I’m off to Wales for the weekend, planning on doing the Twrch trail at Cwmcarn on the way to my campsite (just northeast of Brecon) on Saturday, then possibly BPW on the monday (if they still have uplift tickets free), but should I just do the Cafal trail on the other day, or should I go to Afan and do the wall? Anywhere else?

I’m thinking I’ll probably need an uplift day after 2 days riding the welsh hills, being a soft southeastern rider with no mountains nearby!

Don’t want anything too gnar as I’m on my own and it’s first time riding in Wales, but epic descents are a must.

Black Mountain Cycle Centre is fantastic, way better than BPW imo. Also, tractors!

I did look at there, seems more ‘proper’ bike park, I like that bpw has a good few blue trails right up to the mega big/gnarly stuff.

Anyway, BPW uplift for Monday booked!

I think Y Wal at Afan is looking good for Sunday.

Either do Y Wal or White’s Level for sure. Cafall isn’t fully open just yet so while you can still ride some of it, it’s not the full experience fyi.

I love Afan so I’d be doing W2 (Whites plus Y Wal) – fantastic ride.

Another vote for BMCC – I rode there last year and rode BPW on Tuesday this week. For me a dry BMCC beats BPW – I imagine in the wet it would be a bit less fun as it’s not so all weather surfaced. There is plenty to do at BMCC without having to to Full Moto or Bomper which are the big scary trails with enormous gaps. It’s a different experience though – BPW you can pretty much ride all day without hitting the same trail – with BMCC you get a higher number of shorter runs (although they aren’t short per se) and get to improve on your riding and refining certain sections.

I’d say BMCC is more jumpy / bermy than BPW for sure. I also like it’s not always rammed and the tractor / trailer uplift is nicer (as long as the weather is ok) than a sweaty minibus!

I’m not a huge fan of Afan, but I haven’t ridden enough trails there to fully decide – if Brechfa isn’t too far I’d be tempted to go there for Raven / Gorlech.

I also love Cwmcarn – if riding Cafell I think the best option at the moment is to ride as far as the Pedalhounds dh option and go down there – otherwise I think there is quite a bit of fireroad involved in the current diversions. But then I sometimes take that option anyway over the full Cafell loop for some variety.

If you’re going to Afan for the day you should have plenty of time to complete the whole W2 loop or both Blade and Penhydd

Barry Sidings.

W2 is a good shout, I’ll have all day so should be good.

Cwmcarn Twrch, Afan W2 and all the BPW blues (with a red or 2) it is then! 😁

That sounds like a damn good weekend, you’re going to have a blast!

If your staying near Brecon-the Gap ride and the Black Mountains loop isn’t too far from there at all.

Well, Twrch done today and what a welcome to Wales!

That climb, holy mother of God.

We don’t have many proper hills like that in Kent, especially not with rock and root sections you need trials skills for. Never seen my heart rate in the 180’s for that long before! 😳

I’ll admit I walked some bits of it.

Good luck taking on W2 then if you found the Twrch tough going.  Some good climbs in South Wales, a shame more people head to BPW now and miss some of the best riding around at places like Afan and Cwmcarn.

Yeah that twrch climb is brutal. Whites level’s climb is also pretty hard but not as technical. You’ll get a good workout for sure.

Well, Twrch done today and what a welcome to Wales!

That climb, holy mother of God.

We don’t have many proper hills like that in Kent, especially not with rock and root sections you need trials skills for. Never seen my heart rate in the 180’s for that long before! 😳

I’ll admit I walked some bits of it.

Cafell has a worse climb I always think – although with the Twrch I now tend to just ride up the road / fireroad to the top by airstream then ride the trail from there. I get no pleasure from a technical climb!

I remember Whytes at Afan being a horrible climb too…..

It was the combination of being steep and very technical that made it hard for me, I’ve got steep climbs and technical climbs locally, just not steep AND (that) technical!

Took me 2 hours to do twrch so not too bad.

I’ll have much more time at Afan tomorrow. When in Rome… 😁

I find most of the Twrch climbnok – just 2 spots that are tricky – when you’re in the woods in the bottom section there’s one steep and rocky section that I often end up pushing up – and one bit on the top open section where I don’t always make it through without a dab. Since discovering the road though I haven’t ridden the trail up to the top!

