Advice on Afan please

Where are my stabilisers?

Hi, I'm after some details on the uplift services at Afan. I can't seem to find much on the internat about Afan uplift - does it exist yet? :?

My next question is, which trail to ride?... If there is an uplift service at Afan, which trails can I ride and how long are they (excluding the uplift) and how much climbing is still involved (excluding the uplift)?

Also, how technically difficult are they? Can anyone compare the Afan trails to Brechfa, Coed Y Brenin (red) or Glentress blue? I don't want to get there and then sh*t myself to the bottom... are there chicken runs?

Sorry for all the questions, I just don't want to get it wrong, hills kill me (I'm working on it!), but I'm desperate to try something new! :twisted:

Thanks in advance for the help

llamafarmer

Afan's an XC trail - mtfu and ride to the top

Seriously, as far as I know there is no uplift. The trails are all reds - the short optional black run on Whites is pretty tame for something labeled black. If anything I'd say Brechfa is harder, but I've only ridden it in the snow

Where are my stabilisers?

So, I have no choice but to ride up the hill then - How big is the hill exactly and is there any climbing on the rest of the route?

I find Brechfa a bit of a chore sometimes, because you go up a bit, then down a bit, then more up and some down - I don't find it that rewarding. I got spoilt when I visited Glentress (blue), where all of the climbing was at the beginning, so I'm looking for somewhere in Wales which is similar.

So, what's the hardest technical bit's at Afan?

Cheers for the info

LjStronge

Afan is an XC course - which has already been said, so no uplifts.

I have been twice so I'll give you the info from my experience.

The first time I went was the second time I have ever gone out with mates MTB'ing and we did The Wall. It's about 14 Miles if I can remember and overall the up hill is not too bad, theres a grind at the start but there is a load of sick downhill singletrack to reward you.

Definately a great tail if if you don't like uphills (practice and deal with it) then it's not too bad.

Skyline on the other hand is long - it's a 48k trail with a lot of uphill, theres one section which is a three mile slog up a grinder. There is 2 massive single track bits that have been removed too now due to deforestation, so for me it wasn't really worth it.

BUT...The single track again is out of this world, and the views are absolutely breath taking.

If you are an MTB'er, go and do them, they are great. Remember, that if you only like the downhill, you can wimp out and go up the first section of Skyline, (Singletrack) and then down the final 6k descent while missing out all the hills. That last section is scary, frightening, and just bloody fantastic!

the_prophet

mountain biking is all about the up and the downs. sounds like you should be into your downhill instead. head to cwmcarn or somewhere else where they have specific DH tracks.

welshkev

there IS an uplift coming to afan, not heard anything about it yet though. i'll have a look and see if i can find something for you

just googled it:

http://www.afanuplift.co.uk/

Where are my stabilisers?

Cheers for the website link, I just asked them if it was running and they said no

Think I'm being a bit lazy - I need to get used to hills! Afan sounds good for single track and there must be a good reward for that big hill, so I'm gonna have a go on one of the shorter ones!

I dunno about Cwmcarn, does anyone know how hard that is (red)?

Turns out I'm a bit of a lazy chicken... Too unfit to climb and too chicken to try full on DH Maybe I should just book a Cwmcarn uplift and see what happens!

miss notax

The climb at Cwmcarn (xc trail) is quite techy - all very rideable but certainly deserving of it's red grade! It's hard and a lot of people (myself included) have to walk bits. The descent is fab and very flowy. A different thing entirely to Brechfa, I would say more technical but less big & scary.

If you don't fancy the xc climb at Cwmcarn you can climb up on the fireroad instead, that way your still getting some exercise!!

Thewaylander

Bout to say, Cwm is more technical than Afan but there is an up lift service.

But seriously an uplift service for XC downs? eat some weetabix and man up :P go climb!

welshkev

depends what you want. cwmcarn is on;y 10 mins from me so i ride there more often and like miss notax said there is a fireroad that is easier than the proper climb but is still a long steep drag up, but worth it in the end

if i had the choice though and afan was closer i'd say do the wall or whites as the climbs are easier

Thewaylander

Whites climb in particular though long, is kinda fun as mostly its not very steep.

Where are my stabilisers?

Ok ok, I've got to man-up and get used to hills - but don't laugh if you see a tubby girl having a rest every 100 meters

Maybe I'll try Whites, if the climb is not that steep and maybe I'll try the fire road climb at Cwmcarn. Longer and less steep I can cope with!

Gonna have to build myself up for this now... better set out early when I go! I'll report back when I have made it

VWsurfbum

you wont be on your own with getting off and having to walk, only advise i would give, is stay on your bike as long as possible and ride up at your own pace. plenty of places to stop and get your breath back on the way up but this will only make it harder.
I'm more than capable of making it up in a oner but when riding with friends we stop, have a chat etc on the way up and this only makes it harder.
have fun, Whytes is brilliant.

Thewaylander

Are you a south wales visitor then, or a new local?

Where are my stabilisers?

I'm in south west wales, it's just a case of getting on the M4 really .

I've been trying to pluck up the courage to try Afan/Cwmcarn for ages, but when I hear of fit people not liking the climbs, I chicken out :roll: - I'm scared that I wont make it round the trail in daylight hours


Time to just go for it I think!

welshkev

the climb is only about 4 miles long, it's just steeeeeeeep!! you could walk it in about 45 mins if you were that put off by it then just enjoy the downs

Thewaylander

PM some of us when you got, some solid encourgement can help

crust

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

I'm in south west wales, it's just a case of getting on the M4 really .

