afan or dalby ?

Timma
Timma Posts: 154
edited July 2010 in Routes
Want to plan a trip to a trail centre but want to know peoples thoughts on the best out of these two
Afan or dalby forest or any other suggestions welcome
Thinking of the red routes and wanting a long roller coaster ride

I'll be coming from essex so want to cut down journey time as much as possible but if it's worth the extra travel then tell me please :)

Comments

  • sofaboy73
    sofaboy73 Posts: 574
    afan - 100%

    dalby's ok, but not worth the trip all the way from essex. afan is far better, different trails and far more fun.

    the main red at dalby is ok but the middle sectioin is pretty dull and just grinding miles for the sake of it. none of the ride is that challenging and although the bike park, black section and skills area are fun, theey're not a full day

    afan has 3 quality trails and skyline is also worth doing. trails are far more fun as well. white's level is a blast and the decent off the wall iss a classic.

    go to dalby if you're in the area, but definately don't make a 200 mile journey for it
  • bunyip
    bunyip Posts: 52
    +1 for Afan

    Dalby tends to be shorter climbs and therefore shorter descents although has some more techy stuff than the Afan red routes.

    Start with The Wall at Afan generally speaking climb (mostly fir road) for the first half of the ride then a long descent for the second half. it is flowing singletrack for long sections although last time I went the flow was spoiled a bit by the amount of braking bumps that hadn't been there on previous visits.
  • Timma
    Timma Posts: 154
    Thanks for feedback,
    Thought afan might come out on top with all the good reviews it has. I haven't really heard as much said about dalby but was thinking it might be closer for me. But sounds like for an extra bit of driving a lot more fun to be had at afan.
    On the whole has afan got some technical sections upto or more than dalby standards?
  • sofaboy73
    sofaboy73 Posts: 574
    personaly i don't think dalby is that technical on the red route, and would consider it a pretty easy red. it's mopre based around flowy single track rather than any big features (although there are one or two on the red). The bike park and balck sections are fun though and the skills area with the northshire and skinnes are worth checking out

    Only done afan once and remember whites level being the most technical, penhyd was more of a short blast, the wall is an up and down ride, but the descent is deff worth the up, and the skyline is more akin to dalby - long with some ok section on it (last few are definately the best so worth doing the intermediate shortcut)

    have a look at below link for route info

    http://mbwales.com/en/content/cms/centr ... _park.aspx
  • shaunlfc1
    shaunlfc1 Posts: 132
    I've not been to Dalby but Afan is definetly worth the haul down the M4.

    I dont think its been noted but Skyline and Whites are actually based at the Glen Corwyg trail centre which is still part of the Afan forest, but is technically a different trail centre to Afan it self incase you are only planning 1 days riding I doubt unless you are very fit and fast you can do it both in one day.

    Penhydd is closed leaving only the Wall at Afan and the Wall2 which is a link ride between Afan and Glencoryg.

    For my money Whites Level is the best trail I've done, very little fire road lots of cool sinlgetrack!

    Oh and on the way back if you've a spare 1.5 hours do Cwmcarn, worth every minute!

    Enjoy your trip which ever you choose!
  • Timma
    Timma Posts: 154
    shaunlfc1 wrote:
    I dont think its been noted but Skyline and Whites are actually based at the Glen Corwyg trail centre which is still part of the Afan forest, but is technically a different trail centre to Afan!
    thanks for pointing that out i probably would have gone straight to afan centre,
    so its settled skyline and whites, think that will do me
    I'm gonna miss the wall descent till next time :wink:
    what about the w2 link just to get the wall in too
  • bunyip
    bunyip Posts: 52
    The W2 basically links Whites and the Wall (W+W=W2) into a sort of figure of eight route so you can set off from either trail centre i.e. ascend The Wall then link onto whites descent then ascend Whites and then along the same link trail then Wall descent to finish IMO the wall is the best descent to finish on.

    W2 is rated black because of the increased distance but it is basically the two reds linked together.
  • Timma
    Timma Posts: 154
    bunyip wrote:
    The W2 basically links Whites and the Wall (W+W=W2) into a sort of figure of eight route so you can set off from either trail centre i.e. ascend The Wall then link onto whites descent then ascend Whites and then along the same link trail then Wall descent to finish IMO the wall is the best descent to finish on.

    W2 is rated black because of the increased distance but it is basically the two reds linked together.

    Thats good advice i reckon.cheers
    i'll start there and see how it goes before commiting to the other trails. Got to remember i'm used to essex hills :oops:

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