The Twrch climb is a bit of a bastard! I have to be on a good day to clear it all the same ride, usually fail at least one section. Although they have filled in a few bits recently so it’s a bit easier now than it has been and will be after the winter.

I find the climbs at Afan easier as they are generally of a similar gradient so you get into a rhythm. Either way they’re both a good test of your current fitness.

I’m still alive. 😁

Afan W2 done. Amazing. Best trail centre descents… Ever.

Today was the first (and second!) time I’ve ever experienced arm pump. I’d say the whites final descent was the better of the 2, but they’re both awesome. I did Y Wal first, and whilst having lunch, watching the riders go up the Whites climb was interesting… Took a few breaks but rode 98% of it, definitely easier than twrch. The Y Wal climb was also pretty good And the descents are miles better than Cwmcarn.

I had a dip in the river at the end, well deserved but holy christ it was cold!

I’m glad I’ve got the uplift booked for BPW tomorrow, I’m looking forward to some smooth flow trails after today’s rockfest!

All in all, amazing day. I’ll be back, 100%.

Oh and just the short descent to get under the road on Y Wal was better than 90% of trails in the southeast.

Im Just Back from coed y brenin it’s like riding over a trail of bricks. Bloody lovely place though, especially as I’m from Cambridge. Just so different I was even surprised and pleased to hear Welsh being used but the youngsters. Can’t wait to go back. What’s the terrain in afan like rocky, smooth?

Rocky as hell.

There’s a few nice loamy sections, one bit it seems you’ve been transported to Canada, bloody amazing. Otherwise it’s big rocks with some smaller rocks on top, and some more sharp jagged rocks on top. There is some dirt between the rocks but doing any of the descents at speed is hard on body and bike.

Coed y brenin is on my list to do as well, along with Gwydir Mawr and Penmacho, but that’s 25k, 30k and 35k (for the beast) so I might need 4-5 days there to do them all.

Coed Y Brenin is one of the rockiest trail centres I’ve been to – although I’ve only down Tawr Du and the MBR. I let my mate choose trails and in hindsight an easier red in the afternoon might have been a good option.

At Afan I’ve only ridden Whites Level and Penyhydd – for me Whites was a horrible climb and apart from a black dh section at the top somewhere I was underwhelmed with the downhill vs Cwmcarn.

Penyhydd was rocky but still not as rocky as CYB. I should try to get to Afan to try the Wall as I’ve heard that’s pretty fun.

BPW as an uplift day on day 3 is a good idea to save the legs from the cardio aspect of uphills – but you’re going to have some tired legs by lunchtime if you do any of the rockier / rootier reds!

Yeah Afan can be rocky but that’s just how they make it so good to ride in all weather conditions. It’s amazing how well the trails there hold up in the wet.

I rode Gorlech at Brechfa for the first time today and I have to say I was pretty underwhelmed. The downhill sections weren’t particularly interesting and there were several downhill sections of fire road which just makes no sense to me. Brechfa forest itself is a beautiful place though,shame the trail didn’t live up to what the forest deserves.

I liked Gorlech when I did it – I remember a flat out downhill with big berms and jumps – at least I assume that was the red because we combined the red and black. There was one diversion which I think is the fireroad you are referring to – was a bit disappointing.

I think because we combined the black and red there were enough interesting downhill sections to keep the ride awesome imo.

Edit – also the morning of that black / red big loop we rode Cwm Rhyadder to add to the fun

5500ft of descending at BPW some today, I did one red trail (wibbly wobbly) but decided to stick to the blues otherwise, with my body being at the end of 10,000ft of descending in the last 3 days! 😲😁

BPW was of course brilliant, awesome blue trails there that beg to be ridden harder and faster, fnar.

Nice one.
Incidentally I agree with your love of Afan, absolutely brilliant place and I’m amazed it doesn’t get the love it deserves (IMHO). W2 is my favourite trail centre loop.

BPW is a nice way to finish it off. You’ve had some awesome riding. As I have broken ribs at the moment I’m very jealous!

Looks like you had a great time on the weekend overall then! As someone who lives in South Wales it’s definitely made me appreciate what I’ve got at my doorstep more.

I need a few days off to recover now!

But yeah, brilliant 3 days of riding, got some fitness goals to aim for!