[Closed] Skyline cycles (Glyncorrwg), shop and cafe to close down

Ah that's a shame....& not good for the village either I'd think..

Having said that every time I've been to te cafe in recent years it's been virtually empty..

🙁

Any idea what impact it will have on camping there? Was thinking of popping up there in a few weeks for a weekend camping trip.

I think it's due in part to the success of bike park Wales, diverting people away.

^was thinking then same. People coming from england will drive past a much improved cwmcarn as well as BPW. Its also further than those two for a big chunk of the heavier populated bits of wales. Maybe they need to do more to bring people in. NyA was busy at the weekend and that's miles from anywhere.

Sad news, I've had good service from both the shop and cafe in the past. Sounds like they've been a victim of BPW's success.

Went in the other week to look at a Santa Cruz as known they have stocked them in the past and discovered this. Wasn't any sale at the time so was there much to be had? Real shame.

Before BPW the car park was almost always full and you'd struggle to get a space but since you could roll up midday on the weekend and it'd be empty.

The guy serving did say someone was looking to take it over but he wasn't sure what they're plans would be. Maybe that's changed since as it was a few weeks ago.

It's a shame, I went to afan in February and I was told that there was money for trail building as part of the windfarm installation.

Shame, me and a mate did an afan/BPW double header a few weeks ago, did W2 and swung by skyline for some emergency chain lube and cake, it didn't look busy but there were some campers and bikes about... We camped at the other centre 😳

The reason we did Afan was because we wanted to do some pedalling/put in a bit of effort. It's easier to slack off at BPW unfortunately...

I can understand why BPW is popular, I certainly like riding there, but it may well suck the life (and funding) out of a couple of other venues along the South Wales M4 corridor...

Gutting news this.

Wonder if this bad news might be turned around to good news if new blood can come in and have a positive effect.

Off to call a wealthy bike loving mate to see if he fancies backing my latest hair brained scheme ;-D

Sad news, I bought a bike from Steve shortly after he opened. I thought it looked well set for the future but yes, BPW and the changing face of XC trails can't have helped.
Sat on the cafe terrace on a summer's day, it felt alpine and somewhere special.

We were there last weekend. Rode W2 from 'old' centre which is excellent. Superb food (hand cut bacon is lovely and coffee is great too). Bike shop busy and well stocked, shower block clean and all working. Car park pretty full. Lad behind the cafe counter reckoned they'd been busy all summer with walkers and riders.

Trails seem good too. Not busy but nowhere near as knackered as Brechfa. W2 is a good loop, but the Cafe/shop at Glencorrwg were clearly being run down. Everything looked so tired. I remember when it opened (Ian was it who ran it?) and the future looked really bright.

It's a shame as it's still a great trail centre. Maybe a victim of being one of the first.

Crying shame. The trails at bpw are good but it's horrendous trying to book a day for a weekend and the day passes aren't worth having. Also the food and bike shop at glyncorrwyg are miles better than bpw, the food there is bloody awful.

Agree with wrecker bpw cafe is awful and while the trails are fun, prefer again, except maybe the dull linking sections.

For me cwmcarn is best because it's an hour nearer and at least now has 2 trails

About 5 maybe 6 years ago I went to Afan once a month, loved it had some great days out on the bike, both in the summer and one epic rainy day, sitting in the cafe after soaking wet.

Then one sunny midweek day I took the oh, she had been a few times but she likes to go at her own pace hence why we cycle midweek together. Doing the final descent on the wall and some idiot trying to get past at speed, very little places to stop and let pass so he clipped her tyre and nudged her off the track, haven't been back since. Trying to get her out on the bike since has been difficult at best, I know these idiots are at all trail centres but it killed off going to Afan.

🙁

IIRC there was/is a bit of a problem going on with the landowners at Glyncorrwg, it's one of the reasons there's been no investment there since the clearfelling. Also it's dead there as Afan is closer, cheaper to park at and has more there for families with it having a blue and green trail.

Feel sad for the Skyline guys as I I've always had good service there and they really do add value to the place. They'll be missed.

Sad news 🙁

Bad if it's down to the success of BPW. Frankly the cafe was better than BPW cafe and nice place to relax. BPW is too crowded (trails and cafe).

Some investment needed by FC or Welsh gov (EU even, before Brexit).

