I’ve just been sent this link:-
http://www.penycymoeddwindfarm.info/welcome/large_map.html
regarding a windfarm to be built at Glyncorrwg which would affect both Skyline and Whites Level and possible The Wall trails.
More info to be found here:-
http://www.penycymoeddwindfarm.info/

im in work so havent got much time to check up on it at the moment.
Spev

Seems alright to me. Whyte’s level already goes right near the turbines that are already there and it’s quite ace. As long as access and building doesn’t screw up the trails, but the FC spent a fair bit of money on building them so I don’t imagine they’d want to have it trashed.

Hopefully they can be persuaded to stump up some cash for some new trails.

Both Afan and Glyncorrwg desperately need some newer “easy” trails to encourage families/novices etc. They are falling way behind the likes of Glentress and Kirroughtree.

With a bit of luck some sponsorship by these wind farm guys could help.

and they’re certainly not averse to sponsoring since they did stump up some cash for that newish section, what’s it called, “The Power” or something quasi-electrical anyway 🙂

Both Afan and Glyncorrwg desperately need some newer “easy” trails to encourage families/novices etc

Agreed, but the problem is the topography. Down here in the valleys there’s virtually nowhere to go that’s not either up some massive steep hill or along a boring old railway. I have trouble finding places to go with the Mrs nearby because everything’s either too steep or too flat.

Theres quite a large wind turbine area there now not far from the start of energy. We often ride through it to link up the Wall and Skyline. Unless you are out sightseeing it doesnt bother you too much.

Theres quite a large wind turbine area there now not far from the start of energy

This is the one…..

It would be nice if the developers did sponsor the creation of some new trails. Maybe some nice wiggly single-track to replace some of the fireroad sections on the Skyline.

Hmmm, if you have a read and a look at the map, it looks as though they’re proposing using a lot of the wooded area though which the trails currently go. Whether they would build the turbines amongst the trees or remove large areas of forest to enable them to build it would be interesting to know.

I’ve only had chance to have a quick look at the site, but looking at the map of the planned area, they would be impacting on a lot of the existing trails – I can’t imagine that even if they were going to keep the trails after the turbines were completed, they would allow access during the construction phase (18-24 months?)

I might be mis-informed and there’s more info on the website that I’ve missed. I’m not against wind-farms, but I really love the trails at Glyncorrwg and would hate to see them ripped out…..

As for familly trails, I thought a family trail was being built at Afan, although I’m not sure of the planned completion date. My understanding was that they wanted a Blue graded route, but because of the amount of climbing/descending due to the location, it’s going to end up graded Red. Again, some-one more in the know will hopefully be along shortly to put us straight……

Alex

looking at the link, depending on quite what is planned everything at Glyncorreg would be trashed. I assume the red marks the boundary of the proposed windfarm.

More routes at Afan would be great, but I don’t think they have any problems attracting visitors as it is, and the routes that are there aren’t super-hard – I rode Penhydd when I had been riding for under a year and really enjoyed it. Family routes would also attract a user group who are less self-reliant and more litigious. So I don’t think the lack of family routes is a massive oversight on the part of the FC.

Whether they would build the turbines amongst the trees or remove large areas of forest to enable them to build it would be interesting to know

I’m no expert but i imagine a wind turbine sheltered by trees isn’t going to generate much electricity. Chopping down alot of trees seems like a funny way to tackle climiate change.

I’m no expert but i imagine a wind turbine sheltered by trees isn’t going to generate much electricity. Chopping down alot of trees seems like a funny way to tackle climiate change.

Although, you do have to remember that these trees are a crop, i don’t know the average age of the trees but i wouldn’t be surprised if certain sections were coming upto harvest time so areas might be trashed anyway. Haven’t they done some harvesting on the further reaches of the Skyline recently?

It might be that rather than replant they are planning a wind farm?

I hadn’t thought of that mrmo 😳

As I understand it a lot of the funding for Glyncorrwg was raised privately. I guess as part of the consultation process the concerns by the people who operate Glyncorrwg will be raised.

It’ll be a crying shame if the trails do go though because Sklyine and White’s Level are the best man made trails I’ve got within a two hour drive of where I live!……plus they have the best facilities!

It would be nice if the developers did sponsor the creation of some new trails. Maybe some nice wiggly single-track to replace some of the fireroad sections on the Skyline.

Agreed. There seems to be plenty of scope for missing out fire-road bits. Although 47km of endless singletrack may be quite tiring 🙂 I’d still enjoy it.

not too much of an eyesore

RD< that’s a lovely spot with that vewi there, isn’t it?

and thats on a hazy day too.

a very warm april day