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Hoping to get away to the Brecon Beacons for a few days in April (staying at Pencilli Castle) and was wondering which are the pick of the [url= http://www.mbwales.com/en/content/cms/Bases/Brecon_Beacons/Brecon_Beacons.aspx ]well known routes[/url]?
Also, as I've only got 2 or 3 days I want to maximise my time there and maybe do a longer ride.. has anyone used a local guide that they can recommend?
Will hopefully be moving on to Brechfa for a day or two afterwards.. any recommendations for campsites or b&b that are local?
No-one been to the Beacons then? Or is it a secret..? 😕
That there website you linked to has the best bits. Pencilli is on The Gap route, which is a must.
The Grwyne Fawr route is an all day epic that you'll get plenty of opinion on which is the best way round to do it.
Just get an OS map, use your above web link as a guide and go explore. Loads of good riding over there.
I've stayed at the Glas Fryn B&B in Brechfa a couple of times and found them very friendly and helpful. You can ride to the trails from there too.
Not too many campsite near Brechfa from what I can tell.
Cwm Rhaeder is even further away, but I've heard good things about it.
Pick a good day and do the Black Mountains killer loop (I'd go anti clockwise next time, but that's becuase I want to ride down Y Das soon).
There's a good loop from Bwlch too, techy descent down to the base of Mynydd Troed and around the back of it, pick a dry day.
Gap is a classic - someone will come along in a moment and say it's over rated, but it's classic xc stuff. You get up high, proper mountain feeling and a long descent from 600m up. There's a few variations that improve it slightly , IMO. However, the "best" bit has been flattened out by several tons of gravel, which might increase you chance of running into a fleet of lost Waitrose shoppers in their pretend 4x4s.
There some stuff on the Black Mountain that I'm very interested in, including a long drop to near the Dan Yr Ogof caves, but like Brechfa, it's a bit out of the way.
I've done all of those routes or minor variations of them.
You must do the Gap, it's a classic, Llangorse is prob my favorite the views are to die for, the Crickhowell loop is a shortened version of the Black Mountains classic and would be fun too with the famous Crug Mawr descent.
They would be my picks of the group there.
If you post up closer to the time I could show you round any of these loops.
Cwm Rhaeder is even further away,
If you're going from Brecon to Brechfa , Cwm Rhaeadr is on the way
Glasfryn is cosy and the couple who run it are lovely - as is the on-site bar. It's a bit of a long ride to the start of the Red though and no bike storage/cleaning facilities.
It's a bit of a long ride to the start of the Red
It's a far shorter ride to the start of the black and you can join the end of the red from half way round to drop down for a pub lunch before doing the first three quarters of the red and the end of the black.
Glas Fryn now list bike storage on their website.
Thanks for the tips.. sounds like the Gap is 'must do' (which suits me fine at Pencilli) - I like a bit of XC as much as the technical stuff and anything with epic scenery gets my vote!
Thanks for the offer Hugor.. I may take you up on that, although it may be mid-week?
Glas Fryn sounds like a good option for Brechfa.. and a nice wind down after the rest of the week in a tent! Cwm Rhaeder is on my list for a run out from Brechfa too..
😀
Glas Fryn now list bike storage on their website.
They do, but I think you have to ask - we've stayed twice with bikes now and not been offered it.
Stayed at Glas Fryn 3 weeks ago. They do have secure bike storage, you just need to ask if you can lock your bikes away. Accommodation is comfortable but the evening meal was poor so I would recommend the pub in Abergorlech for an evening meal. We asked if they could provide a packed lunch and porridge for breakfast at the same price and they did. We even got toast at no extra cost!
Pick the nicest weather day for The Gap - it's a classic XC ride.
www.cwmride.co.uk for the lesser know trails if you're interested in doing eastern brecon beacons.
Re: the Mynydd Du crossing. It is without a doubt one of the best descents in South Wales. Several km of rocky twisty singletrack. It is a bit of a slog to get to the Twtch river crossing from where the super fun really starts- you will need some reliable navigational skills. Do it on a clear day, the views and situation are absolutely stunning.
As for guiding, try Kim Jones at www.mountainbiketours.co.uk. It is a local outfit. Number is 07812393934.
Ambrose, how would you do that route? I'm assuming this is the trail down to Dan yr Ogof?
Ambrose - are you referring to [url= http://www.mtbbreconbeacons.co.uk/hubs/crickhowell/mynydd-du-forest ]this[/url] route?
@frogstomp - no, ambrose means mynydd du (western side of the park) and not the black mountains (eastern side of the park).
Pencelli is owned/run by my extended family... I'm based in Aber, just up from Talybont, SMBLA guide and could well be up for a ride or 2 and a bit of route guidance, Gap is good, but there are better... Drop me an email (in profile).
Neil
I'd be up for exploring some new Beacons routes.
I have done most of the ones in the Vertebrate guide books.
Neil you don't have an email in your profile.
I'm also keen to hear about this Mynydd du crossing. I'm only aware of the forest which didn't seem that exciting to me - no singletrack that I'm aware of anyway.
Can somebody please post a gpx or google earth link or something?
wrong thread...ignore
Oops, sorry.
neil DOT d DOT cox AT googlemail DOT com
I'm referring to Mynydd Du (The Black Mountain) which is in the west of the Brecon Beacons National Park, as opposed to The Black Mountains which are in the east, close to Crickhowell/ Abergavenny.
The DyO descent is wonderful but is hard won. There are three ways to do it.
1- 'There and back', from Pont Haffes. Almost entirely rideable, takes approx. 2 hours, depending how far you go.
2- The Cwmgeidd route. Park at Cwmgeidd PO (buy some bikkies first). Ride up to the picnic site, then up to the open hill heading north over Cefn Mawr, Carreg Lem and then to Banwen Gwyn where you meet the DyO track. I'd suggest that you do not succumb to the temptation to cut east once north of Carreg Lem. It is very awkward ground to cross with a bike and the river is in a gorge in more than one place. Total time- variable, the ground conditions will play a huge part here. I avoid it in the wet, it is a massive grassy sponge. After a long dry, frozen spell such as we have now it is a slog up Cefn Mawr but a delight afterwards. We sometimes ride there for a Summer PM/ night ride. Midgetastic!
3- The Big Loop. See here: http://www.offroadadventures-online.com/rr026.html
I'd suggest that Pont Haffes would be a suitable place to start/ finish. Allow all day. It will be boggy in places, even at the moment. The routefinding is very challenging for much of the time. There are no signs or indicators whatsoever. The 'trail' is absent for several kilometres on end between Carreg yr Ogof and the Twrch crossing. And the Rhiw Fer climb is heartbreaking. A tussock grass scarpslope. I carry the bike here- and in several other places too.
And to finish the ride screaming down to Dan yr Ogof, with a pint waiting at the Ancient Briton in Penycae; amazing.
I absolutely