I’ve got a couple of mid-week days in August that I can do some riding in.
On one of them a mate and I have booked an uplift day at BPW. The other I was thinking of trying out one of the trail centres in the area. I’ve only ever ridden Cwm Carn, so I’d rather try one of the others – so which one would the STW hive mind suggest?
I’ll be on my DMR Bolt full sus. I enjoy climbing as well as descending, and am happy on pretty technical stuff.

Afan gets my vote, the bike park there is great fun too!!

Afan is really great at the moment.

Coolio 🙂 Afan was defo on the list. What makes it so good?

My usual post on this topic, do a natural ride eg Brecon/Gap, a Crickhowell Loop. Variety is the spice of life 8)

If you have plenty of time (sounds like it) go further West and do Brechfa / Cwm Rhaeadr too.

Or do W2 and include the bike park.

W2 at Afan. It’s a classic for a reason.

Then maybe one of the new trails there if you want more.

I do a lot of ‘natural’ riding around here – Dartmoor, Quantocks, Woodbury, East Devon, etc. So whilst I totally agree on variety being good, I quite fancy doing a few loops and rails with the potential for easy parking and a café at the end 😉

Ooh, just had a look at W2 – looks right up my street! That & a few runs on the bike park should have me suitably knackered for BPW the following day 😆

If your coming ‘back’ to BPW then probably Afan and the Masts to maximise ride time, i do like Brechfa and Cwm Rhaeder though.

I can show you the Masts stuff on a map next time we’re on the same ride.

Planning a South Wales run next month, good to see that Afan’s running well at the moment.

Protip for Afan: There are 2 final descents on Whites Level. The first you come to is slightly shorter, more eroded & rocky with drop-offs throughout. Slightly further up the hill is a longer, less eroded, smoother trail. Choice depends what you want from your trail…

I don’t see the attraction of W2…by the time you’ve done the link section twice and the bit along the bottom, you end up with about 12km of flat road.

I think Blade is a better trail, and if you want to do a longer ride, go back up and do Whites to finish off!

Loved Blade when we were last over there, you have to work for it, but once it gets going… Wow! 😀

Cwm Rhaeadr will be closed for a ‘couple of months or so’ for forestry works – this is NRW speak for who knows when it will be open again and what state it will be in when it does 🙁

A vote for Brechfa, it’s a lot of fun, but it’s a long way (from anywhere) Afan gets my vote for best mix of stuff, plus the new(ish) stuff they’ve put in ace, and empty as everyone’s at BPW!