so they're closing skyline.....

welshkev
welshkev Posts: 9,690
edited April 2011 in Routes
just read in MBUK that they're closing the skyline trail at afan to make way for a new windfarm...apparently they're pumping a load more money into other trails in the area, but we'll see how long that takes to materialise aftr the penhydd being closed for so long :(

Comments

  • jj1048
    jj1048 Posts: 107
    Yeah just read that too, I've probably only ridden it once a year but I will miss it; it has a real out in the wilderness feeling. Maybe they'll keep the July shortcut open, or at least the final descent which is only a 2km fireroad blast from the top of the whites climb.
  • Johnskiii
    Johnskiii Posts: 4
    Just another bit of disappointing news on the ever declining quality of the trails on offer at Afan.

    In the press release the NPT council are practically creaming themselves that they will be building a new green/blue trail.

    Yeah, you may love that your gonna have a new pussy trail for families to come and spend money on but I prefer Afan forest park to be a mountain bike centre, not a toddlers mountain bike school.

    Cwmcarn gets a new downhill trail, we at Afan get a new green/blue trail.....and they close skyline too for good measure

    :evil:
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Afan is becoming a bit of a dump in terms of the quality of its trail's. becoming very family orientated riding :(

    Even the half decent stuff they have is being smoothed over and made a bit pointless. sad sad news.

    Did they have a date on the closure Kev?
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    i think they said june, but there was no exact date i don't think
  • Chronicbint
    Chronicbint Posts: 172
    How much of Skyline is closed? Heading over to Wales next month and was going to hit Afan, wonder if I should go somewhere else....
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    not sure, my mate rode it last week and he said quite a bit was closed and some of the bits that were open were pretty cut up by the big machinery they're using tgo chop down the trees...sorry i can't be more help
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    Real bad news about Afan. At the moment it's looking like that place will never be the same again!
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    At the moment it feels like there turning it more towards a family center than a bike center :( probabkly more acceptable to residents or something...
  • P-Jay
    P-Jay Posts: 1,478
    it's not all bad news, well it's looking a bit shit in the short-term, Penhydd's closed and no one seems to know when it'll be back (I also heard June) and what form it'll take because word has it the forrestry work tore the arse out of it.

    The Wall is diverted at the top

    White's is open but busy as hell because of the above

    Skyline is closing at the end of summer...

    BUT

    The company who's building the Wind Farm is paying for a new trail to be built after it's done which is outside of 'centre of excellence project'

    June isn't too far off really.

    Yes Green and Blue trails are coming to bring more noobs and families to Afan, but anyone who’s had a go on the Blue at Brechfa knows Blue trails don’t have to be boring AND there’s money in the pot for improving and building new Red/Black trails at Afan AND a new loop starting/ending at the Lodges at the top of the Wall. Plus a short skills loop and some more facilities at the centre.
    There’s going to be a new XC AND DH track at Cwmcarn and Rowen Sorrel is involved so they should be good, Plus Gethin is getting a load of DH tracks, some ‘natural’ XC trails and “purpose built uplift facility”
    So yeah Penhydd being closed is a bitch, Skyline going is bad news, but in the mid-term there’s going to be tonnes of new riding options for everyone in South Wales.
    Shocker Enduro
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Is Rowen Sorrel the dude behind Whites? i'm trying to remember. Cos if it is him that trail is totall shoot adn it get's me more worries :s

    but as alway's i guess it's a wait or see.
  • Silversladey
    Silversladey Posts: 450
    Thewaylander wrote:
    Is Rowen Sorrel the dude behind Whites? i'm trying to remember. Cos if it is him that trail is totall shoot adn it get's me more worries :s

    but as alway's i guess it's a wait or see.

