cwmcarn

welshddk

has any1 ridin cwncarn in the snow

Thewaylander

Not this year, but i did last. twas mostly fine as long as you have some decent treads on your tyres.. sadly i need a new rear mine is as bald as me retired pops

welshddk

mite go out 2morrow in the snow around my place just need a kick up the bum

uk_mr_brownstone

Can anyone confirm if it's still possible to get into the first carpark at Cwmcarn this week. Looking on the mbwales website it seems that the visitor centre is closed but I'm assuming the Xc trail is still accessible. Does anyone know for sure? planning to go tomorrow!

gregsd

Interested in knowing access/trail conditions as well. I've not ridden CwmCarn but might see if I can get there this week sometime.

TIA.

G.

craker

well I'm planning on being there by 9am. Today's thaw has made the roads round here useable so I can't see there being access problems due to the weather. Bring a change of clothes if your expecting to sit down anywhere after the ride without causing a diplomatic incident...

uk_mr_brownstone

gregsd wrote:

Interested in knowing access/trail conditions as well. I've not ridden CwmCarn but might see if I can get there this week sometime.

TIA.

G.

Access is fine but the visitor centre was shut (didn't chec, mate told me so). Condition is fine. Bit wet but no problems. First half is pretty tough on the wet routes but the rest feels better than when I last rode there in the dry / dust. Some puddles but nothing to worry about.

gregsd

uk_mr_brownstone wrote:

gregsd wrote:

Interested in knowing access/trail conditions as well. I've not ridden CwmCarn but might see if I can get there this week sometime.

TIA.

G.

Access is fine but the visitor centre was shut (didn't chec, mate told me so). Condition is fine. Bit wet but no problems. First half is pretty tough on the wet routes but the rest feels better than when I last rode there in the dry / dust. Some puddles but nothing to worry about.

Just seen the weather forecast on BBC and they are predicting snow on Tuesday for Wales, so I'll probably keep it local for this week. Thanks for posting up tho.

Cheers.

uk_mr_brownstone

Yeh, I live in Gloucester and the old lady has told me it may snow here in the next few days- no problem on the bike but a nightmare driving anywhere

radiojaja

did anyone get there this week so far?

thinking of heading over there on Thursday, forecast snow allowing

whats it like?

welshkev

the snow in this area is still really bad today, the roads by me are terrible, not sure what it'll be like up to the car park at cwmcarn, might be ok now as we've had a little bit of rain but looking out of my window there's still about 2 inches of snow

radiojaja

thanks Welshkev

the uplift was cancelled yesterday cos of the state of forest drive, sounds like it'll be the same today then, so you wouldnt even make it to the car park most likely!

its rained all day here (chepstow way) and the snow and ice is pretty much gone, so hoepfully you'll get better conditions over your way soon too

alternative arrangements for tomorrow though i think!

scott-s30

Just done a ride from Bettws along the canal to Pontypool, up onto Twmbarlwm and along the top, then down from the pimple through the lanes back to Bettws. Just over 3 hours.
Snow had frozen on top so was able to ride across it quite easily although had to watch out when the tyres sometimes broke through and sunk in. Great fun!
Crashed on sheet ice while coming back through the lanes, slid along for about 30feet. No damage just a slight bruise on my left hip.
Epic!

Squarepants

I rode Cwmcarn yesterday. On the trail going up a fella came the other way saying it was impassable past the crossing. I thought "nah I'll get to the top, challenge on.." There were patches of snow before the crossing but nothing major, then got there and had about 3 inches of solid snow & ice but still ridable up the firebreak. There was a well ridden trail up there through the snow. However got to the next fire break and it was more like a foot thick with no tracks. Thats when I gave up Still had a good ride but had to put up with the shame of doing what the other guy did and ride past people all still full of condfidence and resolve to reach the summit going the other way. I'm guessing no one made it? Let me know if I'm wrong! That means your a better ride than me or had spiked tyres; or both..

welshkev

scott-s30 wrote:

Just done a ride from Bettws along the canal to Pontypool, up onto Twmbarlwm and along the top, then down from the pimple through the lanes back to Bettws. Just over 3 hours.
Snow had frozen on top so was able to ride across it quite easily although had to watch out when the tyres sometimes broke through and sunk in. Great fun!
Crashed on sheet ice while coming back through the lanes, slid along for about 30feet. No damage just a slight bruise on my left hip.
Epic!

bloody hell that was brave n this weather

i used to do it the other way around, from cwmbran, down the canal to cwmcarn, up the lane to the bottom of twmbarlem, along the top then down through the quarry - which is opposite the weather flag thing at the start of the freeride section - back home.

haven't done it for ages, ah brings back memories, might try it again soon

rhyko7

the snow up there is quite bad, well it was snow, its now frozen solid and is ice really.
i rode it today, i had to walk up a couple bits, coming down was sketchy in places as you couldnt tell which bits were solid ice or had some grip until you are on them.
the top section didnt look like many people had ridden it, i did see a few people giving up on the clmb and heading back down, but my attitude was i had ridden an hour to get there along the canal and im gonna damn well get around it even if i have to walk a bit!

I really wasnt expecting any snow or ice up there, my bike is set up to roll fast, i was clipped in and using 1.9 blue groove tyres so had hardly any grip, i think on my full sus with my wider tyres and flat pedals i would have been loving it! may go back up tomoro or tuesday on the full sus and enjoy it properly