[Closed] South Wales - best descents

The old skyline decent at afan ponds, think some of it still in the new blade trail decent.

OS Map, find Treochy, then Pentre next to it, there's a bridleway that goes out the back of Pentre and over to Maerdy, come in from the top and ride down into Pentre, that's the best natural descent I've ridden in South Wales, take a bit of finding but its worth it.

Hmm.. I attempted a ride I think on the BW to the E of that about a million years ago. Ride was a total disaster, was supposed to start going up it but couldn't even find the trail..

I'll try and get over there some day. I'd like to plan a few hours filled with technical trails, it'd be nice to take the big bike somewhere other than a trail centre or my local woods.

Looking at the map again, what about that BW labelled Mynydd Maendy that finishes in Ton Pentre?

If you follow the old road out the back of Meandy and up the side of the mountain you'll cross the Bridleway at the top, you have to keep your eye's peeled but its there, it descends these really nice naturally berm'd hairpins most of the way down then opens out in to the park behind the church.

You'd do that then ride up the Bwlch to do that Mynydd Maendy descent in the same loop, thats quite quick, though from memory there's a gate to chuck over half way down.

If I told you, I would have to kill you.

Define best. Most technical, fastest, longest, biggest grin factor??? I could point you to what I consider to be a fantastic descent and you might hate it, and vice versa. However, there are a few descents that never fail to make you whoop with joy. There is one on the Sugarloaf (cheeky) and is only a couple of minutes long but I can guarantee you would love it or else you don't have the soul of a MTBiker 🙂

My favourites in South Wales:

Machen top to bottom.
Ganol or Muddybum Castle Coch
Pentre Zig Zags (as mentioned above), although I rode it Sunday and its not in the best condition. 2 trees down and some water erosion.
The main one at Smilog or Truck Trash.
Most of the stuff at Wyllie.

If anyone wants any guiding around the Rhondda let me know. I know all the descents that Afan Off Piste use on their uplifts.

Mynnydd Meandy, or Old Bill Descent is pretty good, some rough going but its pretty fast in sections.

If you're looking at an OS, go east from that BW above and look at the path Twyn Crugyrafan that goes down around the edge of the basin and down into Cwmparc, thats a pretty impressive alpine type descent. Plus the one just north of that, Cwm Saerbren/Treherbert Basin, brutal bike/body wrecker but well worth doing.

The other bridelway into Blaencwm is awesome too, try and get past all the rocks without dabbing.

Theyre all on Strava too if you want links.

1. Pontypool - Main line
2. Machen - Left
3. Machen - Right / Left
4. Llantrisant - Smilog 1
5. BPW - Dai Hard into Coal Not Dole into Deep Navigation

Define best. Most technical, fastest, longest, biggest grin factor???

All, any - I'm not handing out trophies, just looking for good trails 🙂

phil, I'd love to explore the Rhondda more, if you're up for it. I just had a sudden desire to do something bigger than my local woods on the big bike.

james - I don't know those names.

I once did the descent off Pen Y Fan heading south, along the ridge of Gwaun Taf and then before you reach the forest you head down a trail to the little reservoir on your left. I would certainly recommend that!

It was fantastic as the trail along the top was just enough gradient to keep your momentum up but with some pedalling here and there, so some quite good flow to it in my opinion with some good little technical bits, it is a kind of sandy moorland type trail and feels really cool as you ride along the edge of the ridge. Then when you head down to the reservoir it gets really technical!! You can even choose to ride down what looks like an old river bed if you want some extreme tech! Lasts for ages too since the gradient isn't that steep until the end.

Highly recommend it... but ONLY in the dry, I can imagine it is super laggy andt here is a lot of resistance along the top trail if it is really wet = one big pedal.

[url= https://williamcgibson.wordpress.com/2014/09/08/_49-fan-y-big-and-pen-y-fan/ ]Route map and some photos here[/url]

No specific pics of the trail but that last photo shows where the steep part is i was talking about.

This is a bit random, but does anyone know of a descent that's at least 4 miles long, with no (or really minimal) uphill???

This is a bit random, but does anyone know of a descent that's at least 4 miles long, with no (or really minimal) uphill???

Cadair Idris? Snowdon? 🙂

This is a bit random, but does anyone know of a descent that's at least 4 miles long, with no (or really minimal) uphill???

The Brinmore tramway all the way from the top down into Talybont on Usk is 4.5 mls. All down apart from about 200yds and that bits flat.

This is a bit random, but does anyone know of a descent that's at least 4 miles long,

You could try the reservoir climb as a descent, in the Blacks. Are we still talking South Wales here?