Afan centre & cafe I never felt was that good compared to Glencorrwg. Though can see how it's better for families and walkers. Glencorrwg starts at the better end though, plus is good for campers and anyone staying up there.

Cwmcarn seems to be having a bit of a revival. Though the uplift was hit by BPW, but has decent amount of trails now, good cafe and nice bike shop.

Personally I think the felling has massively changed the feel of Afan. I loved Afan but went couple of years ago and hated it, it just felt too open (my feeling) like balancing on the edge all the time. I also thought Blade was rubbish (again just my opinion) just doesn't flow and was badly cut up and damaged. Shame as I said I used to love it there since I began riding. Maybe the trails need a rethink as people's mindsets have changed over the years.

I'm not surprised and would fully expect the cafe at Bryn Betws to go next. The bike shop always looked closed to me when I've been past so I never even went in there. The cafe (all of the cafes at Afan) sell none of the food I actually want to buy. How hard would it be to do a real full English or burgers?
I stayed at the BB campsite for two nights last weekend and their cafe was open for a total of about 5 minutes that's I saw. I went to Tesco for breakfast, money that will leave Wales and give no local benefit. The showers were appalling too.
If you want to stay in business, you have to run it like you want customers!

When I'm there now I stay at the Afan Lodge. Food & ale is good, beds too.

Always seems to have a reasonable number staying.

I'm not surprised sadly.

I was at Afan today, I stopped at the Afan car park first and it was pretty busy, I was there by 10 but had to park at the far end and the trails were pretty brisk with riders.

Rode Blue Scar to check my bike out after a rebuild.

After that I drove down to Glencorrwg and it almost empty, even with Ford being there will their MTB club the car park was 4/5ths empty.

The shop seems to be in decline for ages, they used to have 4 staff at the weekend, now it's 2 at most.

Still, I won't forget they managed to oust the original cafe owners who had great food and a lovely atmosphere, and made it slightly worse in every way, not bad at all, but just not as good as it was.

Hopefully someone else will take over, but Afan has always been badly run, they're wasteful with funds when they have it - spent a fortune on a new, but tiny outdoor seating area at the Afan centre for a visitors centre that's always empty.

Skyline didn't oust anyone and the cafe has not changed owners. It was tendered and they had the better/more competitive proposal. all fair and square.
The biggest problem is that all of the money spent at GC goes to the ponds co-operative who spend precisely zero on the trails.

Cwmcarn is not thriving. On a lovely day like today a couple of years ago you'd be lucky to find a parking space on the first pass. It was 1/4 full this morning. The bike shop is all but empty if stock and is struggling to make it work. I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see it went soon.

It's a shame for staff. Nothing worse than working out your last days in a closing shop

Very sad, I've had some great times there and had more than one trip saved by the bike shop.

It's sad for sure. Maybe a sign of the changing habits of riders. Of course it's all cyclic- I expect we'll all get bored of bike parks and long for long W2 slogs like I have planned for tomorrow soon enough. The campsite is busy enough tonight. But that's only 20 spots so would only generate maybe £250-300 on a good night.

Saw my first copy of Singletrack in the cafe so sad to it go. TBH I last sent to Afan in 2006 so of that's indicative then its not surprising the shop and cafe can't survive.

Really sad to hear, have some of my fondest MTB weekender memories from time spent there.

Agree with much of what's been said above re: BPW, Cwmcarn and the way the felling changed the feeling of the place.

However, we shouldn't disregard the effect the growth of places closer to London such as Swinley and the Surrey hills, hang out on the terrace at Glyncorrwg on a nice weekend and it used to seem that half of the South East had made the pilgrimage west along the M4. These were the people that brought in the money, camped, bought multiple meals, used the shop etc.

Now that the average MTB'er is older and tighter for time than they were ten years ago, (kids, jobs etc)and so less likely to be able to pull a full 'lads weekender' anymore, convenience and being able to do a venue as a day-trip becomes that bit more important.

The rash of vehicles geting broken into and bike getting lifted there can't have helped either.

Yea. This was aways going to happen. Far less 'tourists' in Afan thes days. But, that's not to say the area is quiet,the local scene is thriving, far better trails available than the berm fest that is BPW if you know where to go in Afan.

It seems weird to me, BPW could draw people away but it's the strength of south wales in general as a venue that draws me back every year- BPW, FOD on the way in, many Afan things.

