South wales routes

paulus69

Hi all,

I am relatively new to MTB, although I have ridden a fair bit on road. I am looking at getting my MTB skills up by doing some routes (ideally without roads!). I am based in the pontypool/cwmbran area so it puts me very close to Cwmcarn, but would like to build up a bit (its rated as red) on easier/less demanding routes.

I noticed there is the Crickhowell loop but not much detail on it, the MTB wales site just has a small thumbnail of a map with a route on.

Any suggestions??

welshkev

hi mate,

i live in pontypool and i ride quite regulary with silversladey from here who lives in cwmbran.

sladey's super fit, i'm a little bit lardy but feel free to come out with us if you'd like. i'll probably be going out next weekend.

BTW, on the cwmcarn route there's nothing too hard on it that you can't just roll

Silversladey

The tourist information office in Crickhowell sell all the routes for the Brecon Beacons listed on MB Wales (for about £6)

There is some good riding in Pontypool Park which will help get your confidence up, i would love to show you around but currently suffering from broken ribs.

If you start by the cafe and cycle up the track under the ski slope towards the Grotto you can venture off and explore the woods there is plenty of UNNOFICIAL stuff.

Also you could climb up to the Lamb inn and follow the natural track towards the Mountain Air pub. Then climb from the car park up a Rocky Road and you can either go right on to the top of the mountain or follow a track to Blaen Bran woods (above Cwmbran).

Enjoy,

I should be fit within a few weeks so i could show you a few routes

Silversladey

welshkev

Silversladey wrote:

The tourist information office in Crickhowell sell all the routes for the Brecon Beacons listed on MB Wales (for about £6)

There is some good riding in Pontypool Park which will help get your confidence up, i would love to show you around but currently suffering from broken ribs.

If you start by the cafe and cycle up the track under the ski slope towards the Grotto you can venture off and explore the woods there is plenty of UNNOFICIAL stuff.

Also you could climb up to the Lamb inn and follow the natural track towards the Mountain Air pub. Then climb from the car park up a Rocky Road and you can either go right on to the top of the mountain or follow a track to Blaen Bran woods (above Cwmbran).

Enjoy,

I should be fit within a few weeks so i could show you a few routes

Silversladey

shit dude, i did pm you. have you broken them?

The Northern Monkey

Silversladey
Damn, was that on your off last weekend?

welshkev
Let me know if you are out next weekend... gonna be snowy all week though so its likely that Cwm will be closed again

Silversladey

Yeah. Cwmcarn boulders hurt

I have felt good all week ready to get back on the bike, but the last couple of days have been bad i cant touch my bottom two ribs.

I feel part of the club now my first real injury :twisted:

The Northern Monkey

Yowch

You had them seen to?

Silversladey

The Northern Monkey wrote:

Yowch

You had them seen to?

I've tried grinning and bearing it but it is time to go tto the docs (1st thing in the morning)

craker

paulus69 wrote:

I noticed there is the Crickhowell loop but not much detail on it, the MTB wales site just has a small thumbnail of a map with a route on.

Any suggestions??

The Crickhowell loop (presuming it's the red one that heads into the black mountains) is 25 miles or so and not for the unfit and unprepared. Not technical but you'll have sore legs if you haven't done the miles before.

I'd give Cwmcarn a go - it's good to be nervous, it's the overconfident who end up hurting themselves.

itsmygame

paulus 69 ---- where in ponty are you??? im in pontymoile. and as luck would have it my usual riding partner has bust his ribs (cant believe hes left me lol)

im relatively new and still getting to know cwmcarn.... whens best for you to ride??

Sladey

---

take it easy brother and let me know how u get on tomorrow.

welshkev

---

if you need a replacement tempory till my boy recovers let me know im not as fit and not as good at the tech stuff but i try lol

adzsubtract

Hi Paulus.

The first trail I rode was at Cwmcarn, a bit of a baptism of fire using V brakes and Suntour forks but it's all do-able. The only thing that makes it red is the nasty never ending climb, which shouldn't trouble you and the many technical parts, roots, rocks and step ups which needs good bike control and soft tyres (I run my tubed at 28psi). I am still to do the whole trail without stopping a few times on sections, but have seen these done by my mate.

Although I haven't been to all the other centres in the UK, after Cwmcarn I haven't found any red trail as difficult. It's a challenge which makes it rewarding. The up is definately harder than the down.

