Black Mountains Routes?

I’ve ridden there once before and vowed to return and do it better. I based my route on the ‘black’ route from Driver Cycles (should have stuck to it) and ended up following a couple of bridleways that existed only on the map and although it was a good day out, didn’t really hit the spot.

So, given that I’ve got a week off and zero desire to re paint the dining room, I want to go back and try again.

I like the idea of descending Y Das, the ride up last time was fairly brutal. Looks like there’s a few bridleways along the west side, Rhiw Wen and a couple by Hay Bluff. Are these worth building into a route? Up or down?

I’ve spotted this BW ‘The Monastery’ that descends into Capel-y-finn. Is that as fun as it looks?

There’s a BW from Hay Bluff into the Olchon Valley. I guess after descending Y Das, I could go up the BW to Hay Bluff but is this worth the climb up?

I’m hoping to put together a route up to say, 40 miles/5000ish feet with some fun descents. Fun being obviously subjective. Steep(ish) rocky stuff is preferable to flat out grassy double track type descents. Don’t mind a bit of a push on the ups either.

There’s obviously a large amount of cheeky looking tracks and trails along the tops and across and down the ridges. Not that I would ever consider such things… There’s so many possibilities in the area, I don’t really know where to start. Any locals or regulars fancy sharing some pearls of wisdom? (or GPXs). Or even just point at some things on a map that I can work into a route?

Ta muchly,

Monastery Steps as we call it is a fairly rocky steep techie descent though made much easier by sanitisation in past years.

The Olchon Valley descent can be a blast with some bike swallowing holes at the top, a really awkward rocky step in the middle and a flat out grassy lower section with some interesting step-downs. As an ascent it is a plod unless on an Ebike. Most of it is rideable but is just that angle of steepness to make it really hard.

Y-Das direct down the ridge is fun but pick your timings as walkers get rather vocal if you upset them (I think from your description you are confuring Y-Das with the Cats Back)

The Black Hill/Cats Back is the same though not really had any aggro there despite/because of it being much harder.

Biggest issue currently will be Bracken. You should have been here a month ago 😉

There are loads of great descents of various length and tecnicality that aren’t shown on the maps. I can give you more info by PM if you like

WF

PS I live just down the valley from Capel y Finn

Good info, thank you.

This is the bit I was referring to when I said Y Das

I rode (walked) up last time and thought it looked good as a descent.

I was thinking descend that then head NE along the road or the ‘3 Rivers Ride’ BW and then ascend to Hay Bluff to descend into the Olchon Valley. Looks like half way down you can veer left onto Black Hill? Is that the Cats Back? There’s also Darren Llywd from Lord Herefords Knob (no sniggering at the back) are they rideable?

Hoping to avoid droves of walkers by going mid week. I would have come a month ago but it was raining a lot lol. I’ll be on an ebike so don’t mind a plod on the way up.

On an E-bike? Well that helps 😉

Where are you based as a first question (or better do you have a preferance as a starting point?)

I’m based miles near Northampton so about 3 hours away based on the last time. I parked in Talgarth which is an option but I was looking at the car park near Grwyne Fawr Reservoir as a starting point. It looks like it might make for an awkward route though so possibly Llanthony. I’ll probably figure out parking once I’ve got a loose idea of where I’m riding.

Armed with that info I will mail you some routes later tonight (currently flat out making hay)