But then I've been to Afan a bunch of times and I've actually never been to glyncorrwg, it seems stuck out at the wrong end.

(@bigbloke, this is an educated guess but I think Blade was built on the cheap- the windfarm deal means more funding is due to the trails right about now so I reckon Rowan Sorrel smashed in as much as he could in a hurry and since then they've been sat back waiting for the next load of money to fix it up. There's one section- ghost train? that was just ****ed, gully erosion like I've never seen, they've obviously built themselves a river. But otoh it rode hilariously for all that.

here's one section- ghost train? that was just ****ed, gully erosion like I've never seen, they've obviously built themselves a river. But otoh it rode hilariously for all that.

Ther erosion on that section has been mostly caused by motorbikes IIRC.

Nah, I don't think so, it's absolutely classic water erosion, if you ride it in the wet it's one constant stream and in some unintuitive places that motorbikes wouldn't naturally go. And there's terram cloth just below the surface, there wasn't much of a cap on the trail. There's also a lack of drainage all the way down it so it has water coming onto the trail from above then not coming off. Andy Wardman'd shit a brick if we made a trail like that 😆

But I have a feeling it'd have been relatively dull as designed, whereas as it is, it's maybe my favourite bit at afan.

That sucks I prefer the ride starting at afan and having glencorrwg as the food break for w2. Was only saying to a mate we need to go back to afan in a couple weeks. When is it closing?

Closing on the 17th. Sad days. I bought a few bits. Below trade so worth it! I had my last bacon butty there and will miss it.

FWiW I blame surrey hills, I used to bump into people I know from down that way at Afan, nowadays it's quiet by comparison. I know it's a long way but it's only the other end of the M4 and has a huge population. It only needed a small proportion of those riders to venture to Afan each week to provide quite a boost. I reckon that it might get a second wind when SH finally gets shut down (which if we're honest is the way it's heading). I loved every minute of my 42km today. Well. Nearly every minute 😉 Afan is still one of the best places to ride in the U.K. Especially with all the sneaky off piste that's going on. Maybe they need to start adoption of a few more trails.

I read today that the centre will be taken over (not sure about the shop).

BTW, felling most of the trees on The Wall will start soon.

Went today for a breakfast roll. Imo far better cafe than bpw and the best climb of any trail centre I've been.
Shame to see the shop empty.
Good luck to the great staff.

Nah, I don't think so, it's absolutely classic water erosion

Originally it was water erosion (when it was that lovely slithery steep slime fest), then some MX bikes really messed it up, and there were signs up about them, and most recently it's been redone so it's all a lot more tame.

Especially with all the sneaky off piste that's going on

I really need to go and find all this off piste stuff. Is it easy to find, and is it anywhere near a decent cafe?

If you think that section on Blade is steep and rough, don't bother!

Nobody's used the words "steep" or "rough" in this post 😕

Well, steep was mentioned above 😀

I'm just saying if you have a problem with that section of Blade (and I know which particular bit, I've ridden it hundreds of times), I wouldn't bother with any off piste stuff. Blade is a great trail, btw 😀

Yeah I like blade. Agree it's a bit disjointed, but I like each part in its own right. There are some drainage issues mind. I remember riding last year down one section near the end where the water was pouring out of the hillside onto the trail for quite some way like a posh swimming pool fountain. Definitely unique.

The off piste stuff isn't generally close enough to be convenient as a detour but some of it is if a quality that would merit being official.

rob8624 - Member

Well, steep was mentioned above

Hah, I am an absolute cock, sorry about that! 😆

BTW, felling most of the trees on The Wall will start soon.

Not good news. The felling that's already taken part on the Wall already has ruined those sections. The windfarm I believe to also contribute to Skyline's downfall too in parts. Used to love riding the full Skyline trail but since the felling it's a complete waste of time.

I was planning on riding afan first weekend in October, you are all putting me off! Skyline cycles have some cheap stuff online though. Gutted I bought a pro frame lid last month for more money!

Great little shop with helpful staff and reasonable pricing. Sorry to hear they're having to close.

Always did W2 from Afan just so we could stop at the café and pop in the shop halfway round (and finish with The Wall descent).

Also sad to hear The Wall's getting felled, having seen Whites Level get a bit cack in places since the tress went.

Nah, I don't think so, it's absolutely classic water erosion

There are foot peg marks in the gully caused by the bikes - at least there were the last time I was there.

