[Closed] Brecon Beacons - Rides/Routes/Local Advice/Guide

Cats back near Hay, unfortunately it's all in a mates head, so I can't tell you the route, but its a ridge and rocky - which is good, if it's not rocky 'round here at the moment, it's boggy.

Thanks timber. Riding ridges and rocky singletrack sounds promising. I'd prefer to avoid boggy if possible.

Think Talgarth is approx 30 mins from where we are staying and looks to be a good starting point from what I've been reading.

Anyone else?

Bump for the morning crowd

Interesting that you asked about Brecon Beacons and say you're staying near Hereford. You're going to need to get over/round The Black Mountains to get to The Beacons.

Best option would be head down the A465 to Llanthony Priory.

A couple of routes here:

http://www.mtbtrails.info/Trail_Venue.aspx?VenueNumber=85

Hth
Marko

Yeah I realised that when I started looking at the map smiffy 🙂

We are staying to the south west of Hereford, not far from the north east edge of the park.

Happy to ride from the door if there's decent options but thought people might know more routes and rides in the Beacons. Like I said Google maps states Talgarth is 30 mins away.

Thanks Marko, that looks good. I'll investigate it more later.

For most people they see the whole range as being the Brecon Beacons..... Especially as the black mountains are within the Brecon Beacons national park....

Or you could head out further on the 465 to Llanvihangel and then up to Grwyne Fawr resi lots of great loops there
How long are you planning to head out for?

Not sure T1000. Probably 5 hours at the most. 20 to 30 miles. Perhaps not even that. I think my missus will be massively hacked off if I left at 0830 and came back at 1800.

So probably no later than a 1000 start and 1400 finish from a riding perspective.

I'm just trying to compare it to natural routes I've ridden in Scotland like Torridon, Sligachan and Glen Tilt. All approximately 55k routes completed in approximately 4 to 5 hours.

If I was able to tag on to a group or for someone to guide me round a route then this would probably speed up the process. There's always an element of stop/start navigation when riding something new and unfamiliar on your own.

It's pretty exposed on the top of the ridges (same on the climbs / descents on the Talgarth / hay side climbs on this side are harder

Saturdays the best day to ride as even if your sticking to bridleways then there are less walkers about.....

I'd have suggested doing the 'classic route'

But starting from Grwyne Fawr as the Talgarth start is the 'vanilla' version....

For a shorter route

I'd suggest route from 268 252

Up to the top of peny gadair Fawr via the fire roads

Descend to 260 238

Then either loop south around the end of the ridge or descend via fford las Fawr

Thanks T1000. I'll check the map. Yep I was going to ride on the Saturday.

Having just looked at where we are staying it's further out of Hereford than I was expecting. Talgarth and Llanbedr are an equal distance apart.

The route Marko suggested climbs out of Llanbedr and loops anti-clockwise. Presumably this would be a better starting location?

Oops forgot to say the classic will not make your misses happy.....

They're not of the same scale as the natural trails in the Cairngorms.... But once away from the Offas dyke then it's v quiet

Lots of the ridges sections have areas of peat which is fine on a dry summer or depths of winter

I'd agree with Marko anti clockwise would be best from Llanbedr

It would be impressive to complete the loop and come back via Talgarth in 4 hrs!

@king - dropped you an email

Lots of the ridges sections have areas of peat which is fine on a dry summer or depths of winter

Do you mean the peat is wet and troublesome all year round ?

Whereabouts are you actually staying? There are routes up onto the Black Mountain ridges from various places. A lot of the valley trails are regularly used by pony trekkers and can be a nightmare after wet weather but also provide invaluable links between the better trails. Be prepared for some hike-a-bike to get up onto the ridges and you'll find the best riding although, like fodmtbguides says, the peat hags (along the Waun Fach ridge especially but also some of the other ridges) can be "[i]troublesome[/i]" 🙂

Do you mean the peat is wet and troublesome all year round ?

Thanks jambalaya, appreciated. I'll take a look shortly.

psling Michaelchurch Escley

Possible loop from where you're staying:

Make way via Craswell to 288329 then NW up spur onto ridge, follow over Hay Bluff to 242375 then East to Abbey Farm at 273378. From there head SE down valley back to Craswell or head to 266401 and then either roughly E to Snodhill or SE over Vagar Hill then back home along lanes.

Not a long ride but should fill a good 2 or 3 hours. I've not done any of the bridleways after Abbey Farm so no idea how rideable they may be! The longer return loop follows parts of the 3 Rivers Ride which is a long distance horse trail so, given the time of year, may be cut up if it's a soft surface.

Wherever you choose to ride, enjoy 8)

Cheers psling I think I need to buy an OS Map 🙂

@King - have a look at OS Getamap, IMO well worth £20 subsription (but I am a map geek). Partly as you can do this research whilst at work and don't have to wait to get down to the map shop 🙂

Just followed @pslings route - I'm guessing he might be on a getamap too, those grid refs are spot on, he didn;t read them off a paper map !

@King - I really do need to get a life ....

That the peat on the ridges particularly near Waun Fach is only fine at the height of summer or in the depths of winter(even then it can be a bit like an Aldi meat pie.... Thin crust concealing a toxic gravy.....)

he didn;t read them off a paper map !

Cheeky! 😉

I too need to get a life; can spend hours poring over maps, reading them like you might a magazine. Grid references are essential reading!! Held back on the full references on the basis that KingofBiscuits [chocolate hobnob BTW 🙂 ] already knows which area he'll be in 😆

I did this the other week and loved it:

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?lnk=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1279811/BreconBLongRev4.gpx

First half is not very eventful and involves a long tarmac climb, but the second half rocks. You're well off rights of way in the middle, but it's all logging roads that the MXers seem to use a fair bit, so you shouldn't have any issues.

The start finish is a lay-by with a tea/burger van (at least on the Saturday on which I rode).

I'd consider four hours to be fast for this route, mind you... but then I'm a slowcoach...

Thanks jambalaya, makes sense, will do! Right, I think it's time you did some work 🙂

I've realised I have a couple of routes in the back of The Good Mountain Bike Guide that someone bought me one Christmas. This includes Talgarth, Crickhowell and Talybont-on-usk as starting points.

Issue 53 also has some gpx files of routes which I'll check later.

Plenty to read up on tonight.

@psling - Bang on! I was eating a dark choc hobnob when I thought up the name

I thought I'd resurrect this thread as I'm travelling down tomorrow.

Currently considering riding the Llanthony Priory route on Saturday that Marko provided. It just depends how well the map prints out from the website.

Anyone aware of local conditions? Anyone else riding and fancy meeting up?

OK. Suggestions needed. Currently sat in the accommodation wondering what to do. The guide book I have is total shite. The map I printed out is...you guessed it...total shite. I have a GPX file but not sure how to use this on my phone with Viewranger.

At present ride fail.

Currently considering driving to the nearest bike shop for an OS Map, Route Guide, advice??

Just open the GPX file in Viewranger. Go to routes or tracks (if you are not sure which you have then try one then the other)

the gap is quite a cool ride.

Classic Gap I reckon then. Easy to follow. Nice pub at the start/end. There's some lovely riding near Lord Hereford's Knob(!) but I don't have the routes on the GPX. Other option is to head to the FoD and have a few hours slithering about, finishing on the blue.