I've been trying to pluck up the courage to try Afan/Cwmcarn for ages, but when I hear of fit people not liking the climbs, I chicken out :roll: - I'm scared that I wont make it round the trail in daylight hours


Time to just go for it I think!

I'm 51, 14st and change, got metalwork in three of my major joints, ride once a week if I'm lucky and I can get up the climbs in Afan.

OK, there's a couple of bits where I have to get off and walk up but there only a couple and its only for ten-twenty feet at most.

When I first went, white's climb took an hour and a half due to gasping stops but what the hell, who cares, I dont and no one who's passed me has been anything other than encouraging.

Do it, the hardest part its actually making up your mind to go.

When you get to the top, and you will, the sense of achievment makes it all worth while.

If you dont, you'll only wonder what if and lifes too short for that.

M1llh0use

Did afan W2 (whites and the wall) and cwmcarn in a weekend last month and even though I'd done w2 before still dreaded the climb at whites. After the first 50 metres really got in to it and started to enjoy it! Ended up taking about an hour on the climb as we were all taking it pretty easy...

Cwmcarn was the same dreaded starting it but after 10 mins started to really enjoy it. Both climbs are a bit technical though....

miss notax

crust wrote:

If you dont, you'll only wonder what if and lifes too short for that.

Well said

Always better to give things a go (within reason!!) - no shame in walking parts of it - I had to walk absolutely loads of it when I first started (and still have to get off for some bits!)! And it's REALLY not that bad 8)

Where are my stabilisers?

BIG thanks for all of the encouragement people!

I'm hoping to get up there at some point next weekend, I'm quite looking forward to it now - a proper challenge!

I'll pack myself an energy drink

Thewaylander

good on ya.

maybe see you at Cwm its my local

St George

Hi,

Just to say to WAMS, go for it. Only had my bike for 6/7 months. Went to Cwmcarn for the first time today, (first time at a trail centre). Heard about bugger of a climb to start and when I first glimpsed the hills from the road at the bottom, I felt a bit apprehensive.

I was pleasantly surprised, took my time, a few stops (quite a few really!) on way up, only failed to get up a couple short bits only due to lack of momentum, I was expecting a lot worse.

Once at the top went down freeride bit a couple of times, and then back down the rest of the route to car park.

Took 2 hours in total, 90 minutes acutal riding time, 30 minutes spent making sure I knew where I was, taking photos and generally admiring the view. (unfit 52 yr old, smoked for 30 years)

Great fun, and I will be back, it's given me great confidence just to know I can!

Cheers

Jenks66

Climb on whites is not as difficult as Cwm Carn and whites is not as rough if you have a hardtail. Cwm Carn decent just destroys my arms and legs (note to self need to get full sus) On whites there are chicken runs on most of the biger rock features.
problem is you ride past one thinking I could have done that then try the next which is huge! LOL

msp1

Pretty new to mountain biking having only done Cwmcarn on a hardtail in February, the Wall 3 times in August (hardtail and full sus) and Whites last Saturday on my new Zesty 314.

Of the three trails The Wall is by far the easier climb, lots of fire road and some relatively easy and enjoyable singletrack. As I had bags of energy left after the climb I really enjoyed the descent, very fast and flowing. Liked it so much I did it 3 times in a week.

I made the mistake on Whites of not pacing myself for the climb, a bit of over excitement and eagerness on my part. Come the downhill section my energy reserves were a little low and so didn't get as much out of the descent as I could have. Far more technical than the Wall. At one spot (after or on the Energy level I think) I had to get off the bike and check the trail as it seemed to disappear ahead of me. A great trail, a lot more challenging than the Wall, can't wait to do it again.

My rcommendation would be to do the Wall first then either Whites or Cwmcarn.

Mike

Titanium Tom

I agree with most of the comments.
The Wall is great, Whites Level really great. String em together and you have W2. Long tough but spot on. We stayed at Bryn Betwys Cottages (log Cabins) at the top of the wall. great values, sleeps 6 and is easy access to either route.

Trying Brechfa this weekend
TT

Where are my stabilisers?

Well the bad news is... after having my weekend sapped away from me :roll: , I planned to go last monday... but the rain was so bad I bottled it I thought riding a new trail alone in the wet, probably wasn't the best idea!

The good news is... I've got a week off next week, so I'll defo be there at some point . If the weather is good on monday, I'll be doing Whites, if not it will be the next day etc.

I can't wait to have a go!

Thewaylander

Go on and get out there riding.

I'm tempted to burn a week off as my last summer holiday but i don't think i can get the time with the transfers at work at the moment, gonna have to wati for october/november

Jenks66

Was off down to Afan today but twisted my ancle yesterday at canock so limping round home thinking crap way to spend the rest of my holiday

bartimaeus

Does anyone have GPX of the Afan routes e.g.Whites, and the Wall?

I'm hoping to get over there in a few weeks, and I'd like to know what I am letting myself in for... how long are the climbs, and just how steep? II was going to try mapping it out on WheresThePath, but if someone already has the data logged...

njee20

Here you go. That was White's, the Wall (ie W2) with a lap of Penhydd too. Penhydd's closed, so you can only do the W2 half of it, but that saves a very dull bit of fireroad anyway!