A few of us from the southwest are off to Afan coincidentally on the weekend of the shop/cafe closure.

Rough idea is Cwmcarn Friday, Afan Saturday and BPW Sunday and W2 at Afan. However a couple of those coming know some of the off piste stuff at Afan so we might do a mix of trail centre and the other stuff. Looking forward to it but a shame to hear the cafe is closing - wonder if any decent bargains will still be there or whether it'll be a mix of leftover 580mm bars and 120mm stems!

There's very little left there today

Northwind. .... no worries dude!

As a local, I hate to see anything negative about Afan (everything is constructive criticism on this thread btw) being written, but things need to move on in the area.

I live within 30 mins of lots of place to ride in S.Wales, including BPW, and I'd ride the Afan Valley before there 100%. I suppose it's almost old school these days, it's not manicured so the trails are not smooth, the trails feel natural, there's not many berms, everyone says hello on the trails as you pass. IT'S FREE. forget the negative comments on here, forget trying to beat your mates times on Strava down Terry's Belly and ride Blade, it's long, mostly uphill, not looked after but it's great.

The area does need to move on though, and I do agree with opening up some of the more technical off piste stuff, making it a destination for the more experienced rider.

Anyway, let's hope the shop will re-open and the centre remains a hub of the community.

Anyway, let's hope the shop will re-open and the centre remains a hub of the community.

TBH what surprised me most last time was overgrowth, especially on Whyte's Level it was encroached with brambles and woody branches and stuff all over the place, especially where there was a line choice. I know why it happens, but it's a really bad sign when it gets that bad. (bracken and soft growth is one thing, it comes in so fast but on the whyte's level black option there was a bloomin tree growing out of an option)

OTOH I think it's pretty awesome that they've integrated the offpiste option down from the bike park with signage etc, we have harder/riskier stuff that's FC managed and even built, but not actually signed.

The trails haven't kept up with the way MTB has gone with trails getting more technical.

BPW offers an uplift service and better gravity focussed trails all closer to a lot more people. You also have a lot more riding in non official centres across South Wales.

Personally I don't enjoy Afan at all. Lots of pedalling and very little reward. If they did a BPW type thing and focussed on descents with an uplift BPW might get some serious competition as the hills there have massive potential.

Me and others I know enjoy the pedally nature of Afan and I think it has some fantastic descents, better than a lot of what I rode at BPW - unless berms are your thing.

There's also a lot of memories attached to the place, so I'm saddened to hear it may be declining further.

Seen lots of Insta pics and footage of the off-piste, will try to seek some of that out as well as doing the customary W2 ride on my next visit. I won't stop coming to ride there.

I've always liked Afan because its Old School, peddaly and hard work to get to the downhill bits. Its mountain biking.

Some enterprising person could open an electric bike hire shop there and the lazy uplift lovers would then flock to Afan to go electric for a weekend.

peddaly and hard work to get to the downhill bits. Its mountain biking.

This. I like earning my turns.

Some enterprising person could open an electric bike hire shop there and the lazy uplift lovers would then flock to Afan to go electric for a weekend.

+1.

peddaly and hard work to get to the downhill bits. Its mountain biking.
This. I like earning my turns.

Some enterprising person could open an electric bike hire shop there and the lazy uplift lovers would then flock to Afan to go electric for a weekend.
+1.

+ 2.....but you can stuff electric bikes, unless you are over 60....oh I am 🙂

I love Afan.

It's a trail centre, but it still feels like you're on an adventure when you do the loops, as opposed to places like BPW which are (quite literally) - bike parks.

The other trails in the area are some of my favourite that I've ever ridden, you just have to work a bit to get to ride them.

I can see the problem that if you aren't great at climbing then its a long slog for each descent, which isn't an issue at places like BPW.

the next load of money to fix it up. There's one section- ghost train? that was just ****ed, gully erosion like I've never seen, they've obviously built themselves a river. But otoh it rode hilariously for all that.

I'd drive to Afan just to session that section, for those of us who dream of barely rideable nonsense it's a Mecca...

the next load of money to fix it up. There's one section- ghost train? that was just ****ed, gully erosion like I've never seen, they've obviously built themselves a river. But otoh it rode hilariously for all that.
I'd drive to Afan just to session that section, for those of us who dream of barely rideable nonsense it's a Mecca...

