Hi,
as title really,we ride Cwmcarn regularly as we only live a couple miles away and was thinking of having a weekend at either Nant yr Arian or Llandegla (Pros & Cons For Both). We will be going up in a camper van so any recommendations for local camp sites would also be much appreciated.
Cheers

Have you tried Brechfa? Rode the black and the blue/green recently. Black was okay but the blue/green was excellent fun. Well worth a visit. You could then stop by Afan on your way home for a quick lap of Whites (which I think is better than the Wall)

Llandegla is awful. Brechfa or Coedy are good.

Llandegla (landfilla) is equally good and flawed i think! The good bits are great, but let down by the route to get to them, and the amount of rubbish that scumbags have left at the top of every bit of climbing, really pi##ed me off! but, i am going back next week, so cant be all bad!

Someone will mention Penmachno – rightfully so too. Well worth the journey, and stop at Nant-y-arin on the way!
I’m starting at the south (never been to south wales before!) and working my way up over the course of next week. Cant wait 🙂

Think you’d struggle to make a weekend out of either, but you’d struggle more at Llandegla than Nanty…

Definitely more varied and interesting riding at Nanty though, the section down through “Mark of Zorro” is one of the best bits of Singletrack I’ve ridden in the UK, it’s properly addictive.

To make a weekend out of it though, take in Brechfa on the second day perhaps, on your way back to the Newport area…

Afan (I know it wasn’t in the question) loads of riding, camping on site £5 per head, lock bikes inside van thouh

Nant is a great day’s ride… Not sure about a weekend but you could easily match it with others o’course. This might sound daft but it has the best climb I’ve ever ridden in it. Though it does also go downwards too.

I could spend days at CYB though I reckon. In fact, I did.

Nanty is cool, I like the trail Center/natural/trail Center feel of it.

Brechfa
Penmachno
Nant
Afan
CYB
in that order

Seeing as you’re close to Cwmcarn, you must have been to Afan already. Def worth the extra 45mins drive to Brechfa.

Llangdegla is a strange one. Feels more like a big park than a trail centre. There are some great bits there but you never seem to get the feeling of a trail that actually goes somewhere.

Nant yr Arian is great even the leg burner is getting easier the more I do it 😥

Don’t forget ClimachX at Muck”n”fluff as that’s not far away 30mins

do those on one day

Stay somewhere on the coast heading back down South to Brechhfa the next day and if you want more dip into Afan for a quick loop before heading back around M4 home

A good 2 days full of mid/south Wales trail centres

Sorry to hijack but thought I could benefit from this thread too-I will be spending the next week in the Cwm Pennant Valley with my girlfriend.

We are looking at doin a few days riding (happy to ride red routes in Scotland and assuming gradings wont be massivley different) Rides will be spread out over the week, not looking for any seriously long loops and were thinking of Betys Y Coed, Coed Y Brenin, Machynlleth and Nant Yr Arian.

Any of these a waste of time or unmissable-any particular routes that provide alot of flowing singletrack?

Have they finished the logging at N y A ? Think there were some trail closures near the centre.
Info
Might be worth giving them a ring before heading over.
01970 890453

The beast at CYB is a must, and although given a black grade its technically easier than the red at dalbeattie or kirroughtree. Loads of singletrack, fast and flowy.

Although staying in cwm pennant you’re closer to the marin and penmachno, which are both well worth the 45 minute drive, plus you can stop off for cake and tea in the alpine cafe in betws, Nom.

Nant is a total blast, but may not fill a whole weekend. I would recommend anything and everything in the Dyfi forest. Only half hour drive or thereabouts from Nant and it is excellent.

Mal-ec, there were no closures when we were there a couple of weeks ago, though they’re still worried about the sudden oak death thing and they want people to clean their bikes and shoes after rides. The bikewash is free for that reason, as long as you can get the tokens from the cafe, which is a smart move.

Hijack:
Anyone got any cheap and cheerful accommodation suggests for the Mach area for next weekend? Probaly just for one night for 4 people so doesn’t matter if it’s not dirt cheap.

Toby, have you rung Tegid Humphreys at the Holey Trail in Mach, he has a bunkhouse although it may be full with it being half term.

We (Northwind, freakcrab, myself) stayed at Tegid’s bunkhouse during our trip to Wales:
http://reditreks.com/php/The-Bunkhouse.php

Nant yr Arian is lovely and flowy and generally smoother than most of the other Welsh trail centres I’ve been to. Coed y Brenin is great fun and has a lot of stuff to ride. The changes they’ve made in the last few years have increased its variety nicely. Penmachno is more pedally than the other centres (except for its big finish), possibly more old-skool XC, but very nice. Cli-MachX is all about its big final descent but it’s worth it. Llandegla felt a bit like it’s there for people who can’t make it to the Glentress red…

Nant Yr Arian, by FAR my fav centre in wales , great mix of singletrack and natural bridleways (rocky / gravelley / grassy mix)- Syfyrrdin trail is 22 miles long taking in all best trail sections and natural tracks. You could also try Mach 1/ 2 / 3 (as above speak to Holey Trail), Mach 3 can be linked into NYA by branching out into wilds below Plymlimon to make a 30 mile + loop.
Try campsites at Devils Bridge. Can`t comment on llandegla afraid as never been there; Brechfa great fun black route; CYB good if you like rocks and fire roads and lots of people!

Llandegla is boring as! It just seemed like one long boring up hill trudge with about 5 mins of interesting riding!

cwm rhaeadr is another good one, only short though but worth an afternoon and a couple of runs