying to have a look at what the housing options are, does anyone have any info on what areas in Shrewsbury to consider and which (if any) to avoid. Would be keen on finding somewhere within walking / cycling distance of the station, with some 'greenery' on the doorstep, but not too far out or isolated (oh, and not likely to flood!). Thanks for all the info on bike clubs / groups, and offers to meet up for a ride. Would definately like to sample the riding when I head over for a weekend at some point.

Cheers

Okay so I know why I want to come back to Cardiff! it's my birthday today and some buddies took the day off to go MTbing. We MTB'd from Cardiff to Cwmcarn then rode a lap! It was awesome, we didn't see a soul out from the trip over to Cwmcarn except in the delightful town of Beddwas (now don't move there) wow I miss this place and desperately want to come back. I am so exhausted it is unbelieveable, challenge next time is to MTB back as well but think a significant amount of training is required first. AWESOME though.

Porthill is nice, nice walk/cycle through the quarry park to the town centre, pricy tho. Close to Dave Mellor cycles.

You might find something nice around Frankwell too, which is where Dave has his shop, need to be careful here as this probably has the highest flood risk.

Castlefields is close to the station, mostly terrace houses but quite nice and quiet.

Herongate is new (12 years old) and next to Castlefields, I lived there for a while, boring but ok.

Bellevue has some nice town houses and is close to the river, don't recollect it flooding here but it could be an issue.

A bit further out is Copthorne, nice large semis, popular with families.

Avoid Monkmoor, Sundorne, Ditherington and Meole Brace. Mount Pleasant isn't anything special either.

There have been quite a few developments of flats in and around the town which might be worth looking at, at Bagley there is Ellesmere Grange for instance, the surrounding area (Coton Hill etc) isn't great, probably better to go out towards Castlefields or Herongate