Twrch Trail at Cwm Carn

Whats the Twrch Trail at Cwm Carn like ?

Is it worth a visit, its only a couple of hours from me.

Most defo, its 2 hours from me & I’m off back again soon, only 9.5 miles so worth more than one lap but you feel more confident & generally go faster second time round.

Yeah, I noticed it was a short route, thats the main reason why I asked if it was worth a visit.

If its a good lap, then I’m happy to do it a couple of times, may be more if my legs can cope with it 🙂

Short lap and one big technical climb.

How big is the climb ?

Not sure, but it counts for almost half of the time it takes to ride a lap.

Its not to bad, goes along then up along then up etc – its not one hard slog

I dont mind the ups, As long as its worth it on the downs! 🙂

Sounds like it might be worth a visit, never been and its the only way to find out !

Cheers guys.

Still worth going but the FC have shut a nice section of singletrack, between the first and second carparks at the end of the freeride(also closed) section, for tree felling.

its great, a hell of a long climb but the second part more than makes up for it!! its most definitely a ride of two halves! 🙂

if there were bears in Wales they’d poo in those woods.

the climb is like this this

I assume you did it twice MrMW!?!

Any extension recommendations to make it longer than 9.5 miles?

(I don’t mean repeating bits, but sneaky trails away from the Twrch)

yeah thats twice

Any extension recommendations to make it longer than 9.5 miles?

(I don’t mean repeating bits, but sneaky trails away from the Twrch)

Hell, yeah! 🙂

All the fireroads are fair game.

There’s a BOAT running along the Mynydd Henllys ridge, accessible via the gate just after the Freeride section (Note that the 100m to the ridge is footpath, though). Turning left takes you towards Pontypool – if you bare left, keeping the Carn valley in sight, you can loop back to the forestry on the ridge between Cwmcarn and Abercarn on an *ahem* unofficial track made by MXers(1). Turn right above the freeride area, and the BOAT takes you to the top of Mountain Road below Twmbarlum – the final section is steep and rocky, and there are also some MX scars which could provide some naughty entertainment. From the roadhead, a forest track goes off right, and contour Twmbarlum. If you follow this, you can push back up (footpath) to the style by Car Park 7. Or continuing along the fireroad eventually pops you out beyond Vertigo.

For an alternative climb, go up the steep road opposite the lower carpark (Graig Cottages). This becomes a narrow forest track. Hairpin back right at the second opportunity, left at the next open area, then quickly back right. Follow this all the way to the top, where you can either go out onto the moorland (reversing the route described above(1), or follow the (now large) forest road down to the Giant’s Cwrt.

For a longer ride in the general area, the other side of the Ebbw Valley is great. This route is a good one to start with.

It’s all on Explorer 152, if you care to look… 😉

*runs to waterstones for Explorer 152 sneaky peak*

Thanks PhilO!

I like it, its good for a 45 minute after work blast on my way home to London from Cardiff

😕

I should just add that sneaky trails within the Forest Park area should be avoided at all costs. There were enough unamused mutterings from the local non-cycling community when the trails were built – there’s no reason to give antis any ammunition, especially when there’s so much on the surrounding hills where you won’t ever see a dog walker…

If you are on a trail of dubious legality, smile and give way to other users, please! 🙂

yeah f.c have flattened most of the unofficial trails on their land in last few months lower section of Darran and pedal hounds dh courses and the abercarn dh has been felled too i hear. There’s a new guy at the f.c and he don’t like any other trails it seems…………..

“I should just add that sneaky trails within the Forest Park area should be avoided at all costs”

Understood. That’s why I was asking really.

Ben

its not one hard slog

lol – that elevation graph begs to differ – it is precisely one hard slog 😀

CwmCarn’s climb isn’t insane – it’s pretty techie in places – it’s probably fairer to say that there’s a definiet feeling of having earned the descents. It’s also a good trail as although being a mere 15km, it’s nearly all singletrack…

Well worth a trip and 2 laps is a good ride

The climb is fairly hard and technical for a trail centre. I have done it loads and I still need to concerntrate to avoid dabbing.

The downs are a mix of fast and reasonably steep and some flowing pedally singletrack. The down is actually not that technical, but still loads of fun.

The cafe is pants – really is an example of how not to run a trail cafe. They blantantly do not cater for MTB’ers. That said the scoff is nice if you are prepared to wait.

Go fo it!

For a longer ride in the area, but still taking in the Cwmcarn downhill or DH run, head over to Abercarn first, over Mynydd Maen to join the highest point of the Twrch Trail. Shows you South Wales at its best, ie beautiful forestry land, burnt out car wreck, open moorland, farm used to store wrecked cars, full on DH course, etc

Actually, how is the Abercarn course at the moment, not ridden it for a year or so?

Being a slob I do an easy version. From the cafe follow the road up, thro’ the barrier and all the way to the hairpin. Go left here on the proper trail and baer right and around and up to hit gravel. Up to the top of the free ride bit. Do that and when you hit the main wide g4ravel turn sharp right back to the top in a couple of minutes for another go. When bored carry on with maintrail . At steep concrete bit either stay on trail which is great or go up tarmac and turn by the dummy to the top of the down hill. The black is easy and the red not much different to the Twrch. Only scary bit for wimps is the drop off the road near the bottom. I prefer this way down. This version is much easier on the ups if down is really your thing.

I love cwmcarn – as above go the road way up (if you’re lazy or not much time), but the down from the “freeride” car park is fantastic. Everyones done it and it’s easy to slag it off as i’ts so familiar, it’s also a bit busy most of the time to get a good run, but, IMO, possibly the best “man-made” in britain. It just flows so well words can’t describe how good it is.

#awiats flaming from the STW massive#

The freeride section is closed for repairs at the moment.
Abercarn downhill was unrideable a few months ago.
However we did the Sihowy loop about 10mins ride from Cwmcarn last week, another monster climb and then good downill aprox 10miles long. Followed on by riding the Twrch trail.