Where to go

davidmiller

Hi, I'm thinking of going away this weekend and want to go somewhere awesome but not break my neck. So, I'm a pretty experienced roady who recently switched to MTB-ing. I've had lovely fun around Grafham and Rutland water and recently went to Thetford Forest. This was all good fun except for the narrow "furniture" on the red run, which I by-passed. Enjoyed the black route no end.

So, I'm thinking of going camping to Wales and would like to go somewhere where there are trails of a range of difficulties so I could work up through blue, red, black etc to find my level. I guess my favourite would be Coed-y-Brenin but with the excepton of the green trail it only has red and black. I quite fancy doing the Marin trail as well.

I guess I probably should n't consider myself as intermediate level yet so what would you experienced guys suggest? Will I be ok on these or should I tone it down and go somewhere like Sherwood Pines or do the Mary Townely Route?

Cheers,

David

p.s. I ride a decent bike (Rockhopper) and have quite a good level of fitness.

joshtp

i'v recomended it before, on the bargain that id eat my shoes if my the recomendees didnt love it, and i'v, so far, never eaten any smelly foot wear. Brechfa has to be the place to go if you are looking for a range of ability trails, and some seriouse fun. It has a green trail, a blue trail, a red, and a mental black. The green is easy, but unlike many green routes, is on singletrack, which is fun for both beginers and pro's alike. The blue is similar, but is a bit more technical. And the other two continue in the same vane, getting more and more technical and eventualy, in the case of the black, pretty mental
Go there, i will eat my riding shoes if you dont like it. And dont be put of by the suposed family friendlyness of the green, its still awsome fun. Also, afan is not too far from there, so you can go and have a go at some of the awsome trails that grace those hilsides, if you are up to it, Whites level has to be my favorite trail of all time.

elPedro666

Afan has a pretty good range too - Penhuff (phoneticallyish) is gorgeous without being scary, the sweeping turns on the top are some of the most fun I've had the pleasure of riding. None of it is too scary so long as you keep it a little bit reigned in where you're unsure

I'll be heading to Brechfa after loosening my quick-releases - bet I won't enjoy that and I can laugh while you eat your shoes Josh!

Actually, laughing might be too painful by then, maybe just give it a miss :shock:

joshtp

Thats got me thinkning, can you get flavoured riding shoes, maybe 5.10's with strawbery flavour stealth rubber soles!.....or maybe not

davidmiller

Many thanks for the suggestion Josh and sounds like it's well worth considering.

Only downside is that it's about as far away form Cambridge as you can get without going to Ireland. Don't suppose there is anything nearer is there???

Cheers,

David

joshtp

Its prob no further than coed a brenin, and is quick to get to, just keep on going down the M4, right to the end, then carry on on the dual caridgeway, and the turn off is between cross hands and Carmarthen, only about 15 mins down there, one or two very easy to navigate turns, and, hey bingo, your there!(or at least at the car park for the green, black and blue, the car park for the red is a short way further again.) Thinking much closer to you, maybe Forest of dean, iv never riden there, but the FODCA trail is suposed to be exelent, my mate did it yesterday, and said it was incredible(mind you, he gets very exited by any ride!(he is the most enthusiastic rider ever!)

davidmiller

Thanks again. I take your point about it being no further than CyB.

I'll look up FoD!!!

David