Simple as that really 😉
Thanks in advance.
who will stop you?
My OS map would suggest some of it, but not all.
The only bits I've actually been on is near Talybont reservoir, and the climb up Crug Mawr, until near the top where the bridleway splits from the Beacons Way.
It's a mix of footpath, bridleway, and miscellaneous tracks so technically no right of way to cycle on all of it but you only risk committing civil trespass so as long as you ride responsibily there is no issue at all. Hopefully Scottish style open access coming to Wales soon anyway.
We are looking at the “path” from Storey Arms Outdoor Centre across to pic up the GAP loop a bit on from Pen Y Fan.
We rode on the bit of it from the gap to Pen y Fan. We also carried our bikes up Fan y Big and rode down the ridge line.
Despite it being summer hols and loads of serious ramblers around, everyone was lovely with words of encouragement, and bottles of water when we ran low.
How different from the miserable dog walkers down here in the South East.
I’d advise caution particularly around Storey arm area as it’s heavily infested with walkers at the weekend
Well I’d avoid it if strictly a footpath. On the OS site I couldn’t quite workout if allowed. Free access would be so much better. Looks like a great area to explore!
I’d advise caution particularly around Storey arm area as it’s heavily infested with walkers at the weekend
This. When I walked up PyF earlier this year it was like a motorway, no exaggeration. People every few yards and a queue to get pics at the summit cairn.
Also, as a ride, it's really boring!
Hopefully there'll shortly be no distinction between FPs and BWs in Wales - I trust everyone is supporting the British and Welsh cycling access campaign?
If it's open access land, then you have a right of way on a bike if there is a pre-existing tradition of access by bike. Which there is, on most of it, people have been cycling on the South Wales mountains since the days of the Rough Stuff Foundation and probably before.
I fancy the phone box route up Pen y Fan as a climb though.
Well hopefully a wet start so only the die hard walkers are out. Did GAP a few weeks ago and hardly saw anyone but we didn’t get as Far East as PYF.
Absolutely supporting the access rights. It’s nuts a few local footpaths I ride on. Very respectful of walkers if I see any and they never seem to care, smile say hello . Get the odd fruit loop when I’ve accidentally ridden on a footpath they apparently feel they own it. Just enjoying the outdoors as they are. 30 years ago they made you feel like you were a criminal on a bloody bridleway!
Down in the Valleys people you meet on the trails are generally just happy you aren't driving a stolen Corsa somewhere to set it on fire.
Technically, no.
I wouldn't go during busy periods though, tons of people in the way, you wouldn't be able to do much more than walking peace any way.
Watch out for the drainage channels, they're uncomfortable, even on the quad bike, good chance of a pinch or dinked rim.
a wet November weekend might be OK then 😉
agentdagnamit - Member
Hopefully there'll shortly be no distinction between FPs and BWs in Wales - I trust everyone is supporting the British and Welsh cycling access campaign?
And I trust no-one is jeopardising the Welsh cycling access campaign by jumping the gun and alienating mtbers 😉
With so much good riding in the area (as long as you're prepared to put in the mileage) why on earth would you want to ride on what is probably the single busiest bit of footpath in the whole National Parc?!
Mind you, if you're starting from Storey Arms and heading east you'll maybe be walking mostly anyway... 😆
And I trust no-one is jeopardising the Welsh cycling access campaign by jumping the gun and alienating mtbers
We've decided not to start there isn't worth p!ssing people off, was 50/50 anyway but just not worth it.
From the phone box the first section is 15% fairly steady gradient. Steep, but not unrideable?
That's not the Beacons way though, that's down the road a bit.
Having walked all of it, I'd say it is probably only some of the eastern parts of the Brecons Way where you'd struggle on a bike. You get so few walkers over that end of the park, that the paths are way less well defined, or even entirely absent (which is how I like it!).
From Carreg Yr Ogof behind Black Mountain east to the old quarries at Foel Fawr on the A4069 mountain road, there is no real defined path and it is pretty tussocky boggy hard going in places.
If you're shortcutting from Black Mountain to Carred Yr Ogof that col gets pretty boggy too.
Similar up over Carn Pen Rhiw Ddu and Carn Pen y Clogau, might be a bit hike-a-bike until you get to the North/South bridleway between Brynamman and Cwm Llywd, unless you shortcut via road.
The Brecon Beast uses a quite nice route from Dol-y-Gaer/Torpantau, underneath the East side of Pen-y-Fan then out towards Brecon its self. This was the part that goes past Upper Neuadd Reservoir, then drops into the next valley from the one under Pen-y-Fan Eastwards.
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Surely that's the famous Gap?
Yes indeed, that's the Gap road.
Nice teashop at Ystradgynwyn and one of my favourite bits of trail at 038237.5 to 045242.5.
Just noticed that I've got east/west and eastern/western mixed up in my post above, if anyone is wondering what on earth I'm prattling about. Oops. Not at all embarrassing ... 😳