    Don't think so, i think he did the Cwmcarn downhill and the Raven at Brechfa
  • P-Jay
    P-Jay Posts: 1,478
    He did the Brechfa Trails (all)
    The energy and black sections of White's
    The Freeride (orginal version) on Cwmcarn and the whole of the DH course.
    Shocker Enduro
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    He's alright then, no worries there,
  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    He's also done some of the good stuff at Lee & Cragg Quarry and Gisburn FOrest oop north.
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • leeshields
    leeshields Posts: 35
    Or be realistic and realise wind power is pretty hopeless and costs us all a fortune!

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/07 ... _per_cent/
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    These windfarms are cropping up everywhere! Like there's one being built up by me and it has 8 wndmills there. That can not be doing much for energy demands! Just build a nice big fuck off nuclear power station somewhere and be done with it! Not like we live on fault lines so should be relatively low risk. High start up cost then cheap as chips. Get it done! Refine some plutonium at the same time just in case it all kicks off :-)
  • leeshields
    leeshields Posts: 35
    Forget fault lines, just don't build it on a beach in a tsunami area.....

    Also look at Thorium reactors, its the future!

    Very safe as they need to be forced to run, turn off the power and it just stops.
  • d00m
    d00m Posts: 160
    Might as well give Afan a miss. 2 weeks ago I did white's and it was jammed with people, especially the climb, and last weekend I did the wall, same story.

    Then there's the diversions, and the lack of maintenance, meaning the trails are torn up.

    I wouldnt make a trip from far away. I'm only 8 miles away and it pissed me off!
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    I wouldn't say the trails are torn up the open ones are in fine condition, Wales just has rocks face it :p

    but i wouldn't drive far for the place at the moment
  • thor`s_dad
    thor`s_dad Posts: 16
    Afan is definitely taking a kicking at the mo, but i rode penhydd some months back, and it was awesome! A bit overgrown, dont ride in shorts cos the nettles n brambles were vicious, and there was some signs of machinery up there, but riding a deserted trail at full blast, knowing youre the only one riding there at that time was priceless.
    Also, besides the trail centre, there are lots of nice rides in the area. OK, theyre only short so probably not worth travelling far for, but if youre local you might want to try in and about the Ferry woods, Drummau and The Foel (or 3 pylons ), and the good thing is that there are usually interlinking trails joining them all together ( I found loads of routes when I wa training for P Coy WAAAAAAAAAAY back).
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    thor`s dad wrote:
    Afan is definitely taking a kicking at the mo, but i rode penhydd some months back, and it was awesome! A bit overgrown, dont ride in shorts cos the nettles n brambles were vicious, and there was some signs of machinery up there, but riding a deserted trail at full blast, knowing youre the only one riding there at that time was priceless.
    .

    And a bit silly to be totally honest the trail is closed for a reason. And i'm sure the forrestry commision with health and safety love you being up there while it is closed.
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    What Afan had to say on facebook...

    "There are lots of comments about Skyline closing so we have spoken to the people responsible and this will only happen if/ when the wind farm is built and this could be 12-18 months away. Mountain bikers need not worry! An equally enjoyable and challenging trail will be built and opened in Afan prior to any closure of Skyline."
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    Concorde wrote:
    What Afan had to say on facebook...

    "There are lots of comments about Skyline closing so we have spoken to the people responsible and this will only happen if/ when the wind farm is built and this could be 12-18 months away. Mountain bikers need not worry! An equally enjoyable and challenging trail will be built and opened in Afan prior to any closure of Skyline."

    result :D

    so MBUK are just scaring us all by saying it will be closing soon :roll:
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    welshkev wrote:
    Concorde wrote:
    What Afan had to say on facebook...

    "There are lots of comments about Skyline closing so we have spoken to the people responsible and this will only happen if/ when the wind farm is built and this could be 12-18 months away. Mountain bikers need not worry! An equally enjoyable and challenging trail will be built and opened in Afan prior to any closure of Skyline."

    result :D

    so MBUK are just scaring us all by saying it will be closing soon :roll:

    That's how mags/papers make their money aint it! My grandfather tells me he remembers teh days when the news would come on and the presenter would say "Today, there's no news!" That won't happen today, they'll just fill us full of some shit about fucking anything!

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