I'm planning a week or so in Wales and hoping to get a couple of rides in all being well. Haven't booked anywhere to stay yet but thought there's bound to be some great suggestions here.
Ideally, we'll self-cater somewhere not too far off the beaten track for my Mum to join us from Exeter.
Will have the 11- and 13-year-old boys with me and will need to find stuff they'll enjoy. Flow and tech rather than hike-a-bike or endless pedalling. I've only ridden Skyline in Wales and I'm certain they'd not find that very exciting.
Aside from BPW and/or FoD, is there anything else you'd recommend?
Dirt Farm is fantastic, and pretty much inbetween BPW and FOD. When you look at videos etc it looks very jumpy but that's a bit misleading, they have everything except for really steep tech, and even though it's only a little hill they absolutely pack stuff in. I can barely jump but the wheels-on-ground flow stuff is brilliant, proper speederbike stuff down into the woods at hte bottom. Also, TRACTOR UPLIFT!oNE! Which to be fair is terrible if it rains but brilliant on a warm day. Just near Abergavenny.
Have to admit I've not done a pedalled day in Wales in years, so can't help on that!
Oh nice, that does sound good. I've heard of Dirt Farm but didn't realise that's where it is.
The eldest is becoming an uplift vehicle connoisseur so i'm sure he'd love to try a tractor!
Forgot to mention we'll have to hire bikes though and the website doesn't mention them, so that might be awkward.
I suspect no hire car is likely to take three bikes and four people.
They don't do hires themselves but I think they have a tie-in with Gateway Cycles in Abergevanny, where you can pick up from Dirt Farm reception? Not actually sure, it's a very small operation tbh, a parking field and a shed and a little shop thing and sometimes a burger van
It has to be Dyfi. No other choice IMO. Even though i struggle with it, it has a vibe you'll not see anywhere else.
There'll be WC racers there, National racers, random oldies (like me) looking scared and close to tears, there'll be a few media stars and there's jumps that go to the sky... It can't be anywhere else.
Hire bike may be the stumbling point though.
That sounds cool Weeksy. Shame they don't rent bikes.
We'll be at Val di Sole for the DH races and might catch some of the pre race stuff at Canazei so hope to see plenty of pros.
Depending on when i can bring 3 spare bikes, but they're all in a 470ish reach which may be too big for the boys. It'd be 2 Trek Fuels and an Orbea Rise. You'd be more than welcome to borrow them for the day.
Depending on when i can bring 3 spare bikes, but they’re all in a 470ish reach which may be too big for the boys.
That's a lovely offer.
Definitely too big for the younger brother but the older one's riding 469 on my spare hardtail. He might be my height by July.