Yep. Last time I rode it I was trying to work out if there was a quick way round to hit it again it was so fun. Horses for courses.

Ghost train is the best bit of the blade trail! It's like almost natural haha. The last rocky bit into the trail center is nuts in a "I'm so effing tired, omg please stop"

Is the cafe re-opening under new management or closing down for good?

Planning a trip and there needs to be a cafe!

Café at neighbouring Afan Argoed is still open. Though when I was there last week, was told not to sit down anywhere because I was "too dirty"? Acceptable in a high street café, but a mountain bike centre café?

That's a real shame. I like Afan - There's easily a long weekend of good riding in and around the valley. The off piste stuff at the Masts is worth a visit. I like Blade though I think it suffered from really shitty weather and motorbike use when it first opened. I was there when it was only a few weeks old and I think Ghost Train already looked ragged with sheets of reinforcement fabric flapping about. You can put a lot of effort into drainage but if some one smashes through it on an MX bike and you don't have the budget to repair you're lost. CwmCarn is ok but the loops are so short you need to ride both to get a decent length loop and even then it's sub 4 hours at a relaxed pace.

I suspect the thing that's hit Glyncorrwg hardest is the refurb at Afan (which is closer to the M4 so the place most visitors will get to first). The Afan centre used to be grim - the old cafe that had the feel of a prison canteen and food to match and i was never sure what the rest of the building was used for. The cafe now has windows onto a terrace and decent food (whereas the food at Glyncorrwg has never been as good as when Ian first opened it). We were there earlier in the summer and Afan was doing a good trade.

The bike shop also feels connected to the cafe and centre. The building at Glyncorrwg ponds looked good but the layout was very odd with the end that faced the car park mostly wasted.

Steve's a nice guy and his staff were good too - I wish them all the best.

That's a shame.

I haven't been to Afan however for probably 4/5 years as I found it not worth the extra hour+ heading past Cwm Carn. Plus too many stories of thefts to make it an attractive stop over and the felling ruined the place.

Was planning a bike/surf bivy mission in a couple of weeks to BPW but it's been fully booked for ages. So looking forward to Cwm Carn instead as it's been a year since I've been there.
South Wales has so much to offer as an area....

The trails at Glyncorrwg are becoming pretty unique in South Wales, they're tight, rocky single track like we had on all the TCs 5-10 years ago, but everywhere else has got wider, smoother and a lot more flowy, more bike park like, but it's nice to have the option.

I actually prefer Glyncorrwg/Afan for that exact reason - it feels more natural and less built than most centres, and once you get right out there it feels pretty lonely. This blown-out section of Blade sounds fun, think I might have to go ride it!

it was the people of the glyncorrwg ponds who did this

U wot m8?

Saw this thread resurrection and was all excited about seeing what it said....

I second 'you what mate?'

By the way, it's still a great destination and the cafe is awesome.

I, for one, didn't realise there were people living in those ponds.

@Mbnut the Café and the bike shop are run by the same family and as you say the café is great. Great food great local beer and lovely friendly atmosphere. The shop is also friendly and helpful and we always have a great time when we visit.

Odd timing for that post but it looks like Skyline is having work done at the moment for a full reopening in the summer.
Blade also had some more work to fix certain bits.

I much prefer Afan to CwmCarn but it could really have done with all being based out of the same centre. With the 2 plus the cafe at the top it's no surprise businesses have struggled.

Skyline reopening? That would be great.

Yup.
MB Wales Instagram

An earlier post shows work to the skills park as well.

any idea of timescales and any idea as too what the new skyline route will be? Similar too before or simply a name share?

Nope, I've got no further info unfortunately. Try sticking a question on the Instagram post

Well they’re stating 46k so that sounds like the old Skyline (44k of fireroads followed by a decent descent 😉 )

It doesnt feel that it was that many years ago that you had to get to Glyncorrwg before 10am to get a space in the carpark. Every weekend it was packed.

The cafe and bike shop used to do great buisiness. I guess mtbing has been losing its popularity for a number of years now. How long before road biking follows a similar pattern?

It seems that most of the people I used to mtb with progressed onto road bikes after a few years (probably as the weight dropped off and wearing lycra didnt look so silly) ... what is the next fad after road bikes? motor bikes?? e-bikes??

I loved the old Skyline...felt much more remote than the rest of them. And it had some lovely singletrack sections (which may not be so nice now as a lot of the trees have gone)