Hope this helps.

paulus69

Thanks for all the responses guys, you all seem really friendly and welcoming.

itsmygame
I live near the wetherspoons in Ponty

sladey
Thanks i'll give those a go, i live near the park so its not far for me.

adzsubtract
Suntour forks and v brakes, your describing my current bike (a carrera vulcan)

Before I join any of you lot I shall have a go on my own (don't want to slow you down) on some of the routes suggested. However what with christmas I'm not free now for the next two weeks.


I'm really surprised how small a world it is, it seems the NP4 postcode is the centre of biking!

welshkev

itsmygame wrote:

paulus 69 ---- where in ponty are you??? im in pontymoile. and as luck would have it my usual riding partner has bust his ribs (cant believe hes left me lol)

im relatively new and still getting to know cwmcarn.... whens best for you to ride??

Sladey

---

take it easy brother and let me know how u get on tomorrow.

welshkev

---

if you need a replacement tempory till my boy recovers let me know im not as fit and not as good at the tech stuff but i try lol

yeah, that'll be good. i'm nowhere near as fit as sladey either so it'll be good to go out and plod along

welshkev

paulus69 wrote:

Thanks for all the responses guys, you all seem really friendly and welcoming.

itsmygame
I live near the wetherspoons in Ponty
sladey
Thanks i'll give those a go, i live near the park so its not far for me.

adzsubtract
Suntour forks and v brakes, your describing my current bike (a carrera vulcan)

Before I join any of you lot I shall have a go on my own (don't want to slow you down) on some of the routes suggested. However what with christmas I'm not free now for the next two weeks.


I'm really surprised how small a world it is, it seems the NP4 postcode is the centre of biking!

one of my mates who rides lives in afon llwyd close

try the ski slope ride in the park, ride up the trail that goes up the side of the ski slope up to the grotto, there's a really good down hill back down or you can ride over to the folly and then down. i think it's about 8 miles from my place (the tranch) but it's a nice hours ride

itsmygame

kev message me your number and we ll try and sort something out

welshkev

[quote="The Northern Monkeywelshkev
Let me know if you are out next weekend... gonna be snowy all week though so its likely that Cwm will be closed again [/quote]

i will do mate, if it's bad and the road up to cwm is closed would you be up for doing a local loop by me?

Thewaylander

But Cwm hasn't closed, and there unlikely to close the trail. It's just road access that was closed this weekend, you could go round the housing estates and easily go ride.

welshkev

Thewaylander wrote:

But Cwm hasn't closed, and there unlikely to close the trail. It's just road access that was closed this weekend, you could go round the housing estates and easily go ride.

yeah i know they don't close the trail, just the road. but i try and stay away from cwm on the weekends unless i go early. so i just do a local loop usually - which ironically usually includes the freeride section of cwmcarn

Silversladey

Thewaylander wrote:

But Cwm hasn't closed, and there unlikely to close the trail. It's just road access that was closed this weekend, you could go round the housing estates and easily go ride.

+1

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=cwmcarn ... CBkQ8gEwAA

turn off the high street and follow nantcarn road, it runs parrallel with the forest drive and your there,

plus it will be quiet

plodtv

yeah make sure you put some electrolytes or something in your camelbak, mine froze yesterday morning before I even got from my car to the downhill bridge you go under on Twrch, which was a pain!

paulus69

plodtv wrote:

yeah make sure you put some electrolytes or something in your camelbak, mine froze yesterday morning before I even got from my car to the downhill bridge you go under on Twrch, which was a pain!

Why not use anti freeze, its cheaper!

Thewaylander

Cos it's poisenous to drink?

paulus69

Thewaylander wrote:

Cos it's poisenous to drink?

Fair point!

itsmygame

are you free on friday morning kev

welshkev

itsmygame wrote:

are you free on friday morning kev

unfortunately not, i'm very rarely available for mid week rides

itsmygame

kev are you about on friday morn? and or sat? yeah up to the grotto is it?

welshkev

itsmygame wrote:

kev are you about on friday morn? and or sat? yeah up to the grotto is it?

saturday might be good, but it'll have to be early, as in about an 8.30am start :shock:

that any good for you?

EDIT* saturday is no good, i forgot i'm working until 5am friday night/saturday morning. i don't really want to be going for a ride at 8.30am

joshtp

not really that near you... But I'm in Swansea.... all the lads that ride around here are pretty cool guys, Clyne is good at the mo, and I'm sure one of us would happily show you round out local stuff... Afan is pretty close too.