Opposite the scenic drive is a bonkers decent Craig Y Pandy, some great stuff above Abercarn, you will have to look hard for it.

Some great stuff in Wentwood, might of gone now it's been a very long time since been up there.

Lots of runs down into Cwm or Abertillery from the tops.

Some of it should show up on the heat map... Will take a look. Not far from me.

Looks like ridiculous amounts of uncharted cheeky up there, and also on the other side of that valley. wheresthepath.googlepages.com shows loads.

I don't mind admitting one of my favourite descents in the world is the final section of the Twrch at Cwmcarn, flat out high speed entry from the end of the last section and fast as I dare using every mm of the trail is a proper eye opener.

There's a few at Castle Coch I don't know the name of, not sure they have a name, but on the 'dogger dodging' side of the valley, the one with the steep rooty bits, the bomb hole, the berm that goes over a fallen tree and a jump at the end - yeah that one.

Terry's Belly at BPW is quickly becoming one of my favourite descents in the whole of BPW.

373 at the Wall I like too.

Agree about Cwmcarn. I started the thread because I was looking for natural trails that still give that fast flowy buzz you get a good TC.

philwarren11 - Member

If anyone wants any guiding around the Rhondda let me know. I know all the descents that Afan Off Piste use on their uplifts.

I could be tempted to take you up on that. My only excursions to Wales have been trail centres. Unfortunately I;m based in SE London so it would need a bit of planning. 🙂

As for my favourite descent, Innerleithen all the way down from Minch Moor. I can't remember much except for loving it. 🙂

flashes - Member

This is a bit random, but does anyone know of a descent that's at least 4 miles long, with no (or really minimal) uphill???

Mynydd Mallaen to the Cwm Rhaeadr trail, pretty much 4 miles and mostly down.

Well I'll definitely be doing a Rhondda ride over Christmas period, anyone welcome to come 🙂

I'm coming into my last 6 months in South Wales for a while and my aim is to ride all the mentioned decents over the next few months as the weather picks up. A guide would be ace especially around Machen etc!

Could be up for a Rhondda ride over the festive period. Happy to do a reciprocal ride in the Blacks later in 2016 when it dries out (it would be a slog at the mo).

The Mynydd Mallaen descent is big fun. And the Dan yr Ogof descent is even better.

Ambrose - Member

The Mynydd Mallaen descent is big fun

And I'd like to say thanks for posting the loop all those years ago on MTB Wales, we always rode Caio side of the mountain and didn't realise it was so close.

Good innit? Get over to the upper Swansea Valley. There is quite a lot of very lovely stuff there if you know where to look 😉

Are the above descents in the Rhondda particularly technical? Worth doing on a rigid 29er?

I wouldn't want to do them on a rigid but thats me, its certainly doable.

Here's a route for you...

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/11591611

Or a bigger ride with some local knowledge...

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/11383778

Lovely, thanks Phil 🙂

Philwarren11.
I'd like to take you up on your offer of guiding if you don't mind. I'm new on this site so unfamiliar with how it works at the mo (if you can send personal messages)? but am based in the Bridgend area and would try to ride to suit your time. Thanks

I'd like that too, I'm off work for this week 🙂

I'm usually around and about that area somewhere if folks fancy a ride, I'm based Cowbridge

Terry's Belly at BPW.

Idle John, Taxi 25, Molgrips.
Which of the Cadair Idris, Brinmore tramway or the Black Mountain Reservoir climb is least used??? Trying to "organise" something that may impact on anyone climbing them that day...........

What you organising? None of them is particularly busy IME

Cader is probably the least used but most difficult. Big mountain, pushing bits, rocks, gates etc. Brinmore is quite narrow and has has poor sight lines in places so could easily lead to conflicts. Black Mountains Reservoir would be OK but is very remote and prone to bad weather. Most of it is double track (old Land Rover road) so plenty of room to pass if needed.

Black Mountains Reservoir sounds promising. I can't say what I'm helping to organise, all will be revealed after a reconnaissance mission. You ain't seen me, right?

If you're looking to do some kind of race (up or down) it'd be a bit dull - just a long rocky not very steep trail. It's nice to ride recreationally though.

If it's some kind of hill climb time trial, then Tal y Maes aka The Hermitage would be ace. Very long, sustained, difficult finish 🙂

But not a good surface if weather bad and lots of riders. Would hate to see it damaged any more than it is already

Thank you for the advise. I need to come over and have a look. I have a weeks hol to use, so I'll wait for the weather to improve and head over. Nice part of the world and I do like Talgarth...........is there a nice campsite near by??