Forum menu
I'm planning a trip with some friends to go to Wales for some riding in April, we need a spread of blue trails for the beginners as it will be Mrs Shake's first time at a trail centre and she's new to MTB. A few of us will split off and do some red routes later in the day (maybe all of us?).
I'd appreciate any experiences, advice or info on the area.
Cheers 
have a look here:
http://www.mtbbreconbeacons.co.uk/hubs
no trail centres as such but some great trails!
Cheers Steve, that's where I've been browsing.
The other option is Coed Y Brenin which I've been to and really liked. The problem was that there only seemed to be one blue there. It's also further away which adds to the cost of the trip for all.
Is she, err, fairly fit? If so I'd suggest the Gap ride that can begin in Brecon. I've done it with my girlfriend many times and although the boulder field at the top of the gap will be walked, the rest of it is fine. While I have nothing against trail centres, they're not the place for place for nervous girlfriends - at least on a weekend. Perhaps this in the morning and a drive over to Talgarth and Y Das for the afternoon?
Coed Trallwm and Afan/Glyncorrwg are the closest. Not that close though.
The other place to try from Brecon is the Cilycwm trail just north of Llandovery. Only one red grade trail, a fire road climb then singletrack all the way back to the car park. A circuit takes 40 - 50 mins and is great fun. Often you have the place to yourself so ideal perhaps for Mrs Shake. No facilities but free parking. Highly recommended.
I've taken my girlfriend up the Gap several times, it was pretty rough!
Seriously though, the bolder field has now gone, replaced by a gravel carpet courtesy of the local authority. Unlike Y Das which is still a steep, rocky techfest.
Some inexperienced riders might find a trail centre much less intimidating than being 600m above Brecon in March - pick good weather and whatch out for the 4x4s.
Forest of Dean isnt far away, it's got a perfect blue route and other family trails if you do want a trail centre.
I would head up to Brechfa, it's about another 40 min drive from Brecon but the blue/green route is excellent for beginners.
Tech aside the Gap is still a big ride for a beginner.
Coed Trallwm was trashed 2 weeks ago when I was there as they had let 500 trail bikes through there for a race!! What were they thinking!! The black is open but a bogged rutted out mess. The red is closed and the blue has diversions. Its also being heavily forested currently.
Don't bother with that for a while.
I vote for Brechfa and Cwm Rhaeadr.
[i]Seriously though, the bolder field has now gone, replaced by a gravel carpet courtesy of the local authority[/i]
Really? 😥
Unlike Y Das which is still a steep, rocky techfest.
Agreed - that was meant for the keener folk wanting more!
Really?
3 weeks ago
[img] http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=228189&d=1331224335 [/img]
Mmmm, interesting, looks like the winter weather and 4x4s are unsanitising it again. Still looks relatively smooth to me though, so more work to be done, but better than it was 6 months ago.
more work to be done
Promising though isn't it? 🙂 How does the stretch around the corner look now?
Promising though isn't it? How does the stretch around the corner look now?
Techy but very ridable!
The clown wheels explode 30 secs later.
[img] http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=228190&d=1331226726 [/img]
[img] http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=228191&d=1331226756 [/img]
Ok, not sure what to do. There's 5 of us; 2 GFs who are new to mtb, a mate who's fairly competent, a mate who's competent but injury prone and myself.
We've got 2 days of riding, if there's only one blue we have little choice. The site says we've got Mynyd Illtud, Cwm Trewyrn and Talybont Forest to choose from.
I've looked at a bit of vid about the Gap, looks like a long rubbley 4x4 track. I fear I may have missed something!
looks like a long rubbley 4x4 track.
It is. But a very scenic one with infinite line choices and requiring concentration at speed. It's fun!
I would head up to Brechfa, it's about another 40 min drive from Brecon but the blue/green route is excellent for beginners.
This is the answer you are looking for. The Brechfa Green/Blue is great for beginners and fun for anyone. I spent a week in the Brecon Beacons with my wife when she was very new to MTB and it was the highlight of the week for both of us. There's opportunities for the more experienced to add on some little bits of the black as well.
The routes you mention above are not trail centres BTW, they are (slightly) waymarked XC routes on bridleways etc. Fun but more in a "looking at the nice scenery" way than anything else. I'd do them one day and Brechfa the other. IMHO, depending on fitness levels, I'd suggest the Gap might be a might much for a beginner.
I'd suggest the Gap might be a might much for a beginner.
Depends on fitness levels. It's a classic ride - great views, some interesting tracks and probably a better way to get someone into mountain biking than a trail centre. It's still one of my favourites in the UK (and one of the rides that got me into riding)
As a loop from Talybont you can do it at a quick pace in about 3 hours or take it really slowly and do it as a 6 hour all dayer (take sandwiches, stop for lunch).