The club are doing a trip to South Wales in Mid March. Myself and a mate were thinking of heading down early to get some extra riding in. Never been riding here before so please could you let me know / rank in order which of these are essential riding:
Afan - The Wall
Afan - White's Level
Afan - Skyline
Cwmcarn - Twrch Trail
Brechfa - Gorlech
Brechfa - Raven
Over 3+ days I reckon we'll be able to do a lot, but potentailly doing an uplift day at Cwmcarn on the Sunday. I start a new job on the Monday...
You forgot W2 - 40 odd km with a lunch stop at one of the centres. It links The Wall and Whites which are the best trails. I've never done the full Skyline, but July (the short one) is OK too. Gorlech trail is a bit unusual (unless they've put new stuff in recently). Very smooth and jumpy with gert big climbs on fire road. Twrch is good for a quick spin - 1 to 1 hour 45 mins depending on fitness and larking about. Never done Raven.
W2 is the Wall and Whites linked, so not really forgotten!
Brechfa rocks. Give the Blue/Green a go as well, seriously! As a beginner trail it's all nice and smooth. Take it at speed and it's a riot! You could easily fit in all the Brechfa trails in a day if there are no major issues en route. You can link the Raven and Gorlech out on the trail to save you doing the long (but rather nice) road transfer between the trailheads.
I'd miss out the Twrch, to be honest, and do one day at the old Afan (Wall and Penhydd) then another at Glyncorrwg (Whites and July) before a run to Brechfa. Or, start at Brechfa then do the Afan trails.
Thanks for the info. Anyone done the uplift at Cwmcarn? Anything too testing (6ft drops etc)
A few years ago we did Cwmcarn uplift on the Fri, then drove the Brechfa. B&B'd for 2 nights here (highly recommended):
http://www.glasfrynguesthousebrechfa.co.uk/
Did Brechfa Sat morn, this loop Sat afternoon:
www.mtbbritain.co.uk/llyn_brianne.html
and then spent Sun in Afan.
Cwm Carn downhill is fine on trail bikes. I do it on my 4 inch travel razzer. There's no big drops or mahoosive jumps (unless you want to) and it's good fun with mates.
Brechfa red and black can be done as a single loop like W2.
If you've got three days, I'd say Brechfa red/black loop one day, W2 another. Uplift at Cwmcarn the third day.
The uplift at Cwmcarn will drop you at he top of the XC loop if you ask nice so you can mix up the DH and XC loops without all the climbing 😀
If you're quite fit there's loads of extra ride time btw. I can do W2 in about 3.5 hrs and the Brechfa black/red in 3.5rs without exactly hauling ass so the Brechfa Blue is a right giggle (easy but so fast) and you can always stick Penhydd in the middle of W2 at Afan.
Skyline's a love it or hate it trail - long, remote and with quite a lot of fireroad, but some great singletrack sections.
Personally would do Penhydd rather than Cwm Carn - its got a different feel to the other Afan trails.
Or you could spend a day in the Brecons or Black Mountains for a bit of the natural stuff.
If you've got the time, i highly recommend Cwm Rheader, a mini brechfa type trail about 20 miles north of Brechfa or about 5 miles north-west of Llandovery.
Brechfa's trail designer, Rowan Sorrell, did this as a community project. Its a fire road climb with an awesome singletrack descent. Some nice views from the top and bugger all people. Perfect length for a coupple of laps too.
+1 for Brecon Beacons. Personally, i don't rate Cwmcarn at all these days and much prefer the Beacons. There's so much to explore there.
Being from the area i'd avoid the trail centres on at least one day, much better (more technical) riding elsewhere.
I'd make Penhydd a must ride if you're in Afan, along with Whites. July or Skyline if you want to go longer distance. I was disappointed by the Twrch trail so wouldn't personally make a special effort to get there unless you fancy doing the uplift.
Throw a night ride in there somewhere - Penhydd is great fun in the dark! 😀
+another for the Brecons (if it hasn't been chucking it down). You could do the MBR Killer Loop which has 3 epic descents. You can get links to the route through mtb-wales.com. It really is a great day out and would complement a day at a trail centre perfectly. You could stay in Crickhowell one night and then head to Afan from there by the heads of the valleys road.
Thanks, lots to go at. Probably gonna stick to the trail centres this time. Might go on some epics next time 🙂
Do the Masts descent whilst you still can. See MTB Wales for more details
If you're going to South Wales it would be a crime not to ride the natural stuff in the Brecons.
The Gap ride is fantastic and is pretty much ridable all weathers. Also the Gower route is fantastic for views.
Day 1: Cwmcarn (+ maybe travelling to Afan and doing Penhydd)
Day 2: Afan W2.
Day 3: Brechfa Raven + Gorlech.
I like Skyline, but if I was limited on time I would miss that. July (which is a shortcut of Skyline) might be worth doing.
We just took our friends from North Wales out for three days in South Wales.... they stayed at the Afan Lodge:
Day 1: Penhydd and Y Wall
Day 2: Skyline
Day 3: Whites.. (half day as driving back)
Have to say Skyline is a monster, but for me the best trail at the forests - feels very natural, and some really stonking singletrack. Just take a load of food and water 🙂
They loved the whole trip, and thinking about it - te first time I did the trails I loved them to bits.
Where are you staying? If it's at the lodge, then Brecfa is at least an hour away and the same for Cwncarn.... so two hours extra in a vehicle when you've already driven down... up to you, but for me on a first visit the Afan and Glyncorrwyg centres have enough to keep you busy for three days.
Reply to ambrose:
Great vid,but doesn't do steep parts justice.